MARINE PROTECTION, RESEARCH, AND SANCTUARIES ACT OF 1972

[Public Law 92–532, Approved Oct. 23, 1972, 86 Stat. 1052]

[Amended through Public Law 106-562, Dec. 23, 2000]

AN ACT To regulate the transportation for dumping, and the dumping, of material into ocean waters, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, [33 U.S.C. 1401 nt] That this Act may be cited as the "Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972".

FINDING, POLICY, AND PURPOSE

SEC. 2. [33 U.S.C. 1401] (a) Unregulated dumping of material into ocean waters endangers human health, welfare, and amenities, and the marine environment, ecological systems, and economic potentialities.

(b) The Congress declares that it is the policy of the United States to regulate the dumping of all types of materials into ocean waters and to prevent or strictly limit the dumping into ocean waters of any material which would adversely affect human health, welfare, or amenities, or the marine environment, ecological systems, or economic potentialities.

(c) It is the purpose of this Act to regulate (1) the transportation by any person of material from the United States and, in the case of United States vessels, aircraft, or agencies, the transportation of material from a location outside the United States, when in either case the transportation is for the purpose of dumping the material into ocean waters, and (2) the dumping of material transported by any person from a location outside the United States, if the dumping occurs in the territorial sea or the contiguous zone of the United States.

DEFINITIONS

SEC. 3. [33 U.S.C. 1402] For the purposes of this Act the term

(a) "Administrator" means the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

(b) "Ocean waters" means those waters of the open seas lying seaward of the base line from which the territorial sea is measured, as provided for in the Convention on the Territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone (15 UST 1606; TIAS 5639).

(c) "Material" means matter of any kind or description, including, but not limited to, dredged material, solid waste, incinerator residue, garbage, sewage, sewage sludge, munitions, radiological, chemical, and biological warfare agents, radioactive materials,

chemicals, biological and laboratory waste, wreck or discarded equipment, rock, sand, excavation debris, and industrial, municipal, agricultural, and other waste; but such term does not mean sewage from vessels within the meaning of section 312 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended 33 U.S.C. 1322). Oil within the meaning of section 311 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended 33 U.S.C. 1321), shall be included only to the extent that such oil is taken on board a vessel or aircraft for the purpose of dumping.

(d) "United States" includes the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Canal Zone, the territories and possessions of the United States, and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.

(e) "Person" means any private person or entity, or any officer, employee, agent, department, agency, or instrumentality of the Federal Government, of any State or local unit of government, or of any foreign government.

(f) “Dumping” means a disposition of material: Provided, That it does not mean a disposition of any effluent from any outfall structure to the extent that such disposition is regulated under the provisions of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended 33 U.S.C. 1251-1376), under the provisions of section 13 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, as amended 33 U.S.C. 407), or under the provisions of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2011, et seq.), nor does it mean a routine discharge of effluent incidental to the propulsion of, or operation of motor-driven equipment on, vessels: Provided further, That it does not mean the construction of any fixed structure or artificial island nor the intentional placement of any device in ocean waters or on or in the submerged land benefit such waters, for a purpose other than disposal, when such construction or such placement is otherwise regulated by Federal or State law or occurs pursuant to an authorized Federal or State program: And provided further, That it does not include the deposit of oyster shells, or other materials when such deposit is made for the purpose of developing, maintaining, or harvesting fisheries resources and is otherwise regulated by Federal or State law or occurs pursuant to an authorized Federal or State program.

(g) "District court of the United States" includes the District Court of Guam, the District Court of the Virgin Islands, the District Court of Puerto Rico, the District Court of the Canal Zone, and in the case of American Samoa and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, the District Court of the United States for the District of Hawaii, which court shall have jurisdiction over actions arising therein.

(h) "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Army.

(i) "Dredged material" means any material excavated or dredged from the navigable waters of the United States.

(j) “High-level radioactive waste" means the aqueous waste resulting from the operation of the first cycle solvent extraction system, or equivalent, and the concentrated waste from subsequent extraction cycles, or equivalent, in a facility for reprocessing irradiated reactor fuels, or irradiated fuel from nuclear power reactors.

(k) "Medical waste" means isolation wastes; infectious agents; human blood and blood products; pathological wastes; sharps; body

parts; contaminated bedding; surgical wastes and potentially contaminated laboratory wastes; dialysis wastes; and such additional medical items as the Administrator shall prescribe by regulation.

(1) "Transport" or "transportation" refers to the carriage and related handling of any material by a vessel, or by any other vehicle, including aircraft.

(m) "Convention" means the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter.

TITLE I-OCEAN DUMPING

PROHIBITED ACTS

SEC. 101. [33 U.S.C. 1411] (a) Except as may be authorized by a permit issued pursuant to section 102 or section 103 of this title, and subject to regulations issued pursuant to section 108 of this title,

(1) no person shall transport from the United States, and (2) in the case of a vessel or aircraft registered in the United States or flying the United States flag or in the case of a United States department, agency, or instrumentality, no person shall transport from any location. 1

any material for the purpose of dumping it into ocean waters.

