94-17772. Notice of Availability of Dredged Material Testing Manual, Request for Comment, and Announcement of Public Information Sessions  

  • [Federal Register Volume 59, Number 139 (Thursday, July 21, 1994)]
    [Unknown Section]
    [Page 0]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 94-17772]
    
    
    [[Page Unknown]]
    
    [Federal Register: July 21, 1994]
    
    
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    ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
    
    [OW-FRL-5017-5]
    
     
    
    Notice of Availability of Dredged Material Testing Manual, 
    Request for Comment, and Announcement of Public Information Sessions
    
    SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of and requests public 
    comment on the draft testing manual entitled ``Evaluation of Dredged 
    Material Proposed for Discharge in Waters of the U.S.--Testing Manual 
    (Draft)''. The manual was prepared by an Environmental Protection 
    Agency (EPA)/Corps of Engineers (CE) workgroup comprised of individuals 
    from headquarters, field offices, and research laboratories of both 
    agencies with scientific and/or programmatic expertise related to 
    dredged material discharge activities. Copies of the draft manual can 
    be requested by writing to Ms. Shirley Walker at the address listed 
    below under ADDRESSES. Public information sessions will be held at 
    various locations around the country to discuss the draft manual.
    
    DATES AND LOCATIONS: Written comments must be postmarked or submitted 
    by hand on or before October 19, 1994 to Mike Kravitz at the address 
    listed below under ADDRESSES.
        Public information sessions will be held at the following locations 
    and dates to discuss the draft testing manual ``Evaluation of Dredged 
    Material Proposed for Discharge in Waters of the U.S.--Testing Manual 
    (Draft)'':
        Boston--August 2, 1994, Ramada Hotel-Airport, 225 McClellan Hwy., 
    Boston, MA 02128 [phone (617) 569-5250, fax (617) 569-5159]; 
    Washington, DC--August 3, 1994, Marriot Crystal City, 1999 Jefferson 
    Davis Hwy., Arlington, VA 22202 [phone (703) 413-5500, fax (703) 413-
    0192]; Atlanta--August 4, 1994, Ramada Hotel-North, 1419 Virginia 
    Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30337 [phone (404) 768-7800, fax (404) 767-5451]; 
    San Jose--August 30-31, 1994, San Jose Hilton, 300 Almaden Blvd., San 
    Jose, CA 95110 [phone (408) 287-2100, fax (408) 987-4489]; Seattle--
    September 1-2, 1994, Red Lion Hotel-Airport, 18740 Pacific Hwy., 
    Seattle, WA 98188 [phone (206) 242-8600, fax (206) 242-9727]; Chicago--
    September 13-14, 1994, Holiday Inn O'Hare, 5440 N. River Rd., Rosemont, 
    IL 60018 [phone (708) 671-6350, fax (708) 671-1378]; St. Louis--
    September 14, 1994, St. Louis Airport Hilton, 10330 Natural Bridge Rd., 
    St. Louis, MO 63134 [phone (314) 426-5500, fax (314) 426-3429]; 
    Houston--September 15, 1994, Holiday Inn Intercontinental Airport, 
    15222 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Houston, TX 77032 [phone (713) 449-2311, 
    fax (713) 442-6833].
    
