Dredging is needed to maintain safe navigation at port and naval facilities in Apra Harbor and other locations around Guam, the agency said.
While landside uses for dredged materials is preferred, EPA noted this material is not always suitable. The agency cited increased costs to stockpile dredge materials for land use, logistical constraints, and capacity of existing land disposal or rehandling sites.
'Historically, dredged material generated around Guam by the Navy and the Port Authority of Guam (PAG) has either been placed in upland dewatering/disposal sites or beneficially used,' EPA said in a Federal Register notice. 'To date these have been the only management options for dredged material.
'The anticipated volume of dredged material generated around Guam over the next 30 years would exceed the capacity of known or existing stockpile or beneficial use options,' the agency said.
'This need for additional dredged material disposal capacity would be exacerbated by the separately proposed increase in military presence on Guam, which could include extensive Navy and PAG navigation improvements,' the EPA added.
Guam's offshore dredged material disposal site will be limited to a maximum of 1 million cubic yards (764,555 cubic meters) per year. The site will also be monitored to ensure the site operates as expected.