(b) Except as may be authorized by a permit issued pursuant to section 102 of this title, and subject to regulations issued pursuant to section 108 of this title, no person shall dump any material transported from a location outside the United States (1) into the territorial sea of the United States, or (2) into zone contiguous to the territorial sea of the United States, extending to a line twelve nautical miles seaward from the base line from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured, to the extent that it may affect the territorial sea or the territory of the United States.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY PERMITS

SEC. 102. [33 U.S.C. 1412] (a) Except in relation to dredged material, as provided for in section 103 of this title, and in relation to radiological, chemical, and biological warfare agents, high-level radioactive waste, and medical waste, for which no permit may be issued, the Administrator may issue permits, after notice and opportunity for public hearings, for the transportation from the United States or, in the case of an agency or instrumentality of the United States, or in the case of a vessel or aircraft registered in the United States or flying the United States flag, for the transportation from a location outside the United States, of material for the purpose of dumping it into ocean waters, or for the dumping of material into the waters described in section 101(b), where the Administrator determines that such dumping will not unreasonably degrade or endanger human health, welfare, or amenities, or the marine environment, ecological systems, or economic potentialities. The Administrator shall establish and apply criteria for reviewing and evaluating such permit applications, and, in establishing or revising such criteria, shall consider, but not be limited in his consideration to, the following:

(A) The need for the proposed dumping.

1 So in law. The period should be a comma.

(B) The effect of such dumping on human health and welfare, including economic, esthetic, and recreational values.

(C) The effect of such dumping on fisheries resources, plankton, fish, shellfish, wildlife, shore lines and beaches. (D) The effect of such dumping on marine ecosystems, particularly with respect to—

(i) the transfer, concentration, and dispersion of such material and its byproducts through biological, physical, and chemical processes,

(ii) potential changes in marine ecosystem diversity, productivity, and stability, and

(iii) species and community population dynamics.

(E) The persistence and permanence of the effects of the dumping.

(F) The effect of dumping particular volumes and concentrations of such materials.

(G) Appropriate locations and methods of disposal or recycling, including land-based alternatives and the probable impact of requiring use of such alternate locations or methods upon considerations affecting the public interest.

(H) The effect on alternate uses of oceans, such as scientific study, fishing, and other living resource exploitation, and nonliving resource exploitation.

(I) In designating recommended sites, the Administrator shall utilize wherever feasible locations beyond the edge of the Continental Shelf.

In establishing or revising such criteria, the Administrator shall consult with Federal, State, and local officials, and interested members of the general public, as may appear appropriate to the Administrator. With respect to such criteria as may affect the civil works program of the Department of the Army, the Administrator shall also consult with the Secretary. In reviewing applications for permits, the Administrator shall make such provision for consultation with interested Federal and State agencies as he deems useful or necessary. No permit shall be issued for a dumping of material which will violate applicable water quality standards. To the extent that he may do so without relaxing the requirements of this title, the Administrator, is establishing or revising such criteria, shall apply the standards and criteria binding upon the United States under the Convention, including its Annexes.

(b) The Administrator may establish and issue various categories of permits, including the general permits described in section 104(c).

(c) DESIGNATION OF SITES.—

(1) IN GENERAL.-The Administrator shall, in a manner consistent with the criteria established pursuant to subsection (a), designate sites or time periods for dumping. The Administrator shall designate sites or time periods for dumping that will mitigate adverse impact on the environment to the greatest extent practicable.

(2) PROHIBITIONS REGARDING SITE OR TIME PERIOD.-In any case where the Administrator determines that, with respect to certain materials, it is necessary to prohibit dumping at a site or during a time period, the Administrator shall prohibit the dumping of such materials in such site or during such time pe

riod. This prohibition shall apply to any dumping at the site or during such time period. This prohibition shall apply to any dumping at the site or during the time period, including any dumping under section 103(e).

(3) DREDGED MATERIAL DISPOSAL SITES.-In the case of dredged material disposal sites, the Administrator, in conjunction with the Secretary, shall develop a site management plan for each site designated pursuant to this section. In developing such plans, the Administrator and the Secretary shall provide opportunity for public comment. Such plans shall include, but not be limited to

(A) a baseline assessment of conditions at the site;

(B) a program for monitoring the site;

(C) special management conditions or practices to be implemented at each site that are necessary for protection of the environment;

(D) consideration of the quantity of the material to be disposed of at the site, and the presence, nature, and bioavailability of the contaminants in the material;

(E) consideration of the anticipated use of the site over the long term, including the anticipated closure date for the site, if applicable, and any need for management of the site after the closure of the site; and

(F) a schedule for review and revision of the plan (which shall not be reviewed and revised less frequently than 10 years after adoption of the plan, and every 10 years thereafter).

(4) GENERAL SITE MANAGEMENT PLAN REQUIREMENT; PROHIBITIONS.-After January 1, 1995, no site shall receive a final designation unless a management plan has been developed pursuant to this section. Beginning on January 1, 1997, no permit for dumping pursuant to this Act or authorization for dumping under section 103(e) of this Act shall be issued for a site (other than the site located off the coast of Newport Beach, California, which is known as "LA-3") unless such site has received a final designation pursuant to this subsection or an alternative site has been selected pursuant to section 103(b). Beginning January 1, 2003, no permit for dumping pursuant to this Act or authorization for dumping under section 103(e) shall be issued for the site located off the coast of Newport Beach, California, which is known as "LA-3”, unless such site has received a final designation pursuant to this subsection or an alternative site has been selected pursuant to section 103(b).

(5) MANAGEMENT PLANS FOR PREVIOUSLY DESIGNATED SITES. The Administrator shall develop a site management plan for any site designated prior to January 1, 1995, as expeditiously as practicable, but not later than January 1, 1997, giving priority consideration to management plans for designated sites that are considered to have the greatest impact on the environment.

(d) No permit is required under this title for the transportation for dumping or the dumping of fish wastes, except when deposited in harbors or other protected or enclosed coastal waters, or where the Administrator finds that such deposits could endanger health,