Several hundred million cubic yards of sediment are dredged from waterways, ports, and harbors each year to
maintain the nation's navigation system for commercial, national defense, and recreational purposes. Regulation
of dredged material disposal within waters of the United States and ocean waters is a shared responsibility of EPA
and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act
(
MPRSA, also called the Ocean Dumping Act) is the primary Federal environmental statute governing transportation of
dredged material for the purpose of disposal into ocean waters, while
Clean Water Act
(CWA) section 404 governs the discharge of dredged or fill material into "waters of the United States." Under the
CWA and MPRSA, the Corps is the permitting authority for the proposed disposal of dredged material. Permits for
ocean dumping of dredged material are subject to EPA review and concurrence. CWA section 404 permits are subject to
EPA review and 404(c) "veto" if EPA's environmental guidelines are not met. EPA has the lead for establishing the
environmental guidelines/criteria that must be met to receive a permit under CWA section 404 and the MPRSA. EPA is
also responsible for designating recommended ocean disposal sites for dredged material.
The following links provide more information on dredged material management:
Photo by USACE
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