United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water (WH-556F) EPA 503/4-90-001 November 1989 Ocean Disposal Monitoring Programs In Response To The Ocean Dumping Ban Act Report To Congress 106-Mile Industrial Waste Site >. 106-Mile Sludge Site ATLANTIC OCEAN ------- Report to Congress on Ocean Disposal Monitoring Programs in Response to the Ocean Dumping Ban Act ------- Table of Contents Page Executive Summary iii Introduction 1 The 12-Mile Sewage Sludge Dump Site 1 The New York Bight Acid Waste Site 2 The 106-Mile Deepwater Municipal Sludge Site and the 106-Mile Deepwater Industrial Waste Site 3 The Potential Areas of Influence of Sludges and Industrial Wastes Dumped at Those Sites 3 Monitoring Programs Being Conducted in the Region 7 Study of the Response of Habitat and Biota of the Inner New York Bight to Abatement of Sewage Sludge Dumping 8 New York Bight Restoration Plan 8 New York Bight Hydro-Environmental Monitoring and Modeling Study 8 Middle Atlantic Bight Initiative 9 New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary Program 9 Long Island Sound Estuary Program 9 Marine EcoSystems Analysis Program 9 National Status and Trends Program: Mussel Watch 10 New York Bight Sediment Surveys 10 New York Bight Water Quality Monitoring Program 10 Monitoring of Shellfish Growing Areas 10 Studies of Plastic Pollution in New York and New Jersey 10 Designation of Alternative Mud Dump Site 11 106-Mile Site Monitoring, Research, and Surveillance Program 11 Evaluation of the Potential North Atlantic Ocean Incineration Site 12 Northeast Monitoring Program 12 Marine Resources Monitoring, Assessment, and Prediction Program 12 The ODBA Monitoring Program 13 Monitoring the 12-Mile Site 15 Results from the 12-Mile Site Monitoring Program 19 Monitoring the 106-Mile Sludge Site 20 Results from the 106-Mile Site Monitoring Program 23 Strategy for Continued Research: Coordination and Communication 28 References 30 ------- List of Tables Page Table 1. Programs Meeting Requirements of ODBA 14 Table 2. Variables Measured During 12-Mile Dumpsite Studies 17 Table 3. Predicted Responses of the Habitat and Biota of the Inner New York Bight After Cessation of Sewage Sludge Dumping 18 Table 4. Summary of EPA Monitoring Surveys Conducted in the Vicinity of the 106-Mile Site Since 1984 23 Appendices Appendix 1. Testable Hypotheses to be Addressed in the Monitoring Plan A-1 Appendix 2. Memorandum of Understanding A-3 Appendix 3. Strategy for Monitoring, Research, and Surveillance of the 106-Mile Deepwater Municipal Sludge Site A-9 ------- Executive Summary The Ocean Dumping Ban Act of 1988 (ODBA) provides for the termination of ocean dumping of municipal sewage sludge and industrial wastes. It amends the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 (MPRSA). Section 1002 of ODBA adds to MPRSA a new Sec- tion 104B. Section 104B(j) covers environmental monitoring requirements. Section 104B(j) requires that the Admi- nistrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in cooperation with the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, submit a report to Congress describing the design of a program to monitor environmental con- ditions of the following: The 12-Mile Sewage Sludge Dump Site The New York Bight Acid Waste Site The 106-Mile Deepwater Municipal Sludge Site and the 106-Mile Deepwater Industrial Waste Site The potential area of influence of sludges and industrial wastes dumped at those sites. Section 104B(j) also requires the submission to Congress of a series of annual reports describing the results of monitoring conducted at these locations. To be effective, monitoring programs, including the one mandated by ODBA, should (1) use baseline, available, and newly generated data; (2) focus on clear questions and null hypotheses; and (3) collect data that contain statistical rigor, including a strong sampling design that allows for detection of changes. For the monitoring program mandated by ODBA, these standards can be met using infor- mation from past and ongoing programs. The program developed under ODBA builds on these existing monitoring pro- grams. In addition, baseline and moni- toring data available from programs that have been completed, are ongoing, or are being planned will be used to satisfy the requirements of the Act. Disposal of wastes has been halted at the 12-Mile Sewage Sludge Dump Site since 1987. Ongoing studies are documenting recovery of the site and the area surrounding it following cessation of municipal sludge disposal. The New York Bight Acid Waste Site and the 106-Mile Deepwater Industrial Waste Site are not being used and EPA is recommending in ------- their dedesignation. Any effects of past dumping at those sites are thought to have been minor and short-lived. Between 1984 and 1989, EPA developed and implemented a monitoring plan for the 106-Mile Deepwater Municipal Sludge Site (106-Mile Site). This plan was designed to address compliance with disposal require- ments in addition to addressing the fate and effects of sludge disposed at the 106- Mile Site. In March 1989, EPA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) convened a workshop to address research, monitoring, and surveil- lance of sludge dumping at the 106-Mile Site. The workshop was convened in response to ODBA requirements and to address public concerns about potential effects on fisheries and human health risks resulting from disposal of sewage sludge at the 106-Mile Site. It brought together scientists, fishermen, policy experts, and environmentalists to discuss available information on the fate and effects of sludge disposal and to develop a strategy for future research, monitoring, and surveillance. EPA has published the results of that workshop. Building on the results of the workshop, the agencies have developed a strategy and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for monitoring effects of municipal sludge disposal at the 106-Mile Site. The strategy and MOU will be used to revise the EPA monitoring plan for the 106-Mile Site. Both of these documents are ap- pended to this report. The priorities for the revised monitoring, research, and surveillance program will include the following: Studies of water mass movements and currents to provide direct measurements of movements of sludge particles. Satellite studies to provide regional information that will aid in deter- mining where sludge particles go. Statistical evaluation and use of models to determine where sludge particles travel when they leave the 106-Mile Site. Direct measurements of settling of sludge particles using sediment traps. Measurement of the fate of sludge in sediments in the area of potential sludge deposition. Measurements of sludge constitu- ents in tilefish and other non- migratory fishes inhabiting areas inshore from the 106-Mile Site. Measurements of sludge constitu- ents in midwater animals, such as squids, that migrate through the region of the 106-Mile Site. IV ------- Measurements of sludge constitu- Many of these monitoring activities are ents in noncommercial species that Deing implemented while the revisions to °f the 10S" the current monitori"9 Plan are being made. The estimated $3 million/year that Coordination of monitoring will be distributed to EPA and NOAA from activities. permit fees is expected to support re- search and monitoring activities associated The strategy also provides for continuing ^ s|udge cnaracterization and disposa| peer review of Implementation plans and operations, nearfield fate and short-term monitoring results. impacts, and farfield fate studies. ------- Introduction The Ocean Dumping Ban Act of 1988 (ODBA) amends the Marine Protection. Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 (MPRSA) to provide for the termination of ocean dumping of sewage sludge and industrial waste. Section 104B(j) covers environmental monitoring requirements. In response to ODBA requirements, EPA, NOAA, and USCG convened a workshop to address concerns about the potential effects of ocean disposal on human health and marine resources. The workshop as- sisted in identifying monitoring, research, and surveillance needs and identified strategies to address these needs. Section 104B(j) requires that the Admin- istrator of EPA, in cooperation with the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, submit a report to Congress describing the design of a program to monitor environmental condi- tions of the following: o The 12-Mile Sewage Sludge Dump Site The New York Bight Acid Waste Site The 106-Mile Deepwater Municipal Sludge Site and the 106-Mile Deepwater Industrial Waste Site The potential area of influence of sludges and industrial wastes dumped at those sites. Section 104B(j) also requires the submission to Congress of a series of annual reports describing the results of monitoring conducted at these locations. The 12-Mile Sewage Sludge Dump Site The 12-Mile Sewage Sludge Dump Site (12-Mile Site) is located in the New York Bight Apex, 12 nautical miles from Sandy Hook, New Jersey. It was used for dispo- sal of municipal sludges from 1924 until late 1987, when all sludge disposal was moved offshore to the 106-Mile Sludge Site. Under the MPRSA and EPA's ocean dumping regulations, in 1973 the 12-Mile Site was given an interim designation as an ocean dumpsite and was formally ap- proved for use in 1979. Although this in- terim designation of the site expired in 1981, the final judgment in the court order in City of New York v. EPA. 543 F. Supp 1084 (S.D.N.Y. 1981) allowed dumpers to continue using this site. Consequently, disposal of sludges at the site continued until an offshore site was designated. ------- The New York Bight Acid Waste Site The New York Bight Acid Waste Site was established in 1948 for disposal of acid and alkaline wastes from New York and New Jersey industries. Its boundaries are 40°16'00" to 40°20'00" north latitude and 73°36'00" to 73°40'00" west longitude. The site was interimly designated in 1973 and was last used in September 1988. Currently there are no permittees dis- posing of wastes at this site, and EPA will propose dedesignation of the site. 106-Mile Industrial ^ Waste Site ATLANTIC OCEAN ODBA mandates monitoring of environmental conditions of ocean disposal sites in the New York Bight and surrounding region. ------- The 106-Mile Deepwater Municipal Sludge Site and the 106-Mile Deepwater Industrial Waste Site Designation of the 106-Mile Deepwater Municipal Sludge Site (106-Mile Sludge Site) resulted from EPA's decision to end municipal sludge disposal at the 12-Mile Site. The 106-Mile Sludge Site was desig- nated in 1984. Phasing out of use of the 12-Mile Site and phasing in of use of the the 106-Mile Sludge Site took place in 1986-1987. Originally, the site was part of a larger site. Approximately 500 nautical miles in area, that site had been used since 1961 for dis- posal of chemical wastes and other mater- ials. The site came under EPA's ocean dumping regulations in 1978. Following the regulations, in 1982 EPA published its intention of formally designating the site. However, concern that mixed dumping of municipal sludges and industrial wastes would complicate monitoring efforts led to a decision to designate two smaller sites within the larger one. The resulting 106-Mile Sludge Site is approximately 100 square nautical miles, with boundaries at SBMO'OO" to 39°00'00" north latitude and 72°00'00" to 72°05'00" west longitude. Its location is approxi- mately 120 nautical miles southeast of Ambrose Light, New York, and 115 nauti- cal miles from Atlantic City, New Jersey. The 106-Mile Deepwater Industrial Waste Site (106-Mile Industrial Waste Site) was also designated within the original larger site in 1984. The 106-Mile Industrial Waste Site is circular, with a radius of 3 nautical miles and a center at 38°45'00" north lati- tude and 72°20'00" west longitude. The area of the site is approximately 28.3 square nautical miles. The site is located 125 nautical miles southeast from Ambrose Light and 105 nautical miles from Atlantic City. No permittees dispose of wastes at this site, and EPA will also soon propose dedesignation. The Potential Areas of Influence of Sludges and Industrial Wastes Dumped at Those Sites The potential areas of influence of sludges and industrial wastes