Dredged Material in Long Island Sound - EPA will Reduce or Eliminate Open Water Disposal

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) jointly regulate dredged material disposal under federal authorities provided by section 404 of the Clean Water Act and section 103 of the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA), which is also known as the Ocean Dumping Act (ODA). In administering these programs, we work closely with other federal resource management agencies like the National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and state environmental agencies to ensure proper coordination and consistency with other federal, state, and local statutory and regulatory requirements and environmental standards.
Since 1980, EPA and the USACE have been applying the sediment testing requirements of the Ocean Dumping Act to all federal projects and to private projects generating 25,000 cubic yards of dredged material or more. Dredged material that meets these criteria and is determined to be suitable for ocean disposal is disposed of at one of the two sites that were designated by EPA in 2005 after completion of an Environmental Impact Statement, or the two sites that were selected by the USACE pursuant to programmatic and site specific environmental impact statements completed in 1982 and 1991. For more information on these sites, please visit the "Long Island Sound Dredged Material Disposal Sites" web page.

On June 3, 2005, EPA issued a final rule to designate the Central Long Island Sound and Western Long Island Sound disposal sites for long-term use, but with restrictions that are intended to reduce or eliminate the disposal of dredged material in Long Island Sound. Use of the sites pursuant to these designations may be suspended or terminated in accordance with these restrictions. A link to the final rule is provided on the "Long Island Sound Dredged Material Disposal Sites" web page.

Full article: Dredged Material Management in Long Island Sound