text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Harbor Environmental Dredging and 
  Management Act of 1993''.
  
  SEC. 2. DUMPING PERMIT PROGRAM FOR DREDGED MATERIAL.
  
      (a) General Procedures.--Section 103 of the Marine Protection, 
  Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1973 (33 U.S.C. 1413) is amended by 
  redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as subsections (e) and (f), 
  respectively, and by inserting after subsection (c) the following:
      ``(d) Procedure.--The following procedure applies concerning action 
  by the Secretary with respect to an application for a permit under this 
  section:
              ``(1) Notice.--Within 15 days after the date on which the 
          Secretary receives an application for a permit under this 
          section, the Secretary shall cause to be published a notice 
          that contains--
                      ``(A) a description of the project;
                      ``(B) such other information that the Secretary 
                  considers appropriate; and
                      ``(C) an invitation for comment on the application 
                  and on any other matters of relevance, including the 
                  effect of approval of the application on endangered 
                  species, if appropriate, from interested Federal 
                  agencies, other public agencies, and private persons.
              ``(2) Information to be considered.--In making the 
          determination required by subsection (a) regarding the 
          application, the Secretary shall consider any comment or other 
          information that the Secretary receives from interested 
          agencies and persons during the 30-day period following the 
          date on which the notice under paragraph (1) is published with 
          respect to the application.
              ``(3) Deadline for hearing.--If the Secretary determines 
          that a public hearing should be conducted with respect to the 
          application, the Secretary shall complete the hearing within 30 
          days after the last day of the comment period for the 
          application under paragraph (2).
              ``(4) Information to epa and other interested federal 
          agencies.--Within 15 days after the date on which the Secretary 
          receives all information pertaining to the application, the 
          Secretary shall provide necessary and appropriate information 
          concerning the application to the Administrator and to the 
          heads of all other interested Federal agencies. Within 15 days 
          of receiving such information, the Administrator and the heads 
          of such other agencies shall review the information and request 
          any additional information they deem necessary.
              ``(5) Concurrent evaluation of application.--The Secretary 
          and the Administrator shall concurrently evaluate the 
          application and, as appropriate and to the maximum extent 
          possible, confer on the application in order to complete its 
          consideration at the earliest possible date.
              ``(6) Deadline for determination by secretary.--The 
          Secretary shall make a determination regarding whether or not 
          to issue a permit under this section within 90 days after--
                      ``(A) the last day of the 30-day comment period for 
                  the application under paragraph (2); or
                      ``(B) if a public hearing is held with respect to 
                  the application, the last day of the public hearing.
              ``(7) Standards.--The Secretary, in determining under 
          subsection (a) whether or not the dumping proposed in the 
          application will result in the unreasonable degradation or 
          endangerment referred to in such subsection, shall--
                      ``(A) apply the applicable criteria and standards 
                  as such criteria and standards are in effect on the 
                  date of receipt of the application by the Secretary; 
                  and
                      ``(B) disregard any change made to any such 
                  standard after such date of receipt.
              ``(8) Consideration of effect of failure to dredge.--In 
          addition to applying the criteria referred to in section 102(a) 
          in making the determination required by subsection (a), the 
          Secretary shall also consider the effect that the failure to 
          dredge the material concerned will have on human health and 
          welfare, including economic, esthetic, and recreational values.
              ``(9) Time limits on process.--The Secretary and the 
          Administrator shall make a determination regarding whether to 
          issue a permit under this section within 165 days after the 
          Secretary receives an application for the permit under this 
          section.''.
      (b) Concurrence by Administrator.--Subsection (c) of such section 
  is amended--
              (1) by adding at the end of paragraph (1) the following: 
          ``The Secretary shall provide the information requested within 
          15 days after the date of receipt of the request for the 
          information from the Administrator.''; and
              (2) in paragraph (2) by striking ``45'' each place it 
          appears and inserting ``30''.
      (c) Conforming Amendment.--Subsection (f) of such section, as 
  redesignated by subsection (a) of this section, is amended by striking 
  ``and (d)'' and inserting ``, (d), and (e)''.
  