disposed of at the 12-Mile Site, the New York Bight Acid Waste Site, and the 106-Mile Sites can be estimated by the water masses and cur- rents at the sites as well as by the nature of the materials being disposed. Because both municipal sludges and in- dustrial wastes do not settle quickly in seawater, the constituents of the wastes may travel great distances before they reach the seafloor. ------- The 12-Mile Site is shallow, and currents within the area are variable. Sludge from the 12-Mile Site has been demonstrated to reach the seafloor and move southward in- to the Hudson Shelf Valley. The inner New York Bight is generally considered the re- gion that could be influenced by sludge disposal at the 12-Mile Site. However, municipal sludge dumped at the site was only a part of the total con- taminant input to the New York Bight. Sewage treatment plant effluents and dis- charges from combined sewer overflows (CSOs) in the New York-New Jersey area, disposal of dredged materials, runoff, leachate from landfills, accidental dumping, groundwater inflow, and atmospheric de- position also have contributed to pollution of the New York Bight. This mixture of in- fluences has made linking sludge disposal to environmental impacts difficult. How- ever, evidence of habitat degradation as a result of using the 12-Mile Site for sludge disposal was sufficient for EPA in 1984 to deny petitions to redesignate the site. Similarly, the New York Bight Acid Waste Site is located within the variable currents of the New York Bight. However, the site is no longer used, and effects from dis- posal of wastes at the site were thought to be localized and transient (EPA, 1980). Probably no lasting effects have resulted from dumping that occurred at the site. Both 106-Mile Sites are situated in deep water, in an oceanographic region called the slope sea, which is bounded by the Gulf Stream to the south and east and by the continental shelf to the north. Recent- ly, scientists have suggested that the water mass of the slope sea moves in a large anticlockwise gyre (Csanady and Hamilton, 1987). The 106-Mile Sites are located in the strongest part of the southwestward flowing, inshore side of the gyre. Mean long-term flow from the sites is to the southwest. Much of the waste disposed at the site will probably be entrained in the Gulf Stream and broadly dispersed in the Atlantic. The amount of waste material that may recirculate through the site re- mains to be quantified accurately. However, the currents in the region are variable. The position of the Gulf Stream influences currents at the sites. For ex- ample, on the rare occasions that the Gulf Stream lies over the site, current speeds are up to 20 times normal and current di- rection is to the northeast rather than to the southwest. At other times, large mean- ders in the Gulf Stream also can pinch off to form clockwise eddies which move southwest through the sites: These eddies may play an important role in the ex- change of shelf and slope waters. ------- NEW YORK'BIQHT ) £son Ca"y°n '/y' 106-Mile Site \ \ ATLANTIC OCEAN Potential areas of influence of the 12-Mile Site and the 106-Mile Site. In 1983, NOAA described an area that could be occupied by water masses advected from the 106-Mile Sites and termed it the potential area of influence. Using available information on the physical oceanography of the site, NOAA described the largest area that might be affected by waste disposal. The site was the total area that might receive sludge constituents, in- cluding all areas that could be occupied by ------- warm-core eddies. It was "not an area with subunits having equal probability for receiving wastes from the 106-Mile Site, nor equal likelihood of experiencing environmental change" (NOAA, 1983). Since 1983, knowledge of the region in which the 106-Mile Sites are situated has increased (NOAA, 1985; Csanady and Hamilton, 1988; SAIC/Battelle, 1988). Using that information and new information collected during monitoring, EPA is currently developing a more precise description of an area that could be affected by ocean dumping. Like the New York Bight Acid Waste Site, no dumping occurs at the 106-Mile Indus- trial Waste Site. Any effects of waste disposal at the site are thought to have been transient and short-lived. Concen- trations of wastes disposed at the site were reduced to very low levels within 2 hours after dumping and waste plumes were small (O'Connor and Park, 1982). Consequently, no large area is thought likely to have been impacted by disposal of wastes at that site. 6 ------- Monitoring Programs Being Conducted in the Region Because the New York Bight has received pollutant inputs from many sources and for many years, a variety of site-specific and regional monitoring programs that apply to the requirements of ODBA have already been conducted, are underway, or are planned. Dumpsites in the region exist not only for disposal of municipal sludges and industrial wastes, but also for dredged material, construction materials, and for burning driftwood collected in New York Harbor. Until 1987, a site for incineration of liquid organochlorine wastes also was considered. The region also receives in- puts of pollutants from nonpoint sources, such as the Hudson River and the Hud- son-Raritan estuary; shore-based sewage discharges; runoff and storm drainage; and deposition from the atmosphere. Pro- grams conducted in the region include the following: Study of the Response of Habitat and Biota of the Inner New York Bight to Abatement of Sewage Sludge Dumping (NOAA) New York Bight Restoration Plan (EPA) New York Bight Hydro- Environmental Monitoring and Modeling Study (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) Middle Atlantic Bight Initiative (EPA) New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary Program (EPA) Long Island Sound Estuary Program (EPA) Marine Ecosystems Analysis Program (NOAA) National Status and Trends Program (NOAA) New York Bight Sediment Surveys (EPA) New York Bight Water Quality Monitoring Program (EPA) Monitoring of Shellfish Growing Areas (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) Studies of Plastic Pollution in New York and New Jersey (EPA) Designation of an Alternate Mud Dump Site (EPA) 106-Mile Site Monitoring, Research, and Surveillance Program (EPA, NOAA, U.S. Coast Guard) Evaluation of the Potential North Atlantic Ocean Incineration Site (EPA) Northeast Monitoring Program (NOAA) ------- Marine Resources Monitoring, Assessment, and Prediction Program (NOAA). recommendations for funding and for coordinating these projects. Study off the Response of Habitat and Biota of the Inner New York Bight to Abatement of Sewage Sludge Dumping NOAA has developed and implemented a program to document changes in living marine resources and their habitats (NOAA, 1988). Two considerations deter- mined choice of monitoring activities: (1) relevance to fisheries of the inner Bight, and (2) the predictive value of detecting changes following abatement of sludge dumping at the site. New York Bight Restoration Plan The New York Bight Restoration Plan, mandated by the Marine Plastic Pollution Research and Control Act of 1987, is being developed by EPA Region II, in coopera- tion with NOAA and other Federal and State agencies (EPA, 1989). Due in FY 1991, the plan will identify and assess the impact of pollutants to water quality and marine resources; identify technologies and practices to control pollutant inputs; identify costs of control measures and impediments to implementation; and form New York Bight Hydro- Environmental Monitoring and Modeling Study The Water Resources Development Act of 1986 mandates the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to (1) study the hydro- environmental system of the New York Bight; and (2) study a proper physical hy- draulic model of the Bight. To initiate this program, USACE New York District is eval- uating available data and reviewing re- quirements for an appropriate model. The goal of the study is to determine the feasi- bility and specifications for a comprehen- sive hydro-environmental monitoring and modeling plan and information system that can be used to document and predict the effects of changes to the New York Bight ecosystem due to human activities and natural events. The program has devel- oped background reports on monitoring activities in the Bight and has conducted workshops on data and modeling needs The Act requires that this program be coordinated with EPA. Coordination is ongoing with the New York Bight Restor- ation Plan. Coordination with other USACE programs in the Chesapeake Bay and along the New Jersey coast is also underway. 8 ------- Middle Atlantic Bight Initiative EPA's Middle Atlantic Bight Initiative is directed toward identifying and solving coastal problems throughout the region. EPA's Region III is working with Federal, State, and local agencies to implement a comprehensive strategy that will balance the needs of man's activities with the need to preserve living marine resources. New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary Program The Water Quality Act of 1987 authorized the Administrator of EPA to designate New York-New Jersey Harbor as an estuary of national concern. A Management Confer- ence comprising representatives of EPA, NOAA, other Federal, State, and interstate agencies, the scientific and technical com- munity, and the public has been convened to prepare a Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan for the estuary. The broad problems to be addressed by the Management Conference are (1) pathogen contamination; (2) changes in living resources; (3) habitat loss and modification; (4) eutrophication; (5) float- able debris, and (6) toxic chemical contamination. Long Island Sound Estuary Program The Long Island Sound Estuary Program was established in 1985. The program has focused on three environmental concerns: (1) the scope of the Sound's problems with toxic contamination and low dissolved oxygen; (2) the year-to-year trends of toxic pollution and nutrient input; and (3) the specific effects of these toxic con- taminants on the living resources of the Sound, including fish and shellfish for human consumption. Marine EcoSystems Analysis Program The Marine EcoSystems Analysis Program (MESA) New York Bight Project was con- ducted by NOAA during 1973-79. The project included three phases: Phase 1, description of the marine environment; Phase 2, assessment of effects of ocean dumping; and Phase 3, design of a pro- gram to identify future changes in the marine environment that could result from sludge disposal. NOAA also conducted the Hudson-Raritan Estuary Project, which examined the estuary's contribution to pollution in the Bight. ------- National Status and Trends Program: Mussel Watch NOAA has been conducting a national contaminant monitoring program since 1984. This program collects samples annually at ten stations along the shores of the New York Bight and at 11 stations in Long Island Sound. At most of these sta- tions, known as Mussel Watch stations, bivalve molluscs and associated sediments are collected and analyzed for toxic con- taminants, including trace metals, chlori- nated pesticides, polychlorinated biphe- nyls, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocar- bons. At four of these stations, known as benthic surveillance stations, bottom- dwelling fishes and associated sediments are collected and analyzed for the same contaminants. Biological measurements to detect contaminant effects on the biota are also included in the program. New York Bight Sediment Surveys Since 1972, EPA has monitored sediment quality in the New York Bight. These monitoring activities have been conducted under the mandate of the Marine Protec- tion, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 and EPA ocean dumping regulations. Monitoring results have provided infor- mation on the combined effects of dump- ing of municipal sludge at the 12-Mile Site and other contaminant inputs. Recently, EPA has reviewed data from this program to develop future monitoring strategies (Battelle, 1989). New York Bight Water Quality Monitoring Program The New York Bight Water Quality Pro- gram, conducted by EPA Region II, mon- itors waters of the New York Bight to