46 
The Corps of Engineers has designated a total of eight disposal 
areas in the New York Bight. In additien to the five off New York 
Harbor, there is one off Monmouth County, New Jersey,.and two off 
Cape May, New Jersey. The latter three are used for disposal of 
relatively inert dredge material and do not constitute any serious 
pollution threat. 
Controversies associated with ocean disposal off New York Harbor 
are not new. Down through the years different segments of the pub- 
lic have opposed or criticized various aspects of this practice. 
For example, in 1931, disposal of garbage and other offensive float- 
able refuse at sea was halted following a U.S. Supreme Court injunc- 
tion obtained by the State of New Jersey against the City of New 
York. In the late 1940's sport and commercial fishermen from New 
York and New Jersey fought long and bitterly against establishment 
of acid grounds where ferrous sulphite and other associated wastes 
are disposed. This led to rather detailed studies by the Fish and 
Wildlife Service and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution which 
provided the first substantial knowledge of currents and biota in 
this area. This and subsequent studies have also revealed that 
ocean disposal is not the only cause of pollution in the New York. 
Bight, nor necessarily the most serious. Indeed, assessment of the 
ocean disposal problem must consider the impact of all pollution 
into the area. 
23 
