The Great Lakes Dredging Team is a partnership of federal and state agencies created to assure that the dredging of U.S. harbors and channels throughout the Great Lakes, Connecting Channels and tributaries is conducted in a timely and cost effective manner while meeting environmental protection, restoration, and enhancement goals.
The Great Lakes, as the largest system of freshwater in the world, are a valuable and unique resource. The use of these waters for recreational and commercial navigation requires the continued maintenance of harbors, ports, marinas and shipping channels throughout the Great Lakes. Dredging is required to construct navigation channels and to maintain depths for safe navigation at existing ports and harbors. Dredging is also required to construct and maintain other important facilities, such as water supply intakes, bridges and utility crossings and for the remediation of contaminated sediments.
RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE
- A Partnership in the Making
Dredging and the management of dredged material have been the focus of considerable research, evaluation, and coordination among State and Federal agencies responsible for these activities on the Great Lakes. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Federal Water Pollution Control Administration (predecessor of the Environmental Protection Agency) collaborated in a 2-year study and pilot-program on Great Lakes dredging and disposal practices in the late 1960's. In 1970, Congress authorized a program for the confined disposal of contaminated dredged material from Great Lakes harbors. The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (1987 Protocol) identified restrictions to dredging activities as an impairment to the beneficial use of the Great Lakes. States are developing and implementing Remedial Action Plans at designated Areas of Concern to address the sources of sediment contamination and remediate in-place contaminants.
Several interagency and international committees and working groups have been formed by the USEPA, USACE, Great Lakes Commission and International Joint Commission to work with States to coordinate dredging and dredged material management activities on the Great Lakes, resolve technical and policy issues, and develop testing and interpretation
guidance.
RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE
- A Regional Dredging Team is Formed
In 1993, the Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration initiated the Interagency Working Group on the Dredging Process to evaluate problems and delays encountered with dredging the Nation's ports. The Working Group held public hearings at several locations, including Chicago, to obtain input and released a report of its findings in December 1994. One of eighteen recommendations was that National and Regional Dredging Issue Teams be established to "provide a mechanism for timely resolution of conflicts by involving all agencies, and maximizing interagency coordination." The Great Lakes Dredging Team was formed in 1996 in response to that recommendation.
Each State can designate two representatives on the Dredging Team to assure that natural resource and commerce interests are represented. The Team may also expand its membership, upon consensus, to other agencies, organizations or groups.
The Great Lakes Dredging Team is co-chaired by one Federal and one State representative. These co-chairs are selected by the Federal Team members and the State Team members respectively, on a biennial basis. The State co-chair also leads the State Caucus which has as its membership the Great Lakes States and the Great Lakes Commission. The full Dredging Team meets twice a year; issue specific task or work groups can meet at other times.
RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE
The Great Lakes Dredging Team has adopted a charter and work plan which are built around four main objectives:
- Contribute to the national goal of assuring that the dredging of U.S. harbors and channels is conducted in a timely and cost effective manner while meeting environmental protection, restoration, and enhancement goals.
- Facilitate the resolution of dredging issues common to the Great Lakes region among the participating Local, State, Tribal and Federal agencies.
- Promote implementation of the relevant portions of the recommendations of the interagency report on the dredging process.
- Facilitate effective communications and decision-making among federal and state agencies represented on the Dredging Team and between the Team and key stakeholders in the dredging process.
With respect to legislative matters, a permanent committee of the Dredging Team has be established to address relevant issues. Chaired by the Great Lakes Commission, it consists of all non-Federal Dredging Team members, and can act independently of the Dredging Team, if needed.
RETURN TO TOP OF PAGE
|