predict environmental problems, assess the causes of the problems, and make de- cisions regarding the protection of water quality in the region (EPA, 1985). Monitoring of Shellfish Growing Areas The Shellfish Sanitation Branch of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration monitors and evaluates shellfishing areas in the vicinity of the 12-Mile Site. This program validates boundaries of the area closed to shellfishing. Studies of Plastic Pollution in New York and New Jersey A variety of studies of marine debris, in- cluding plastic pollutants and floatable wastes, have been undertaken in the New York-New Jersey coastal region (Battelle, 10 ------- 1988c). These studies have been spon- sored by EPA's Office of Marine and Estuarine Protection, EPA Region II, and the New Jersey Department of Environ- mental Protection. They have been con- ducted in response to the Marine Plastic Pollution Research and Control Act of 1987 and general public concern about floatable wastes in the marine environment. The studies have focused on (1) characteriza- tion of plastic pollutants and floatable debris on beaches and within marine waters; (2) identification of sources; and (3) determination of fate of debris when it reaches marine waters. Designation of Alternative Mud Dump Site The Mud Dump Site, located 5.75 miles off the coast from Sandy Hook, New Jersey, has been used for the disposal of dredged material from the New York/New Jersey Harbor area since 1914. The Water Re- sources Development Act of 1986 man- dates EPA to designate a new site or sites as an alternative to the existing site for other than acceptable dredged material. The new sites are to be located at least 20 miles from shore. In accordance with EPA's policy of voluntary preparation of Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) on site designations, EPA, in consultation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is cur- rently developing an EIS for an alternative site or sites. The EIS will include plans to monitor the site to ensure that permit conditions are met and that no unaccept- able adverse impacts result from disposal of dredged material. 106-Mile Site Monitoring, Research, and. Surveillance Program Since 1984, when EPA designated the 106- Mile Deepwater Municipal Sludge Site,. EPA, NOAA, and the U.S. Coast Guard have conducted monitoring, research, and surveillance activities related to the site. EPA has developed and begun implemen- tation of a monitoring program designed to (1) assess whether permit conditions for disposal of sludge are met and (2) deter- mine whether dumping affects human health, resources, or the marine envi- ronment (Battelle, 1988a, 1988b). NOAA has conducted groundfish surveys along the continental shelf, adjacent to the site. .. Under MPRSA, the Coast Guard's role is surveillance. The development and imple- mentation of the electronic Ocean Dumping Surveillance System (ODSS) on barges permitted to dump at the 106-Mile Sludge Site accomplishes this mandate. The ODSS is used to track barge positions and can determine dumping rates by mon- itoring and recording barge draft readings. In 1989, these three activities were combined into one interagency plan. 11 ------- Evaluation of the Potential North Atlantic Ocean Incineration Site Until 1988, when EPA suspended its plans to develop an ocean incineration regula- tion, a site directly to the south of the 106- Mile Sites was being considered for poten- tial incineration of liquid organochlorine wastes. Baseline monitoring in the region was conducted in support of that designa- tion (Battelle, 1987). However, EPA is no longer considering designation and sub- sequent use of this site. Northeast Monitoring Program The Northeast Monitoring Program was ini- tiated by NOAA in 1978 to assess the con- dition of fisheries habitats along the north- east continental shelf from the Gulf of Maine to Cape Hatteras and to establish benchmarks against which temporal changes could be measured (NOAA, 1983). Although the program ended in 1984, some activities have been continued in other NOAA programs. Marine Resources Monitoring, Assessment, and Prediction Program NOAA's Marine Resources Monitoring, Assessment, and Prediction Program (MARMAP) collects data on fish eggs and larvae along the continental shelf from Nova Scotia to Cape Hatteras. MARMAP's goals are to integrate survey information with field studies and laboratory research to determine seasonal and annual variabil- ity in biological and environmental para- meters that may affect the size of fish pop- ulations (Sibunka and Silverman, 1984). 12 ------- The ODBA Monitoring Program Effective monitoring programs should (1) use baseline, available, and newly gener- ated data; (2) focus on clear questions; and (3) be statistically rigorous, e.g., including a strong sampling design and an ability to detect changes. For the moni- toring program mandated by ODBA, these standards can be met using information from ongoing programs (Table 1). The program developed under ODBA builds on these existing programs. In addition, baseline and monitoring data available from programs that have been completed, are ongoing, or are being planned will be used to satisfy the requirements of the Act. NOAA's study of response of habitat and biota to abatement of dumping at the 12- Mile Site provides the primary source of data on the site and the potential area of influence of past sludge disposal. Addi- tional supporting data are available from the New York Bight Restoration Plan, the National Estuaries Program, EPA's New York Bight Sediment Surveys and Water Quality Monitoring, and other programs. The programs associated with designation of an alternate Mud Dump Site, monitoring of the Wood-Burning Site, and the studies of plastic pollution and marine debris pro- vide further data on the New York Bight. Because dumping of wastes at the New York Bight Acid Waste Site has stopped and no lasting effects are thought to have resulted from use of the site, no ongoing monitoring program specific to the site is underway. Ongoing regional efforts in the New York Bight provide sufficient informa- tion about the overall health of the region that could conceivably have been affected by dumping. The 106-Mile Sludge Site Monitoring, Re- search, and Surveillance Program is speci- fically directed at monitoring the site and the potential area affected by, municipal sludge dumping. Other programs that have and can provide relevant data include the Northeast Monitoring Program, MARMAP, and the baseline monitoring conducted to evaluate a potential ocean incineration site. Because the 106-Mile Industrial Waste Site is not in use and no lasting effects are thought to occur from waste disposal at the site, no ongoing program is directed at monitoring the site. Information from the programs directed at or in the region of the 106-Mile Sludge Site can also be ap- plied to study of the Industrial Waste Site. 13 ------- Table 1. Programs Meeting Requirements of ODBA Programs Related to the 12-mile Site Primary Program Study of the Response of Habitat and Biota of the Inner New York Bight to Abatement of Sewage Sludge Dumping Other Programs New York Bight Restoration Plan New York Bight Hydro-Environmental Monitoring and Modeling Study Middle Atlantic Bight Initiative New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary Program' Marine Ecosystems Analysis Program New York Bight Sediment Surveys New York Bight Water Quality Monitoring Program Monitoring of Shellfish Growing Areas Studies of Plastic Pollution in New York and New Jersey Designation of an Alternate Mud Dump Site Programs Related to the 106-mile Site Primary Program 106-Mile Site Monitoring, Research, and Surveillance Program Ofher Programs Evaluation of the Potential North Atlantic Ocean Incineration Site Northeast Monitoring Program Marine Resources Monitoring, Assessment, and Prediction Program 14 ------- Monitoring the 12-Mile Site The Plan for Study: Response of the Habitat and Biota of the Inner New York Bight to Abatement of Sewage Sludge Dumping (NOAA, 1988) presents NOAA's plan to monitor recovery in the 12-Mile Site and the potential area of impact of the site following abatement of sludge disposal. Because sludge disposal at the site began in 1924 and no studies were conducted until 1968, no relevant baseline data are available from the region. Attempts to use other areas as "controls," i.e., areas with similar environmental conditions but with- out contamination, also have not been successful (Reid et al., 1987). These studies found that (1) separating effects of dumping from effects from other sources was difficult; (2) it was not possible to prove that the control areas were in fact environmentally similar to the affected area; and (3) past studies had not included sufficient parameters measured at appro- priate intervals and using suitable ana- lytical techniques. The abatement of dumping at the site has provided an opportunity for investigating the effects of ocean dumping without pre- dumping baseline data. By systematic monitoring during dumping and after dumping ended at the site, NOAA has been able to develop data that can be used to determine effects and recovery at and near the site. Ideally, monitoring programs include replicate measurements of a complete suite of variables collected over space and time. However, resource and logistical constraints often do not allow for such a complete program. The plan therefore represents a compromise of "replicate" and "broadscale" measurements. Rockaway Pt. Sandy Hook ' \ Dredge Dumpsite Sludge Dumpiite Replicate stations Broadscale stations Locations of replicate and broadscale stations sampled to measure recovery of the 12-Mile Site. The replicate survey includes intensive monitoring at stations chosen to represent a gradient of sewage sludge concentra- tions and effects. The broadscale survey 15 ------- consists of a suite of single measurements taken in an area covering most of the inner New York Bight and chosen to include all major habitat types that could be affected by changes in sludge inputs. A wide range of parameters relevant to fishery resources and their habitats or useful as indicators for detecting environmental changes is included in the study (Table 2). Specific issues being studied include the following: Distribution and abundance of fish and megainvertebrates. Diets of winter flounder, red hake, silver hake, and lobster. Organic contaminants in selected species. Migration of winter flounder. Gross pathology. Benthic macrofauna. Bacteria in sediments and tissues. Water chemistry. Sediment chemistry. Seabed and bottom water metabolism. Pathways and rates of sludge and contaminant dispersion. Responses which might be expected in the habitats and biota following cessation of dumping are listed in Table 3. 