Ocean Disposal; Designation of an Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Site for the Southern Maine, New Hampshire, and Northern Massachusetts Coastal Region

Résumé

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposes to designate one ocean dredged material disposal site (ODMDS), the Isles of Shoals North Disposal Site (IOSN), located approximately 10.8 nautical miles (nmi) east of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, pursuant to the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act, as amended (MPRSA). This action is necessary to serve the long-term need for an ODMDS for the possible future disposal of suitable dredged material from harbors and navigation channels in southern Maine, New Hampshire, and northern Massachusetts. The proposed action is described in a Draft Environmental Assessment and Evaluation Study (DEA) also being released today for public comment. The DEA recommends designation of the proposed IOSN pursuant to the MPRSA as the preferred alternative from the range of options considered. The draft Site Management and Monitoring Plan (SMMP) is provided as Appendix G of the DEA.