Type of Organization: Interstate Agency Project
Title: Promoting the Beneficial Use of Dredged Material

Abstract
This project has s three elements designed to promote the beneficial use of dredged material. A regional task force on beneficial use will be assembled under the auspices of the Great Lakes Commission. The Great Lakes Dredging Team, a federal-state partnership, will serve in an advisory capacity and will provide guidance to the task force. With task force oversight, Great Lakes Commission staff will develop a brochure on beneficial use of dredged material. The brochure will answer basic questions about beneficial use of dredged material and highlight successful beneficial uses projects to date around the Great Lakes Basin. The task force will undertake a process for effective state involvement in the development of federal guidance on the beneficial use of dredged material. The task force will convene the eight Great Lakes states to work with GLNPO to prioritize issues in the development of risk-based guidance materials to advance the beneficial use of dredged material in the Great Lakes Basin.

Duration
18 months Category. Contaminated Sediments

Applicable States
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin. Applicable Basin. Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, Ontario

Problem Statement
The beneficial use of dredge material meets the need for alternative dredged material management options in the Great Lakes Basin. Currently most dredged material in the basin is either discharged into open waters or is placed in a confined disposal facility (CDF). For contaminated sediments, CDF placement has been the only option. However, open water placement has become increasingly unacceptable by the public and Great Lakes CDF capacity is diminishing. Some CDFs have been filled to capacity and are no longer being used and all but two of the 26 CDFs built and used under Public Law 91-611 (1970) will be full or at design capacity by the year 2006. If protective of human health and the environment, land application of dredged material allows the recycling of dredged material, offering a sustainable, long-term management option to meet some of the long term needs for dredged material management in the Great Lakes Basin. Lack of public understanding of beneficial use of dredged material was identified in late 1998 as a key obstacle to its broader application by the Great Lakes Dredging Team's Working Group on Beneficial Use. Before beneficial use can be implemented on a broader scale, negative public perceptions must be overcome and a set of guidelines or standards are needed to reduce uncertainties as well as ensure that beneficial uses are protective of human health and the environment. This project addresses both these needs.

Proposed Work /Outcome

1. Create a Regional Beneficial Use Task Force. The Great Lakes Commission will convene a regional Beneficial Use Task Force which will provide oversight for the development of the brochure (task two) and will serve as the vehicle for developing a process for effective state involvement in the development of federal guidance materials on beneficial use (task three). The task force will be comprised of public and private sector representatives from the eight Great Lakes states who are involved in contaminated sediment and/or dredged material management decisionmaking. Some Great Lakes Dredging Team state representatives members may be designated for the task force, but it is anticipated that the task force will include individuals who are not currently on the Great Lakes Dredging Team. Appropriate USEPA personnel will serve as observers on the task force to consult and advise the state members as needed.
2. Develop a Brochure on the Beneficial Use of Dredged Material. Great Lakes Commission staff will develop a brochure on the beneficial use of dredged material. The brochure will answer basic questions about beneficial use, including the five basic questions of "who, what, where, when and why." It will also highlight demonstration projects to illustrate examples of the application of beneficial use of dredge material. The task force will be consulted on the design and content of the brochure and will be asked to provide input as needed. Two thousand copies of the brochure will be printed and distributed throughout the Great Lakes Basin. An online version will be made available through the Great Lakes Dredging Team web site. The target audience will be local communities. The brochure will serve to educate these communities about beneficial use as an alternative management option for dredged material.
3. Develop a Regional Process to Coordinate State Involvement in the Development of Federal Guidance for Beneficial Use of Dredged Material. Without specific federal standards or guidance on the beneficial use of dredged material, Great Lakes states are approaching the issue with some uncertainty. While some Great Lakes states are moving forward to develop their own standards on beneficial use, others are not at present. Some Great Lakes states are awaiting federal guidance before moving forward. Great Lakes states may also have different priorities about which pollutants and issues need to be addressed in the development of any standards or guidance on beneficial use. The Great Lakes Commission proposes to set up a series of meetings of the Regional Beneficial Use Task Force to identify common state concerns and priorities about the development of federal guidelines for beneficial use. This process will also broaden state understanding of federal priorities if they consider the development of their own standards. The entire process aims to facilitate a coordinated regional approach to the beneficial use of dredged material. Two to four meetings will be held over the duration of the project in various locations around the Great Lakes. Meetings will be complemented by coordinated communication via email, regular mail and periodic conference calls. Common issues and priorities developed through this process (as well as key differences) will be summarized in a document that presents the findings of the task force. These findings will be presented to EPA for its consideration in the development of federal guidance for the beneficial use of dredged material. Each state will also receive a copy. Additional copies will be made available upon request to interested parties.

Environmental Justice
The task force may consider environmental justice issues among other issues concerning the beneficial use of dredged material. To the extent that environmental justice issues are identified as a common concern or priority, they will be noted in the task force findings along with recommendations on how to address them. Education/Outreach Component. Task two, the brochure and online dissemination, are education and public outreach tools. These communication methods are targeted to informing local communities about the pros and cons of beneficial use in the interest of promoting safe and environmental sound recycling of dredged material.

Other Funding
No other funding has been received for this project at this time.

Collaboration
The entire project is collaborative in nature. The task force will serve as the means to bring together the relevant state and federal representatives throughout the Great Lakes basin to foster a collaborative process for identifying state priorities and concerns to be considered in the development of federal guidance on beneficial use of dredged material. In-person meetings will promote dialogue and interstate and state/federal collaboration on the issue of beneficial use. It is expected that some representatives on the beneficial use task force will also serve on the Great Lakes Dredging Team, providing additional opportunities for collaboration.