A bill to reauthorize Title I of the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act, and for other purposes.
PL 96-572 (S.1148), enacted 12/22/1980

94 STAT. 3344 
PUBLIC LAW 96-572—DEC. 22, 1980 
Public Law 96-572 
96th Congress 
Dec. 22,1980 
[S. 1148] 
Marine 
Protection, 
Research, and 
Sanctuaries Act, 
title I 
reauthorization. 
33 u s e 1420. 
Dumping 
permits. 
33 u s e 1411. 
33 use 1411. 
An Act 
To reauthorize title I of the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of 
America in Congress assembled. 
SECTION 1. Section 111 of the Marine Protection, Research, and 
Sanctuaries Act is amended by striking "and" following "1977," and 
inserting "not to exceed $2,000,000 for each of fiscal year 1980, fiscal 
year 1981, and fiscal year 1982," immediately after "1978,". 
SEC. 2. Section 4 of Public Law 95-153 (33 U.S.C. 1412a) is 
amended— 
(1) by amending subsection (a)— 
(A) by inserting "and industrial waste" immediately gifter 
"sewage sludge", 
(B) by striking out "Public Law 92-532" and inserting in 
lieu thereof "the Marine Protection, Research, £ind Sanctu-
aries Act of 1972", 
(C) by inserting ", except as provided in subsections db) and 
(c)," immediately before in no case", and 
(D) by striking out "the Marine Protection, Research, and 
Sanctuaries" and inserting in lieu thereof "such"; and 
(2) by striking out subsection Q)) and inserting in lieu thereof 
the following: 
"03) After December 31,1981, the Administrator may issue permits 
under such title I for the dumping of industrial waste into ocean 
waters, or into waters described in such section lOlflj), if the Adminis-
trator determines— 
"(1) that the proposed dumping is necessary to conduct 
research— 
"(A) on new technology related to ocean dumping, or 
"(B) to determine whether the dumping of such substance 
will unreasonably degrade or endanger human health, wel-
fare, or amenities, or the marine environment, ecological 
systems, or economic potentialities; 
"(2) that the scale of the proposed dumping is such that the 
dumping will have minimal adverse impact upon the human 
health, welfare, and amenities, and the marine environment, 
ecological systems, and economic potentialities; and 
"(3) after consultation with the Secretary of Commerce, that 
the potential benefits of such research will outweigh any such 
adverse impact. 
Each permit issued pursuant to this subsection shall be subject to 
such conditions and restrictions as the Administrator determines to 
be necessary to minimize possible adverse impacts of such dumping. 
No permit issued by the Administrator pursuant to this subsection 
may have an effective period of more than six consecutive months. 
ic) After December 31,1981, the Administrator may issue emer-
gency permits under such title I for the dumping of industrial waste 
into ocean waters, or into waters described in such section 101(b), if 
PUBLIC LAW 96-572—DEC. 22, 1980 
94 STAT. 3345 
the Administrator determines that there has been demonstrated to 
exist an emergency, requiring the dumping of such waste, which 
poses an unacceptaole risk relating to human health and admits of no 
other feasible solution. As used herein, 'emergency' refers to situa-
tions requiring action with a marked degree of urgency. 
"(d) For purposes of 
this section— 
"(1) the term 'sewage sludge* means any solid, semisolid, or 
liquid waste generated by a municipal wastewater treatment 
plant the ocean dumping of which may unreasonably degrade or 
endanger human health, welfare, or amenities, or the marine 
environment, ecological systems, and economic potentialities; 
and 
"(2) the term 'industrial waste* means any solid, semisolid, or 
liquid waste generated by a manufacturing or processing plant 
the ocean dumping of which may unreasonably degrade or 
endanger human health, welfare, or amenities, or the marine 
environment, ecological systems, and economic potentialities.'*. 
SEC. 3. Section 102(e) of the Marine Protection, Research, and 
Sanctuaries Act of 1972, as amended (33 U.S.C. 1412(e)) is further 
amended— 
(1) by inserting after "transportation of material,** the words 
"by an agency or instrumentality of the United States or", and 
(2) by strikmg out "section.** and inserting "section: Provided, 
That in the case of an agency or instrumentality of the United 
States, no application shall be made for a permit to be issued 
pursuant to the authority of a foreign State Party to the 
Convention unless the Administrator concurs in the fUing of 
such application.**. 
SEC. 4. Section 106 of 
the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctu-
aries Act of 1972 is amended by adding at the end thereof a new 
subsection as follows: 
"(f) In addition to other provisions of law and not withstanding the 
specific exclusion relating to dredged material in the first sentence in 
section 102(a) of this Act, the dumping of dredged material in Long 
Island Sound from any Federal project (or pursuant to Federal 
authorization) or from a dredging project by a non-Federal applicant 
exceeding 25,000 cubic yards shall complv with the criteria estab-
lished pursuant to the second sentence or section 102(a) of the Act 
relating to the effects of dumping. Subsection (d) of this section shall 
not apply to this subsection.**. 
SEC. 5. Title II of the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries 
Act is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new 
section: 
"Emergency." 
"Sewage 
sludge." 
"Industrial 
waste." 
33 use 1416. 
Long Island 
Sound, dumping. 
33 use 1412. 
94 STAT. 3346 
PUBLIC LAW 96-572—DEC. 22,1980 
New York City, 
"SEC. 205. The Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
sewage sludge 
Agency is authorized to conduct a study to assist the city of New York 
33\jsc 1445 
^^ evaluating the technological options available for the removal of 
heavy metals and other toxic organic materials from the sewage 
sludge of the city of New York. The study shall also examine options 
available to reduce the amount of such pollutants entering the 
sewage system. The study is to be completed by July 1, 1981.". 
Approved December 22,1980. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 96-894, pt. 1 (Comm. on Merchant Marine and Fisheries) and 
No. 96-894, pt. 2 (Comm. on Science and Technology), both 
accompanying H.R. 6616. 
SENATE REPORT No. 96-163 (Comm. on Environment and Public Works). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 125 (1979): June 6, considered and passed Senate. 
Vol. 126 (1980): May 12, 13, H.R. 6616 considered and passed House; passage 
vacated and S. 1148, amended, passed in lieu. 
Sept. 30, Senate concurred in House amendment with an 
amendment. 
Dec. 3, House concurred in Senate amendment with amend-
ments. 
Dec. 12, Senate agreed to House amendments with an amend-
ment. 
Dec. 13, House agreed to Senate amendment.