16 ------- Table 2. Variables Measured During 12-Mile Dumpsite Studies Wafer Sediments Biota Bottom Wafer Dissolved oxygen Temperature Salinity pH Sulfide Nutrients Turbidity Currents Water Column Temperature Salinity Oxygen Currents Chemistry Heavy metals Organic contaminants Sulfide. pH profiles Redox potential Sediment BOD Chlorophyll pigments Total organic carbon Characteristics Grain size Erodibility Rates Seabed oxygen consumption Sedimentation Resource species Distribution/abundance Diet - winter flounder - red hake - lobster Gross pathology Tissue organics - winter flounder - lobster Migration (tagging) - winter flounder - lobster Benthos Macrofauna abundance/diversity Meiofauna abundance/diversity Bacteria -.sediments Fecal and total coliform C. Perfringens Vibrio spp. Total count Bacteria - shellfish 17 ------- Table 3. Predicted Responses of the Habitat and Biota of the Inner New York Bight After Cessation of Sewage Sludge Dumping Abundance, distribution, and structure of finfish and megabenthic invertebrate communities will differ significantly among replicate sites prior to cessation of dumping. Shifts will occur In sediment contaminants and benthic forage species, and abundance and distribution of finfish and megabenthic invertebrates at the most polluted sites will be similar to the relatively cleaner reference stations. The diet of winter flounder. lobster, and other species will change following shifts in availability of benthic prey at the replicate sites while dumping is phased out. Winter flounder that use the areas affected by dumping will comprise a significant portion of the population of Raritan Bay. The number of crustacean forage organisms in enriched" and highly altered" zones will increase significantly (defined here and below as a change of > 50 percent of the 95 percent confidence level). The numbers of benthic species in "enriched" and "highly altered" zones will increase significantly. The areal coverage and mean density of Capitella in the "highly altered" zone will be reduced significantly. Levels of bacteria indicative of sewage contamination in surf clams will decrease to acceptable levels, permitting shellfish beds to be reopened. Levels of organic contaminants in gut contents of winter flounder and lobster will decrease following cessation of dumping, but body burden levels will not shift because species are seasonal migrants. Black gill disease, fin erosion, ulceration, incidences of parasitism, tumors, and skeletal anomalies will significantly decrease in finfish and megabenthic invertebrates. The intensity of perennial hypoxia (down to 0.46 mg O2/L) will be relieved (minimum values 4 mg/L at 1 m above bottom and 2 mg/L at 0.1 m) throughout the Basin but not in isolated localities of dredged materials. Sulfide in near-bottom water (as high as 4 uM) will be at concentrations above 0.1 uM only near the dredged materials and may be undetectable throughout the rest of the Basin. The seasonal cycling of redox potential will continue, but the lowest values in surface sediments will be at least 100 mV higher than current values in the sewage sludge deposition area. Trace metal concentration in the sediment will decrease by about an order of magnitude in the depositions! areas (except in dredged materials). Levels of PCBs in sediment will remain essentially unchanged. Cpprostanol in the sediment will fall to <0.1 ppm except in very isolated localities of the dredged materials. The seabed oxygen consumption rates in the site will be reduced from the high rates of 25-45 mL Oa/nr/h to the more natural rates of 5-15 mL Oz/rrr/h. The associated benthic nutrient regeneration rates will decline comparably. Seabed oxygen consumption rates in the Christiaensen Basin may be reduced by about onehalf, to arqund 12-22 mL O2/mr/h, which is natural for accumulation areas if other anthropogenic inputs (dredged materials) remain constant. If other sources of anthropogenic carbon (dredged materials) remain stable or decrease, the seabed oxygen consumption rates in the New York Bight Apex should decrease as sludge dumping is phased out. It should then follow that dissolved oxygen concentrations in the subpycnocline waters of the Apex will be higher than while dumping is active. Total plankton respiration in the bottom waters affected by inputs of sewage sludge should also decrease from the summer-falLrates of 30-40 mL O2/mJ/h to the more natural rates of about 5 mL O2/m3/h. Sewage sludge will be cleansed from the Christiaensen Basin by down-valley transport of sludge, which can be related to windfield conditions. 18 ------- Results from the 12-Mile Site Monitoring Program The 12-Mile Site program was initiated in July 1986, during the period when sludge dumping was being phased from the site. To date, all replicate and broadscale surveys have been completed, and some data have been analyzed. During the first 18 months of the program, preliminary findings included the following: Analysis of historical data from the site indicates that surface and bot- tom circulation are strongly influ- enced by wind. Long-term mean bottom currents in the inner New York Bight are approximately parallel to the shoreline, westward off Long Island, and southward off New Jersey. Bottom currents in the Hudson Shelf Valley are closely linked to wind conditions, upvalley in the fall and winter, weakly down- valley in the summer, and occa- sionally strong up- or down-valley during storms. Preliminary analysis of sediment samples indicate significant recent transport down the Hudson Shelf Valley. Coprostanol measurements in highly erodable sediments indi- cate the presence of a fecal com- ponent in a significant fraction of these sediments. Since the beginning of reduction of sludge dumping at the 12-Mile Site, extremely low levels of dissolved oxygen in bottom water have not been observed near the site during the summer months. Redox potential, a measurement re- sponsive to organic loading, has indicated improvement of sediment conditions near the 12-Mile Site during the phaseout of dumping. In 1986, concentrations of toxic heavy metals in surficial sediments near the 12-Mile Site were as high as they had been in 1982, when sludge volume approached 8 mil- lion wet tons per year. By June and July 1988, these levels had decreased significantly. Further analysis may reveal whether metals have been transported and concen- trated in other areas. Average concentrations of the nutri- ent phosphorus are highest at the stations expected to be most con- taminated by sludge disposal and lowest at the stations expected to be least affected by the 12-Mile Site. Rates of seabed oxygen consump- tion, another measure of contamin- ation from municipal sludge, res- ponded almost immediately to ces- sation of dumping. Rates quickly reached levels found in areas not affected by sludge disposal. Total plankton respiration rate, which was also expected to decline with the cessation of sludge dis- posal, has decreased but not as much as anticipated. This result may indicate that the sludge has less effect on total plankton 19 ------- respiration than had been thought. Numbers of bottom-dwelling inver- tebrates in the vicinity of the site did not indicate any recovery until 1988. The polychaete Capitella sp., which is widely used as an indicator of sludge pollution, declined in the vicinity of the site in 1988. How- ever, similar declines were also observed in areas not expected to be influenced by sludge disposal. Other patterns of change in species composition also remain unclear. During phaseout of dumping at the site, the ratio of fish to invertebrates in trawl samples increased, the total weight of the samples decreased, and differences among all stations decreased. Early results indicate that food habits of selected fishes from all stations were similar, with the exception of Capitella sp. in winter flounder diets in the vicinity of the site. Incidence of fin disease has de- clined in the region since the 1970s. No significant change appears to have resulted from cessation of sludge disposal. Winter flounder were found to travel from the area around the 12-Mile Site to Long Island waters and as far as New England. After completion of the study in September 1989, all results are being analyzed and are expected to document recovery of the site. No subsequent field sampling is planned. Monitoring the 106-Mile Sludge Site Monitoring of the 106-Mile Sludge Site and its potential area of influence is, as required by MPRSA and the ocean dump- ing regulations, designed to (1) verify compliance with conditions set to restrict disposal activities, and (2) verify that compliance with those permit conditions does in fact protect human health and the marine environment. The monitoring prog- ram is currently guided by a monitoring plan and an implementation plan (Battelle 1988a, 1988b). These documents are be- ing updated to include research activities that are conducted by NOAA and to reflect changes in the program brought about by the passage of ODBA and by recommen- dations of the workshop conducted in March 1989 to review the program (EPA, 1989). The strategy for the program is included with this report as Appendix 3. Information on physical characteristics and baseline chemical and biological condi- tions in the vicinity of the site is available from the site designation process, previous studies, and additional baseline monitoring conducted by EPA and NOAA (e.g., 20 ------- NOAA, 1977, 1983; EPA, 1980; Battelle, 1988d, 1988e, 1988f). Information on the sludges to be disposed is also available from studies of dumping at the 12-Mile Site (e.g., Santoro and Suszkowski, 1986). This information plus more recent data on the sludges provided by applicants using the 106-Mile Sludge Site and data devel- oped by EPA were used to set permit con- ditions and to predict whether adverse impacts were likely to result from sludge disposal at the site. Permit conditions have been set to ensure for example that toxicity-based limiting permissible concentrations are not ex- ceeded in the site within 4 hours of dis- posal or outside the site at any time. Predictions of potential impacts address the following conditions which the ocean dumping regulations do not allow: Impingement of sludge upon shorelines. Movement of sludge into marine sanctuaries or fisheries areas. Accumulation of sludge compo- nents in marine organisms. Progressive changes in water quality related to sludge disposal. Progressive changes in sediment composition related to sludge disposal. Impacts on pollution sensitive species or their life cycle or de- velopmental stages as a result of sludge disposal. Impacts on endangered species as a result of sludge disposal. Progressive changes in biological communities as a result of sludge disposal. The permit conditions and impact assess- ment provided the basis for formulating questions to be addressed. The questions are now being addressed according to a hierarchy of four tiers: Tier 1 Sludge Characteristics and Disposal Operations Tier 2 Nearfield Fate and Short- Term Effects Tier 3 Farfield Fate Tier 4 Long-Term Effects Appendix 1 lists the questions to be addressed by the monitoring plan organized into the four tiers. Permit compliance is addressed by Tiers 1 and 2. Assessment of potential impacts within the site as well as within the potential area of impact is addressed by Tiers 2, 3, and 4. Funds collected from permit fees are expected to support EPA and NOAA work on Tiers 1, 2 and 3. 21 ------- 5/fe Characteristics Physical Oceanography Hydrography Currents Water Masses Bottom Characteristics Sediment Grain Size Sediment Composition Baseline Chemistry Data Sediments Water Column - Water Quality - Trace Metals - Organic Compounds - Microbiology Baseline Biology Data Plankton Benthic Communities I Waste Characteristics Physical Characteristics Settling Data Chemical Characteristics Priority Pollutants Conventional Pollutants Toxicology Bioassays Baseline Biology Data Quantity of Material Method of Release Frequency and Duration Consideration of Potential Impacts i Shoreline Impingement Movement in Marine Sanctuaries i Effect on Commercial Fisheries > Accumulation in Biota * Changes in Water Quality Changes in Sediment Composition Effects on Sensitive Species Effects on Endangered Species Effects on Biological Species Information on characteristics of the site and of the sludges has been used to predict potential impacts of dumping. 22 ------- Within each tier, explicit objectives and Results from the 106-Mile Site endpoints guide the conduct of monitoring Monitoring Program activities. Data collected by the program ~~~~~""""~~""""^"^~~~ are being used to make decisions about EPA initiated surveys at and in the vicinity permits to use the site and continued of the 106-Mile Site in 1984. The surveys monitoring. have collected data that have been used to develop permit conditions and that will allow changes in the permits if necessary. Table 4. Summary of EPA Monitoring Surveys Conducted in the Vicinity of the 106-Mile Site Since 1984 Framework Within Monitoring Program Site Baseline Information Tier I Tier 2 Tier 3 Tier 4 Activity/Date Sludge Disposal Compliance NearfekJ Short-Tern FaifieU Long-Tern Survey/Ship/Date Chemical Biological Physical Characteristics Operations Issues Fate Effects Fate Effects Survey OSV Anderson, 1984 OSV Oceanus, 1985 OSV Gyre, 1985 OSV Anderson, 1985 OSV Anderson, 1986 Mooring, 1986 to 1987 Survey OSV Anderson, 1987 R/V Endeavor. 