SCIENCE IN THE REGION
Science
12 RESULTS
SCIENCE lies at the heart of the mission of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Agency must rely on cutting edge research, accurate
measurements and effective technology to implement its programs to protect the environment and human health. Without sound science and credible data,
EPA can not wisely set environmental and health standards, clean up contaminated sites, measure ambient air and water quality conditions, or identify the new
technologies or practices that will reduce releases to the environment. These fact sheets share with you some of our EPA New England's laboratory capabilities
and exemplify some of the very best science we do to meet our agency mission.
KEY CONTACTS:
MELVILLE P. COTE, JR.
Chief, Ocean & Coastal
Protection Unit
cote.mel@epa.gov
MATTHEW LIEBMAN
OSV Bold Coordinator &
Chief Scientist
liebman.matt@epa.gov
JEAN BROCHI &
MARCEL BELAVAL
Chief Scientists
brochi.jean@epa.gov
belaval.marcel@epa.gov
GENERAL INFO:
EPA NEW ENGLAND
REGIONAL LABORATORY
11 Technology Dr.
North Chelmsford, MA 01863
(617) 918-8300
www.epa.gov/ne/lab
www.epa.gov/bold
TOLL-FREE
CUSTOMER SERVICE
1-800-EPA-7341
GOAL:
One of EPA's mandates is to designate ocean dredged material disposal sites and monitor their use to make certain
that adverse impacts are not occurring to the marine environment. To ensure continued use as well as shipping and
boating safety, the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) and private applicants routinely dredge navigation channels
and marinas. The harbor sediments collected sometimes are contaminated by chemicals associated with urban
runoff historic pollution or harbor activities. Material that cannot be disposed of on land can be placed in one of
New England's five designated ocean disposal sites once it has been tested rigorously under EPA and Army Corps
of Engineers (ACOE) guidelines.
PROGRESS:
EPA New England's regional scientists use the 224'-long
converted U.S. Navy ship Ocean Survey Vessel BOLD
to monitor these disposal sites and compare them to
reference areas. The vessel is equipped with digital
side scan sonar, underwater video and water and
sediment sampling devices, including a sediment profile
imager, or sediment camera. These instruments help
scientists "see" and map the ocean floor to analyze the
characteristics of bottom sediments and to determine
whether dredged material is disposed at intended
locations. Side scan sonar can help identify geological
features, shipwrecks and man-made objects. Sediment
grabs are used to collect sediments and measure con-
centrations of contaminants and the sediment camera
provides a cross-sectional view of the condition of the
marine sediment below the surface.
In 2006, scientists collected sediments and analyzed
side scan sonar images at the 300'-deep Massachusetts
Bay Disposal Site (MBDS). Sediment contaminant levels
were elevated above the reference areas, but not at
levels expected to cause adverse impacts. Side scan im-
ages confirmed the presence of over 1,000 waste con-
tainers at the inactive Industrial Waste Site adjacent to
the MBDS. In 2007 and 2009, sediment chemistry and
side scan sonar images were collected at two disposal
sites and their corresponding reference areas in eastern
Long Island Sound (LIS). Here, contaminant levels also
were elevated above the reference areas, but not at
levels expected to cause adverse impacts. Side scan
sonar imaging confirmed that one disposal site was
primarily sandy, with high-energy sediment features
(such as sand waves), and the other exhibited fine-
grained sediments characteristic of a less energetic
environment. In 2010, EPA scientists used the OSV
BOLD to collect additional sediments at reference
areas in Long Island Sound and to further evaluate the
extent of historically disposed waste containers at the
Industrial Waste Site.
BENEFITS:
Both EPA and the Army Corps use the data collected
to determine whether dredged material at ocean
disposal sites does not cause adverse impacts to the
marine environment. Knowledge of sediment proper-
ties helps guide scientists in their effort to determine
the types of dredged material appropriate for disposal
at each site. Reference area data are used to evaluate
the suitability of dredged material for disposal. And
knowledge of the location of historically disposed
waste containers helps the agency protect public
health. These sampling results help EPA-New England
continue its mission to explore new disposal sites,
seek out new marine animals and "boldly go where
no ship has gone before" - in New England.
United States EPA-901-F-10-018
Environmental Protection ~/M-
Agency June 2010
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