[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] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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