1988 OSV Anderson, 1988 Mooring, 1989 R/V Delaware, 1989 Development of Data Management Systems Historical Data, 1987 Sludge Characteristics, 1988 Disposal Operations, 1988 23 ------- They built on baseline information already available. Monitoring surveys since the onset of dumping in 1986 have been con- ducted approximately twice a year (Table 4). Additional monitoring information is collected by laboratory analyses of the sludges. To date, monitoring efforts have focused on Tier 1-Sludge Characteristics and Disposal Operations; Tier 2-Nearfield Fate and Short-Term Effects; and Tier 3- Farfield Fate. Monitoring will continue for these tiers. Tier 4-Long-Term Effects are being initiated as information from the other tiers indicates areas where site- related contaminants may be expected to be found. Tier 4 studies are also taking place along the edge of the continental shelf. If sludge constituents were to move to the edge of the shelf and affect the environment, the effects could include impact to commercial fisheries species. Baseline Information Baseline conditions in the waters and sediments in the vicinity of the 106-Mile Sites were typical of open ocean areas. Background conditions of most trace metals in unfiltered surface seawater were generally up to 1000 times less than EPA water quality criteria for the protection of human health (EPA, 1980; Battelle, 1988c). Concentrations of metals in seawater particulates and sediments also were low. Concentrations of organic contaminants were very low. Most hydrocarbon, pes- ticide, and polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations (PCS) were less than the limits of detection. (Very large volumes of water samples were analyzed in an effort to identify contaminants.) Clostridium perfringens, a microbial tracer of sewage sludge, and B-coprostanol, an indicator of fecal contamination, also were not de- tected. However, these parameters were detected in continental shelf waters and sediments inshore from the site, indicating that pollutants from the New York Bight are transported seaward, perhaps down the Hudson shelf valley. Phytoplankton, zooplankton, benthic, and fish communi- ties in the region were typical of slopewater and oceanic communities. Tier 1-Sludge Characteristics and Disposal Operations Tier 1 of the monitoring program has included an evaluation of sludge charac- teristics and their variability. EPA has defined appropriate dumping rates based on the toxicity of sludges from individual treatment plants. The information has also allowed EPA to prescribe a plan for con- tinued monitoring, including number and type of parameters to be measured, frequency of measurement, analytical 24 ------- methods, detection limits, and quality control procedures. Tier 2-Nearfield Fate and Short-Term Effects Nearfield fate and short-term effects mea- surements have focused on permit com- pliance and impact assessment issues, and have been undertaken within and outside the site. Specific activities have included (1) measurements of chemical, physical, and biological sludge constitu- ents and impacts within the water column to determine residual concentrations after dumping and the effects of those concen- trations on marine life; (2) definition of seasonal patterns of sludge dispersion and advection; and (3) measurement of surface currents and water column structure to evaluate variation in dispersion. Results to date have shown the following: Sludge can be transported out of the site within 4 h of disposal. Roughly 90 percent of the time, currents are strong enough to transport sludge out of the site within 1 day. Sludge dumping at the rate originally set, 15,500 gal/min, can result in exceeding toxicity-based limiting permissible concentrations 4 h after disposal for some sludges. Sludge dumping at 15,500 gal/min can result in pathogen indicators exceeding ambient levels 4 h after dumping for some sludges. Sludge does not penetrate the seasonal pycnocline in significant quantities within the first 8 to 12 hours following dumping. Settling of sludge is similar in winter and summer. The rate of nearfield, short-term settling of sludge can depend on dumping rate. Concentrations of selected con- taminants in surface waters within and outside the site may be ele- vated when surface currents at the site are sluggish. Concentrations of contaminant metals, organic compounds, and indicator species for pathogens probably will be close to back- ground concentrations within 1 day following dumping. Dissolved oxygen depression within sludge plumes is not biologically significant. Significant changes in phi do not occur from sludge dumping. Contaminants initially associated with sludge particles may be lost to the dissolved phase following dumping. Current speeds may reach 1.5 kn when warm-core eddies move 25 ------- through the site. At other times, currents are weaker. Current direction is highly variable. Sludge constituents may be toxic to sea urchin gametes from 0-3 h after dumping. Sludge plumes were not observed to be toxic to zooplank- ton from the site or to mysid shrimp 4 h after dumping. No significant changes in phyto- plankton biomass have been found to result within sludge plumes. Tier 3-Farfield Fate Farfield fate studies are designed to determine where sludge goes when it leaves the site. Such information is needed to determine whether sludge con- stituents reach sensitive areas such as fishing grounds and to allow design of appropriate studies of long-term impacts. These studies will allow description of a more refined area of potential impact than is considered in this report. Results of farfield fate studies conducted to date indicate the following: Significant quantities of sludge probably do not settle to the sea- floor in the vicinity of the site on short time scales (days). Settling of sludge constituents dur- ing the first 8 h after dumping is minimal. The seasonal pycnocline, where particles concentrate, is a possible area where sludge particles could also concentrate. A small percentage of sludge con- stituents may reach the seafloor in the vicinity of the site, but further study is necessary to determine conclusively whether this deposition could occur or be significant. Warm-core eddies are a viable but poorly understood mechanism for potential northward transport of sludge constituents to the edge of the continental shelf. The majority of sludge particles are likely to remain in the water co- lumn, become entrained in the Gulf Stream, and be subject to great dispersion, which would not result in impacts to the environment. Sludge may under some oceano- graphic conditions be recirculated through the site. Further study of water mass movements and currents, coupled with remote sensing techniques to evaluate large-scale water movements and structure are currently being implemented. Tier 4-Long-Term Effects Long-term effects studies will evaluate effects of sludge disposal on organisms, populations, and communities in any areas 26 ------- where concentrations of site-related fisheries species inshore from the site and contaminants are predicted to accumulate. in the fishes that live within the site waters. Potential effects on endangered species Final plans for other studies will be made are monitored during every survey in the after evaluating results from the other vicinity of the site. Potential accumulation monitoring tiers. of sludge constituents will be studied in 27 ------- Strategy for Continued Research: Coordination and Communication Implementation of the monitoring conducted under ODBA is being accom- plished through cooperation among NOAA and EPA. USCG will continue to conduct surveillance. A memorandum of under- standing (MOU) has been developed that defines the roles of each agency under ODBA (Appendix 2). Interagency coordi- nation will include development of strategy for research, monitoring, and surveillance. Research and monitoring will include con- duct of joint surveys as well as sharing of continuing planning activities and data interpretation. The agencies have developed a strategy for monitoring which builds on the existing EPA and NOAA programs (Appendix 3). As a result of the workshop held in March 1989, priorities for the program have been established. Proceedings of the workshop have been published (EPA, 1989). The monitoring, research, and surveillance program will include Studies of water mass movements and currents to provide direct measurements of movements of sludge particles. Satellite studies to provide regional information that will aid in deter- mining where sludge particles go. Evaluation and use of models to provide statistical evaluation of where sludge particles travel when they leave the 106-Mile Site. Direct measurements of settling of sludge particles using sediment traps. Measurement of the fate of sludge in sediments in the area of potential sludge deposition. Measurements of sludge constitu- ents in tilefish and other non- migratory fishes inhabiting areas inshore from the 106-Mile Site. Measurements of sludge constitu- ents in midwater animals, such as squids, that migrate through the region of the 106-Mile Site. Measurements of sludge constitu- ents in noncommercial species that live within the waters of the 106- Mile Site. Coordination of monitoring activities. These monitoring activities have continued during the preparation of this report and while the revisions are being made to the monitoring plan. 28 ------- Interagency communication will also be accomplished by a "blue ribbon" panel of experts which will assist the agencies in making decisions about site management and future research, monitoring, and surveillance needs. EPA will convene the panel which will be composed of repre- sentatives of EPA, NOAA, USCG, and other Federal agencies. Representatives from outside the government will provide specific expertise as needed. Additionally, scientists from outside the Federal govern- ment will be asked to review reports on data generated by the program, thereby establishing a "peer review" process, that will ensure scrutiny of monitoring results by the scientific community, fishermen, and environmental groups. Results of the monitoring program will be communicated to Congress through a series of annual reports. ODBA requires that EPA and NOAA submit annual reports to Congress on the results of monitoring activities conducted under this program. These reports will synthesize the information obtained by each agency, working separately and cooperatively. The reports will also present the plans of each agency for the following year. Results will also be communicated to the public. EPA, in cooperation with NOAA and USCG, will issue periodic reports and press releases. In addition, representa- tives from the public and the news media may be invited to participate in research and monitoring efforts at the site. 29 ------- References Battelle. 1987. Final Report on Analytical Results of Samples Collected during the 1985 North Atlantic Incineration Site Survey. A report submitted to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Contract No. 68-03-3319. Work Assignment 5. Battelle. 1988a. Final Draft Monitoring Plan for the 106-Mile Deepwater Municipal Sludge Site. A report submitted to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Contract No. 68-03-3319. Work Assignment 1-22. Battelle. 1988b. Implementation Plan for the 106-Mile Site Municipal Sludge Site Monitoring Program. A report submitted to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Contract No. 68-03-3319. Work Assignment 1-22. Battelle. 1988c. Draft Report to Congress on the New York Bight Plastics Study. A report submitted to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Contract No. 68-03-3319. Work Assignment 1-104. Battelle. 1983d. Final Report of Baseline Seawater and Sediment Samples from the 106-Mile Deepwater Municipal Sludge Site. A report submitted to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Contract No. 68-03-3319. Work Assignment 1-21. Battelle. 1988e. Final Report of Analytical Results of the 106-Mile Deepwater Municipal Sludge Site Survey-Summer 1986. A report submitted to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Contract No. 68-03-3319. Work Assignment 1-31. Battelle. 1988f. Studies Conducted in the Vicinity of the 106-Mile Deepwater Municipal Sludge Site. A report submitted to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Contract No. 68-03- 3319. Work Assignment 1-22. Battelle. 