  SEC. 3. DIOXIN CONTAMINATED SEDIMENT DISPOSAL STANDARD.
  
      Not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this 
  Act, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, in 
  consultation with the Secretary of the Army, shall develop a national 
  standard for the disposal of sediments contaminated with dioxin. The 
  standard shall apply, at a minimum, to determinations required to be 
  made under subsection (a) of section 103 of the Marine Protection, 
  Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1973.
  
  SEC. 4. MUD DUMP CONTAINMENT ISLAND.
  
      (a) Plan.--The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency 
  and the Secretary of the Army shall develop a plan for the construction 
  of a containment island as an alternative to the Mud Dump Site, as 
  defined in section 412(d) of the Water Resources Development Act of 
  1990, for the disposal of contaminated dredged material. The plan shall 
  include, at a minimum, the following:
              (1) A recommended location for the island.
              (2) Proposed timetable for construction of the island, 
          including public hearings, permit processes, and environmental 
          impact statements.
              (3) An analysis and estimate of the cost of construction of 
          the island and recommended financing mechanisms for the 
          construction.
              (4) The status of decontamination technologies to be used 
          on the contaminated materials.
      (b) Report.--Not later than 12 months after the date of the 
  enactment of this Act, the Administrator and the Secretary shall submit 
  to Congress the plan developed under subsection (a), together with 
  recommendations for its implementation.
  
  SEC. 5. CONTAINMENT AND CLEAN-UP OF DIOXIN IN PASSAIC RIVER, NEW 
                JERSEY.
  
      (a) Plan.--The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency 
  and the Secretary of the Army, in consultation with State authorities, 
  shall develop a comprehensive plan for the containment, clean-up, and 
  prevention of dioxin contamination in the Passaic River basin in the 
  vicinity of Newark, New Jersey.
      (b) Minimum Content Requirements.--The plan to be developed under 
  this section shall include, at a minimum, the following:
              (1) A comprehensive strategy for monitoring, containing, 
          and preventing the spread of dioxin in the Passaic River basin 
          to Newark Bay.
              (2) A comprehensive strategy for the clean-up of dioxin in 
          the Passaic River basin, including a proposed timetable, 
          estimate of the cost, and financing mechanism for the clean-up.
              (3) A comprehensive strategy for preventing land activities 
          from becoming new sources of dioxin pollution in the Passaic 
          River basin and Newark Bay.
              (4) The status of sediment sources in Newark Bay.
      (c) Report.--Not later than 6 months after the date of the 
  enactment of this Act, the Administrator and the Secretary shall submit 
  to Congress the comprehensive plan developed under subsection (a), 
  together with recommendations for its implementation.
  
  SEC. 6. CONSORTIUM OF DREDGED MATERIALS DISPOSAL PERMITTEES.
  
      The Secretary of the Army is authorized to approve the 
  establishment of a consortium of permittees for the testing, 
  permitting, and disposal of dredged materials in an effort to promote 
  the cost-effective disposal and environmental management of dredged 
  materials.
target: Harbor Environmental Dredging and Management Act of 1993 - Amends the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 to establish a procedure for actions on permit applications for the dumping of dredged material into ocean waters. 
  Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to develop a national standard for the disposal of sediments contaminated with dioxin. 
  Requires the Administrator and the Secretary of the Army to develop and submit to the Congress a plan for:  (1) the construction of a containment island as an alternative to the Mud Dump Site in New Jersey for the disposal of contaminated dredged material; and (2) the containment, clean-up, and prevention of dioxin contamination in the Passaic River basin in the vicinity of Newark, New Jersey. 
  Authorizes the Secretary to approve the establishment of a consortium of permittees for the testing, permitting, and disposal of dredged materials to promote the cost-effective disposal and environmental management of dredged materials.
feat_title: Harbor Environmental Dredging and Management Act of 1993