    ADDRESSES: A copy of ``Evaluation of Dredged Material Proposed for 
    Discharge in Waters of the U.S.--Testing Manual (Draft)'' can be 
    obtained by calling or writing to Ms. Shirley Walker, U.S. Corps of 
    Engineers, Waterways Experiment Station, IM-MI-R, 3909 Halls Ferry 
    Road, Vicksburg, Mississippi, 39180-6199; telephone: 601-634-2571.
        Comments may be mailed or delivered to: Mike Kravitz, Mail Code 
    4305, Attention: Testing Manual Comments, Office of Science and 
    Technology, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street SW., 
    Washington, DC 20460; telephone: 202-260-8085. Commenters are requested 
    to submit an original and 3 copies of their written comments and 
    enclosures. Commenters who want receipt of their comments acknowledged 
    should include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. No facsimiles 
    (faxes) will be accepted.
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    Mike Kravitz, Mail Code 4305, Office of Science and Technology, U.S. 
    Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street SW., Washington, DC 20460 
    (telephone: 202-260-8085); or Kirk Stark, Regulatory Branch, CECW-OR, 
    Office of the Chief of Engineers, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 20 
    Massachusetts Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20314 (telephone: 202-272-1786).
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Proposed discharges of dredged or fill 
    material in fresh, estuarine, and saline (near-coastal) waters, or 
    ``waters of the United States,'' must be evaluated to determine the 
    potential environmental impacts of such activities. Specifically, 
    Section 404 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972, Public 
    Law 92-500, as amended by the Clean Water Act (CWA), Public Law 95-217, 
    requires that the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of 
    the U.S. be permitted by the Corps of Engineers (CE). EPA has the 
    primary role in developing the environmental guidelines--the section 
    404(b)(1) Guidelines (Guidelines)--in conjunction with CE, by which 
    permit applications must be evaluated. The Guidelines are published at 
    40 CFR part 230. Fundamental to the Guidelines is the precept that 
    dredged or fill material should not be discharged into the aquatic 
    ecosystem, unless it can be demonstrated that such a discharge will not 
    have an unacceptable adverse impact either individually or in 
    combination with known and/or probable impacts of other activities 
    affecting the ecosystems of concern.
        Dredged material testing is part of the larger evaluation of a 
    proposed discharge activity to determine its compliance with the 
    Guidelines. Sections 230.60 and 230.61 of the Guidelines provide the 
    basis for certain contaminant-related factual determinations regarding 
    the potential environmental effects of a proposed discharge. The 
    present draft testing manual, ``Evaluation of Dredged Material Proposed 
    for Discharge in Waters of the U.S.--Testing Manual (Draft),'' details 
    the physical, chemical, and biological evaluation procedures outlined 
    in Secs. 230.60 and 230.61. The manual includes technical guidance on 
    sampling and analysis, physical and chemical evaluations, bioassays 
    (toxicity and bioaccumulation), quality assurance/quality control, 
    evaluation of discharges from confined disposal facilities, evaluation 
    of mixing, statistical methods, and identification of ammonia toxicity. 
    It uses a tiered testing approach which is scientifically valid and 
    cost-effective. Conclusions reached utilizing this manual will be used 
    to make factual determinations of the potential environmental effects 
    of a proposed discharge of dredged material.
        This manual will replace the May 1976 testing protocol, 
    ``Ecological Evaluation of Proposed Discharge of Dredged or Fill 
    Material into Navigable Waters,'' which will no longer be applicable. 
    Since development of the 1976 guidance, EPA and CE have gained a great 
    deal of experience in testing dredged material for environmental 
    effects. Much of this experience has been used in the development of a 
    1991 ``ocean'' testing manual to implement requirements in the Marine 
    Protection Research and Sanctuaries Act for evaluation of potential 
    environmental impacts associated with the discharge of dredged material 
    in waters seaward of the baseline of the territorial sea. Further 
    technical improvements, such as the refinement of bioassay tests, have 
    been incorporated in the present draft testing manual, ``Evaluation of 
    Dredged Material Proposed for Discharge in Waters of the U.S.--Testing 
    Manual (Draft),'' which implements dredged material testing 
    requirements under the CWA.
        The final testing manual will be published in approximately 6 
    months after review and consideration of the comments received on this 
    draft.
    
        Dated: July 18, 1994.
    Mark Luttner,
    Acting Assistant Administrator for Water.
    [FR Doc. 94-17772 Filed 7-20-94; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
07/21/1994
Department:
Environmental Protection Agency
Entry Type:
Uncategorized Document
Document Number:
94-17772
Pages:
0-0 (1 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Federal Register: July 21, 1994, OW-FRL-5017-5