1989. EPA New York Bight Sediment Survey Review 1982-1986. A report submitted to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Contract No. 68-03-3319. Work Assignment 2- 205. Csanady, G. T. and P. Hamilton. 1988. Circulation of slopewater. Continental Shelf Research. In press. EPA. 1980. Final Environmental Impact Statement for the 106-Mile Ocean Waste Disposal Site Designation. Prepared under Contract No. 68-01-4610. EPA. 1985. New York Bight Water Quality. Prepared by EPA Region II. Surveillance and Monitoring Branch. Edison, NJ. 30 ------- EPA. 1989a. New York Bight Restoration Plan: Phase I Preliminary Report and Workplan. EPA. 1989b. Proceedings of the Ocean Dumping Workshop 106-Mile Site. NOAA. 1977. Baseline Report on Environmental Conditions in Deepwater Dumpsite 106. NOAA Dumpsite Evaluation Report 77-1. NOAA. 1983. 106-Mile Site Characterization Update. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-F/NEC-26. NOAA. 1985. Analysis of Circulation Characteristics in the Vicinity of Deepwater Dumpsite 106. NOAA Tech. Memo. NOS OMA 13. NOAA. 1988. A Plan for Study: Response of the Habitat and Biota of the Inner New York Bight to Abatement of Sewage Sludge Dumping. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-"F/NEC-55. O'Connor, J.M. and P.K. Park. 1982. Consequences of industrial waste disposal at the 106-Mile Ocean Waste Disposal Site. In G. Mayer, Ed. Ecological Stress and the New York Bight: Science and Management. Estuarine Research Federation, Columbia, South Carolina. Reid, R.N., M.C. Ingham, and J.B. Pearce. 1987. NOAA's Northeast Monitoring Program: A Report on Progress and a Plan for the Future. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-F/NEC-44. SAIC/Battelle. 1988. Report on Current Meter Measurements at the 106-Mile Site. A report to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Contract No. 68-03-3319. Work Assignment 46. Santoro, E.D. and D.J. Suszkowski. 1986. Current status: Phase-out of ocean dumping of sewage sludge in the New York Bight Apex. Sixth International Ocean Disposal Symposium. Asilomar Conference Center, Pacific Grove, California. April 21-25, 1986. Sibunka, J.D. and M.J. Silverman. 1984. MARMAP Surveys of the Continental Shelf from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina to Cape Sable, Nova Scotia. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-F/NEC-33. 31 ------- APPENDIX 1 Testable Hypotheses to be Addressed in the Monitoring Plan A-1 ------- Testable Hypotheses to be Addressed in the Monitoring Plan TieM WASTE CHARACTERISTICS The physical and chemical characteristics of sludge are consistent with waste charac- terization information supplied with the permit applications. DISPOSAL OPERATIONS Disposal rates and operations are consistent with the requirements of the ocean dumping permits. Tier 2 NEARRELD COMPLIANCE Concentrations of sludge and sludge constituents are below the permitted LPC and WQC outside the site at all times Concentrations of sludge and sludge constituents are below the permitted LPC and WQC values within the site four hours after disposal. Pathogen levels do not ex- ceed ambient levels four hours after disposal. NEARRELD FATE Sludge particles do not settle in significant quantities be- neath the seasonal pycnoclme (50 m) or to the 50-m depth at any time within the site boundaries or in an area adjacent to the site The concentration of sludge constituents within the site does not exceed the LPC or WQC four hours after disposal and is not detectable in the site one day after disposal. The concentration of sludge con- stituents at the site boundary or in the area adjacent to the site does not exceed the LPC or WQC at any time and is not detectable one day after disposal. The disposal of sludge does not cause a significant depletion in the dissolved oxygen content of the water and does not cause a significant change in the pH of the seawater in the area SHORT-TERM IMPACTS No significant biological effe ; in the water column are measurable within the site within one day after disposal. No increase in primary pro- ductivity or any changes in planktonic biomass or species composition will occur. Sludge constituents do not accu- mulate in the surface micro-layer in the vicinity of the site No evidence of short-term bio- accumulataon of sludge constitu- ents by commercially important species or important prey species found at or adjacent to the site will be found within one day after disposal. Tier3 FARRELD FATE Sludge constituents do not settle beneath the pycnoclme outside the disposal site Ocean currents do not transport sludge to any adjacent shoreline. beach, marine sanctuary, fishery, or shelffishery. Sludge recirculation through the site is not significant. Sludge particles do not settle to the sea floor in the vicinity of the site or in the region predicted as a possible setting region based on laboratory setting measurements and current trajectory analysis. Tier 4 LONG-TERM IMPACTS . Sludge trtL i have no sig- nificant long-term effect on the dlstnbubon of endangered species in the vicinity of the site. Sludge constituents do not accu- mulate in the tissues of commer- cially important species resident in the shelf/slope areas adjacent to the site. Benthic community structure does not change significantly due to sludge disposal. Sludge disposal has no effect on the sensitive eggs and larval stages of indigenous animals. Sludge disposal has no measur- able long-term impact on offshore plankton communities i Pathogen levels will not increase in the water column or biota. A-2 ------- APPENDIX 2 Memorandum of Understanding A-3 ------- MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY AND THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD AND THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE OCEAN DUMPING BAN ACT I. PURPOSE: The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the United States Coast Guard (USCG), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) agree to join efforts to implement vigorously the provisions of the Ocean Dumping Ban Act of 1988 (ODBA) in a timely, complementary and environmentally sound manner. The three agencies further agree that a coordinated Federal response to ODBA will enhance the protection of human health and the marine environment and ensure consistent compliance with ODBA. II. BACKGROUND AND SCOPE; Nine New York and New Jersey municipalities dispose of sewage sludge at the Deepwater Municipal Sludge Dump Site (106 Mile Site), located 120 nautical miles southeast of Ambrose Light, New York and 115 nautical miles from the nearest coastline. ODBA mandates that to continue dumping after August 14, 1989, these nine municipalities must have both permits and enforceable agreements with EPA and the respective States. After December 31, 1991, it is unlawful to dump sewage sludge in the ocean. For every dry ton of sewage sludge disposed in the ocean (currently 400,000 dry tons per year), dumpers will be assessed fees (starting August 15, 1989) that increase over time. Until the end of 1991, these fees range from $100- $200 per dry ton; should dumping continue after 1991, dumpers will be subject to penalties of $600 per dry ton; the penalties increase each year. Of these fees and penalties, $15 per dry ton is directed to EPA to be allocated evenly among EPA, USCG, and NOAA to implement the activities specified in ODBA and addressed in this MOU. A-4 ------- This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) pertains to federal activities related to management and oversight of ODBA. Included in ODBA are requirements for permit compliance, monitoring and surveillance of the 106-Mile Site and environmental monitoring of the New York Bight. Also covered under this MOU is the attached Joint Monitoring, Research, and Surveillance Strategy. This strategy outlines further research, monitoring, and surveillance needed to answer remaining technical questions associated with management of the 106 Mile Site, and indicates responsibilities of the respective agencies. In general, the strategy calls for enhanced coordination in planning, conducting field surveys, sharing data, and analyzing and interpreting results. III. AUTHORITIES; The Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 (MPRSA, PL 92-532) is the primary legislative authority regulating the disposal of wastes in the ocean. It is the implementing legislation for the International Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by the Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, commonly called the London Dumping Convention (LDC). The MPRSA prohibits dumping into ocean waters any material that would unreasonably degrade or endanger human health or the marine environment. Under the MPRSA, EPA is responsible for issuing permits for sewage sludge disposal and for designating, managing and monitoring ocean disposal sites. Surveillance and enforcement of permit conditions is a joint responsibility of EPA and USCG. Title I of the MPRSA requires the USCG to conduct surveillance of ocean dumping activities. Title II of the MPRSA assigns to NOAA the responsibilities of monitoring the effects of dumping wastes in the ocean and conducting continuing programs of research on long-range effects of pollution to the marine environment. ODBA amends the MPRSA and directs EPA, USCG, and NOAA to conduct specific activities that are to be covered by the ocean dumping fees and penalties. IV. EPA'S RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Establishing and managing a permit program for transportation and dumping of sewage sludge under ODBA 2. Overseeing enforcement agreements 3. Overseeing fee collections and managing fees and penalties A-5 ------- 4. Approving and overseeing trust accounts 5. Implementing EPA portion of the Joint Monitoring, Research, and Surveillance Strategy, which includes: o Monitoring disposal operations and short-term effects of sludges within and in the vicinity of the 106 Mile Site o Monitoring farfield fate and long-term effects of dumped waste 6. Overseeing ODBA Clean Ocean Fund management and procedures for accounting and reporting 7. Providing technical assistance on alternatives to ocean dumping under ODBA 8. Preparing reports, including: o Reports to Congress on monitoring of the 106 Mile Site o Annual Report to Congress on progress towards stopping dumping V. USCG'S RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Implementing USCG portion of the Joint Monitoring, Research, and Surveillance Strategy, which includes conducting surveillance of transportation of wastes under the MPRSA Permit Program and reporting violations to EPA 2. Spot-checking of feeder vessels and ocean-going vessels, within New York Harbor, while they are being used for transporting sludge VI. NOAA'S RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Implementing NOAA portion of the Joint Monitoring, Research, and Surveillance Strategy, which includes monitoring the farfield fate and long-term effects of dumped wastes on living marine resources and the marine environment 2. Continuing programs of research on long-term effects of pollution and human-induced changes to the marine environment A-6 ------- VII. QUALIFICATIONS AND LIMITATIONS 1. Together, EPA, NOAA, and USCG, will ensure effective implementation of ODBA by the headquarters and regional offices. The three Agencies will establish a standing committee to develop plans for implementing provisions of this MOU, report progress, identify and resolve problems, and share information. 2. Period of Agreement: This agreement shall continue in effect until modified or amended by the assent of all parties. A-7 ------- AUTHENTICATION This agreement will become effective upon signature by all three parties. Administrator, Environmental .Protect/on Agency Date Confinandant, Untea States Coast Guard / /)ate f Administrator, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Date A-8 ------- APPENDIX 3 Strategy for Monitoring, Research, and Surveillance of the 106-Mile Deepwater Municipal Sludge Site A-9 ------- STRATEGY FOR MONITORING, RESEARCH. AND SURVEILLANCE OF THE 106-MILE DEEPWATER MUNICIPAL SLUDGE SITE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Office of Marine and Estuarine Protection Washington, DC NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION Washington, DC U.S. COAST GUARD Washington, DC A-10 ------- TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 13 1.0 INTRODUCTION 14 1.1 PREVIOUS STUDIES CONDUCTED AT THE 106-MILE SITE 14 1.1.1 Research and Monitoring 14 1.1.2 Surveillance 15 1.2 DEVELOPMENT OF THIS STRATEGY AND PLANS 15 2.0 STRATEGY FOR MONITORING, RESEARCH, AND SURVEILLANCE 16 2.1 GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS 16 2.2 MANAGEMENT QUESTION 1: WHAT IS THE PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL FATE OF SEWAGE SLUDGE DUMPED AT THE 106-MILE SITE? 17 2.2.1 Water Mass Movement Studies 17 2.22 Fixed Point Measurements 18 2.2.3 Remote Sensing 18 2.2.4 Model Evaluation and Use 18 22.5 Settling Measurements 19 22.6 Data Interpretation 19 2.3 MANAGEMENT QUESTION 2: WHAT IS THE EFFECT OF SLUDGE DUMPING AT THE 106-MILE SITE ON LIVING MARINE RESOURCES? 19 2.3.1 Studies of Nonmigratory Commercial Species Inhabiting Areas Inshore from the Site 20 2.32 Studies of Midwater Species Inhabiting the Middle Atlantic Bight 21 2.3.3 Studies of Resident, Noncommercial Species 21 2.3.4 Analyses and Data Interpretation 21 2.4 MANAGEMENT QUESTION 3: WHAT IS THE EFFECT OF SLUDGE DUMPING AT THE 106-MILE SITE ON HUMAN HEALTH? 22 2.5 MANAGEMENT QUESTION 4: ARE THERE CHANGES IN SITE DESIGNATION. PERMITS. AND SURVEILLANCE THAT CAN PROVIDE BETTER PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT. LIVING MARINE RESOURCES, OR HUMAN HEALTH? 22 2.5.1 Permit Conditions 22 2.52 Surveillance 23 2.5.3 Site Designation and Management 23 3.0 SUMMARY OF RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE 23 A-11 ------- LIST OF TABLES TABLE 1. RESPONSIBILITIES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 106-MILE SITE MONITORING, RESEARCH. AND SURVEILLANCE PLAN A-24 LIST OF RGURES FIGURE 1. SCHEDULE FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 106-MILE SITE MONITORING, RESEARCH, AND SURVEILLANCE PLAN A-25 A-12 ------- EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This document is based on the major recommendations from participants of a workshop on research, monitoring, and surveillance of the 106-Mile Deepwater Municipal Sludge Site (106- Mile Site), held in March 1989. The document uses the recommendations of the workshop to formulate a cohesive plan that can be implemented by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) to continue research, monitoring, and surveillance of sludge disposal at the site. The workshop brought together scientists, fishermen, policy experts, and environmentalists to discuss available information on the fate and effects of sludge disposal at the 106-Mile Site and to develop a strategy for future research, monitoring, and surveillance. Discussions at the workshop focused on four questions: 1. What is the physical and chemical fate of the sewage sludge dumped at the 106- Mile Site? 2. What is the effect of sludge dumping at the 106-Mile Site on living marine resources? 3. What is the effect of sludge dumping at the 106-Mile Site on human health? 4. Are there changes in site designation, permits, or surveillance that can provide better protection of the environment, living marine resources, or human health? NOAA, EPA, and USCG have used the recommendations and findings from the workshop to develop this strategy. The agencies have considered priorities and available resources as well as recommendations from the workshop in developing the strategy. The strategy does not include every activity that may take place. It provides a framework for developing a complete NOAA/EPA/USCG research, monitoring, and surveillance plan. A complete plan, based on this strategy document, will assign responsibilities to each agency, the activities to be conducted, and present a schedule for implementation. Implementation of the strategy will be accomplished through close cooperation among NOAA, EPA, and USCG. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is being developed to define the roles of each agency. Interagency coordination will include conduct of joint EPA/NOAA surveys as well as sharing of planning and data interpretation. A-13 ------- 1.0 INTRODUCTION In 1988, Congress passed the Ocean Dumping Ban Act (ODBA), legislation aimed at ending ocean dumping of municipal sludges and industrial wastes by December 31, 1991. In response to ODBA's requirement for monitoring and to consumer concerns about the safety of seafood caught in the Middle Atlantic Bight, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) held a workshop to solicit recommendations for increased monitoring, research, and surveillance of the 106-Mile Deepwater Municipal Sludge Site (106-Mile Site). The 106-Mile Site is the only dumpsite designated by EPA to receive municipal sewage sludges. 1.1 PREVIOUS STUDIES CONDUCTED AT THE 106-MILJE SITE 1.1.1 Research and Monitoring Since EPA designated the 106-Mile Site for disposal of municipal sewage sludges in 1984, various monitoring, research, and surveillance activities have been conducted there and in the region that could be affected by sludge disposal. The studies have been conducted by a variety of Federal agencies, contractor groups, and others. Most of the studies have been conducted by EPA and NOAA. EPA has developed and begun implementation of a monitoring plan (most recently updated in March 1988) to determine (1) whether permit conditions are met and (2) whether sludge dumping at the site affects the environment or human health. Although permit conditions are set to protect the environment, EPA and NOAA are refining monitoring efforts not only to ensure that these permit conditions are met, but also to ensure that the conditions protect the marine environment and public health now and into the future. Results of the monitoring program are being used to modify dumping procedures and to direct the continuing monitoring activities. A-14 ------- EPA Region II, in consultation with NOAA, has taken primary responsibility for an interagency workgroup which reviewed published and unpublished data on shell disease (chitinoclasia) in the New York Bight. The review focused on lobsters and crabs. Fishermen had reported increased incidence of disease in catches in the Middle Atlantic Bight. Fishermen postulated that the disease resulted from dumping at the 106-Mile Site. NOAA conducts a variety of research near the 106-Mile Site. NOAA also surveys groundfish on the continental shelf, directly inshore from the site. If sludge is transported to the continental shelf, these areas may be affected. Groundfish surveys are not conducted within the site, because those waters are beyond the edge of the continental shelf and are not fished commercially. 1.1.2 Surveillance USCG has developed and implemented the Ocean Dumping Surveillance System (ODSS), which uses "black boxes" to track location and dumping rates of barges using the 106-Mile Site. This system allows evaluation of compliance with ocean dumping permit conditions. Currently, the systems are accurate but the reliability is less than required in the original system specifications. The ODSS system is discussed in a Report to Congress developed by EPA Region II and the USCG. 1.2 DEVELOPMENT OF THIS STRATEGY AND PLANS In March 1989, NOAA, EPA, and USCG sponsored a 3-day workshop, which brought together scientists, fishermen, policy experts, and environmentalists to discuss available information on the fate and effects of sludge disposal at the 106-Mile Site and to develop a strategy for future research, monitoring, and surveillance. Discussions at the workshop focused on four questions: 1. What is the physical and chemical fate of the sewage sludge dumped at the 106-Mile Site? A-15 ------- 2. What is the effect of sludge dumping at the 106-Mile Site on living marine resources? 3. What is the effect of sludge dumping at the 106-Mile Site on human health? 4. Are there changes in site designation, permits, or surveillance that can provide better protection of the environment, living marine resources, or human health? NOAA, EPA, and USCG have used the recommendations and findings from the workshop to develop this strategy. The agencies have considered priorities and available resources as well as recommendations from the workshop in developing the strategy. The strategy does not include every activity that may take place, but provides a framework for developing a comprehensive NOAA/EPA/USCG research, monitoring, and surveillance plan. Results of monitoring will be described in annual reports to Congress. Implementation of the strategy will be accomplished through close cooperation among NOAA, EPA, and USCG. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is being developed to define the roles of each agency, and an interagency agreement will be set up to administer the MOU. Interagency coordination is expected to include joint ocean surveys. The agencies will also coordinate planning and data interpretation. 2.0 STRATEGY FOR MONITORING. RESEARCH. AND SURVEILLANCE 2.1 GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS Information presented at the workshop showed that research, monitoring, and surveillance of ocean dumping at the 106-Mile Site has already proved useful for understanding issues needed to answer the four management questions. Participants felt, however, that Federal efforts should be continued and increased so the management questions can be answered more definitively. The workshop endorsed the existing plans for work related to the site and recommended additional studies. Workshop participants also recommended that Federal efforts to keep the public informed should be improved. EPA will coordinate implementation of this recommendation. EPA, A-16 ------- NOAA, and USCG will be responsible for specific actions. Periodic reports and press releases will form the primary source of such information. Other sources may include widely distributed fact sheets and public service announcements. In addition, representatives from the public and the news media may be invited to participate in research and monitoring efforts at the site. So that scientists and others may use the information gathered through monitoring, all data will be archived under one data management system. EPA will manage the system. Finally, workshop participants recommended that the information generated through implementation of the research, monitoring, and surveillance plan be reviewed. A "blue ribbon" panel of experts will aid the agencies, decisions regarding site management and future research, monitoring, and surveillance needs. EPA will convene the panel which will include representatives of Federal agencies. Representatives from outside the government will provide specific expertise as needed. 2.2 MANAGEMENT QUESTION 1: WHAT IS THE PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL FATE OF SEWAGE SLUDGE DUMPED AT THE 106-MILE SITE? To date, studies of the fate of sludge dumped at the site have focused on nearfield transport and dispersion. The workshop recommended implementation of plans to study farfield fate, including conducting studies of water mass movements and currents and using remote sensing techniques to evaluate large-scale water movements and structure. The workshop also endorsed conduct of field studies to determine the settling behavior of sludge particles. Participants recommended evaluation and use of models to assist in data interpretation. These studies, in conjunction with the model predictions, will be used to determine the likelihood of sludge constituents reaching ecologically or environmentally important areas. 2.2.1 Water Mass Movement Studies Information on movements of specific water masses will provide the most direct information on, for example, the possible movement of sludge constituents into fisheries areas or toward shorelines. These studies will employ drifters deployed from sludge barges and may also A-17 ------- use other methods, such as drift cards or bottles. The depth at which drifters are deployed will be based on findings from the nearfield studies already conducted at the site. Because sludge particles eventually sink, drifters that travel in deeper waters, at or below the thermocline, may be used for some measurements. EPA, in cooperation with the municipal authorities that dump sludge at the site, will be responsible for deployment of drifters. NOAA will be responsible for other measurements of water mass movements. 2.2.2 Fixed Point Measurements Although studies of water masses provide the most direct evidence of where sludge particles may move, such studies collect only discrete points of information. Continuous data are necessary to estimate the percent of time that sludge may move in a particular direction. Fixed point measurements of currents can provide these continuous data. These measurements will be made from a surface current meter already deployed at the site by EPA. They will be supplemented by data from expendable current profilers (XCPs). The XCPs will be deployed at intervals to assess current shear through the water column in the site and in areas through which sludge may be transported. 2.2.3 Remote Sensing Satellite imagery will be used to depict the temperature structure of the entire region that could be affected by sludge disposal at the 106-Mile Site. Although such analysis of sea surface temperature images is not enough to determine where sludge particles go, it will provide regional coverage to aid in interpretation of the data from direct measurements. NOAA will develop and implement the remote sensing studies with support from EPA. 2.2.4 Model Evaluation and Use Farfield fate studies will provide information for a statistical evaluation of where sludge constituents go when they leave the 106-Mile Site. Models will be necessary to conduct the statistical evaluation. Available models will be evaluated to determine their usefulness in A-18 ------- determining the fate of sludge dumped at the site, including the ability to predict dispersion and to define possible areas of deposition. Ability of the available models to assess transport from the continental slope to the shelf will also be evaluated. NOAA and EPA will coordinate evaluation of models. When an appropriate model is identified, NOAA and EPA will use it to determine the type and location of studies of effects of sludge disposal on living marine resources. They will also determine appropriate locations for studies of settling of sludge particles. 2.2.5 Settling Measurements The likelihood of sludge particles settling in significant amounts in any one region is not known. Settling studies will include field sampling, conducted by EPA, for sludge particles in the pycnocline. Sampling within the pycnocline will be guided by information from the real- time current meter already deployed at the site and from the drifter studies. Sediment trap studies will be conducted to detect settling of particles through the pycnocline and to the bottom, if such movements occur. NOAA and EPA will coordinate deployment of sediment traps along the continental shelf and in other locations identified by the modeling efforts. 2.2.6 Data Interpretation The results of studies of fate of sludge dumped at the 106-Mile Site will be used to determine (1) the potential for sludge constituents to move into commercially important areas or onto shorelines, and (2) the geographic areas, if any, where effects on marine resources or public health may occur. 2.3 MANAGEMENT QUESTION 2: WHAT IS THE EFFECT OF SLUDGE DUMPING AT THE 106-MILE SITE ON UVING MARINE RESOURCES? The workshop addressed possible effects of sludge dumping on any marine organism, population, or community. Monitoring for effects on the marine environment, including A-19 ------- endangered species, is expected to continue. However, most discussion centered on possible bioaccumulation of sludge constituents and other effects on commercial and recreational fisheries species. Ideally, a study of bioaccumulation of sludge constituents from the 106-Mile Site would measure sludge-related contaminants in nonmigratory, commercially important species resident within the site. No such commercial or recreational species are known to inhabit the site permanently. Therefore, a suite of studies will be conducted. 2.3.1 Studies of Nonmioratorv Commercial Species Inhabiting Areas Inshore from the Site Tilefish, which inhabit the seafloor directly inshore from the site, do not migrate and live for many years. Other species living inshore from the site are also relatively nonmigratory. Information from studies of these organisms can be used to infer effects from the 106-Mile Site. A program to study these organisms will be coordinated by EPA and NOAA. (Although lobsters migrate between inshore and offshore waters, they will be included in the studies. Data on lobsters will be more difficult to interpret than those on other species. However, concerns voiced by fishermen suggest that their inclusion in the program is warranted.) The studies will include measurements of contaminants in animals throughout the area north, west, and southwest of the site. The studies will determine whether there is a gradient with increasing concentrations nearest to areas most likely influenced by the sludge disposal at site. Any evidence of contamination will be examined to determine whether the 106-Mile Site or another source is implicated. Such findings would indicate that further studies and actions should be implemented immediately. The program of studies will also include an assessment of chitinoclasia, a shell disease affecting shellfish such as lobster and red crab. Animals will be collected form the mid- Atlantic shelf in an effort to determine the prevalence and severity of this disease in the area of the 106-Mile Site. A-20 ------- 2.3.2 Studies of Midwater Species Inhabiting the Middle Atlantic Bight Some fisheries species, such as squids, migrate through the area of the 106-Mile Site and remain within the Middle Atlantic Bight throughout their life cycles. Studies of contaminants in these species will not provide information on the effects of sludges on the species. However, if the results of such studies indicate that the organisms are not contaminated, then the 106-Mile Site probably is not affecting the organisms. Such studies will have second priority and will be conducted by NOAA if resources allow. 2.3.3 Studies of Resident. Noncommercial Species A third priority for study will be resident species, such as lantern fish and hatchet fish, which move through the pycnocline. These small fishes have no commercial value. However, presence of sludge-related contaminants in these species can be compared to control populations from the other side of the Gulf Stream. Contaminants in fishes from the site could suggest sludge as a source. Further study would be necessary to show that contamination resulted from municipal sewage sludge. Initial studies of these small fishes will be the responsibility of NOAA. Further study will be coordinated between NOAA and EPA. 2.3.4 Analyses and Data Interpretation Each of these studies will include analysis of tissues and samples from the water column or sediments inhabited by the organisms. The samples will be analyzed for the same suite of chemical and microbial contaminants and tracers found in sludge samples and in field studies of sludge plumes. Other indicators of effects of contaminants, e.g., presence of disease, chitinoclasia, and liver condition, will also be examined. Results of these studies may indicate that (1) the fisheries organisms of the Middle Atlantic Bight are not contaminated, and sludge disposal at the 106-Mile Site does not affect fisheries A-21 ------- species; (2) the fisheries organisms of the Middle Atlantic Bight are contaminated, but sludge disposal at the site does not appear to be a cause of the problem; or (3) the fisheries organisms of the Middle Atlantic Bight are contaminated, and sludge disposal at the site may contribute to the problem. These results would guide the type and extent of future studies, as well as govern any actions to be taken. Results that either strongly implicated sludge disposal at the site or dissociated the effects from sludge disposal would be used to make decisions about continued use of the site and could prompt changes in permit conditions. 2.4 MANAGEMENT QUESTION 3: WHAT IS THE EFFECT OF SLUDGE DUMPING AT THE 106-MILE SITE ON HUMAN HEALTH? Workshop discussions centered on possible direct and indirect effects of sludge disposal at the 106-Mile Site. Direct effects included the possibility that sludge constituents could reach the beaches of New York and New Jersey. Possible indirect effects included ingestion of fisheries organisms that come from the continental shelf region and may have bioaccumulated contaminants from the sludges. These potential effects will be addressed by the studies to be conducted in response to Management Questions 1 and 2. 2.5 MANAGEMENT QUESTION 4: ARE THERE CHANGES IN SITE DESIGNATION. PERMITS. AND SURVEILLANCE THAT CAN PROVIDE BETTER PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT. LIVING MARINE RESOURCES. OR HUMAN HEALTH? Workshop participants recommended (1) reduction in dumping rates used at the site; (2) improvements to the USCG surveillance system, ODSS; and (3) use of research and monitoring results to reevaluate the location and configuration of the site. 2.5.1 Permit Conditions Permits to dump sludges at the 106-Mile Site are being issued with significantly lower dumping rates than had been required. Additionally, the permits will specify a monitoring program to be carried out by the permittees. A-22 ------- 2.5.2 Surveillance Several plans for upgrading the ODSS to provide near real-time coverage of all or most of the operational area are currently being evaluated by EPA and the Coast Guard. EPA is encouraging the Coast Guard to implement and test one of these plans, as well as to increase efforts to improve the overall reliability of the system. In the interin, EPA-approved shipriders, supplied by the permittee, will be required on all vessels transporting sludge to the dump site. Use of a manifest system and seals on the valves of feeder barges, barges which transport sludges to the ocean-going vessels, is also being implemented to ensure that no sludge is dumped in inland waters. 2.5.3 Site Designation and Management All research, monitoring, and surveillance results will be reviewed by NOAA, EPA, and USCG, as well as by the independent blue ribbon panel. Results will be used to determine whether (1) monitoring should be continued or modified; (2) surveillance should be increased; (3) permits should be changed; and/or (4) the site should be redesignated, dedesignated, moved, or reconfigured. (The time required to modify the site and redesignate it preclude that option at this time.) 3.0 SUMMARY OF RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE Responsibilities for activities described in this document are summarized in Table 1, and the schedule for implementation is included in Figure 1. Activities will be coordinated by EPA, NOAA, and USCG. A-23 ------- TABLE 1. RESPONSIBILITIES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 106-MILE SITE MONITORING, RESEARCH, AND SURVEILLANCE PLAN Activity Public awareness Blue ribbon panel Water mass movements (drifters) Current measurements Remote sensing Model evaluation Settling measurements Near-/farfield fate/effects Nonmigratory species from continental shelf Midwater species Resident, nonmigratory species Permits Surveillance Site designation and Primary EPA EPA EPA EPA NOAA EPA EPA EPA NOAA NOAA NOAA EPA USCG EPA Secondary NOAA NOAA NOAA NOAA EPA NOAA NOAA NOAA EPA EPA EPA - EPA NOAA Tertiary USCG USCG - -- -- ~ ~ -- - -- -- USCG management A-24 ------- Figure 1. Schedule for Implementation o! the 106-Mile Site Monitoring, Research, and Surveillance Plan Public Awareness Blue Ribbon Panel Water Mass Movement (Drifter Studies) Current Measurements Remote Sensing (Satellites) Model Evaluation Workshop Particle Settling Studies (Sediment Traps) Nearlield/Farlield Fate and Effects Nonmigratory Species from Continental Shelf Midwater Species Resident Nonmigratory Species Permits Surveillance Site Designation and Management I I I I I I I I I I I I I t I I I I I I I I I OCT JAN APR JUL OCT JAN APR JUL OCT JAN APR JUL OCT JAN APR JUL OCT JAN APR JUL OCT JAN APR JUL 1986 19871987 1987 1987 1988 1988 1988 1988 19891989 19891989 1990 1990 1990 1990 19911991 1991 1991 1992 1992'1992 Activity conducted 1 Activity planned Review and revision as necessary ro en ------- |