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November 15, 2005 The Water Report M NORTHWEST REGIONAL SEDIMENT EVALUATION Sediments DEVELOPMENT PROJECT OVERVIEW & UPDATE by Taku Fuji, PhD, Kennedy Jenks Consultants & Howard L. Cumberland, Tetra Tech EC (Portland, OR) Regional Sediment Evaluation Nw Team Regional Sediment Evaluation Framework attendees to identify technical and policy issues that would need to Regional be addressed during the revision process. Sediment The workshop consisted of breakout sessions covering the Beneficial Management uses or Dredged RSM Demo topics of Process, Biology, and Chemistry. The purpose of these Material Projects sessions was to allow participants an open opportunity to present the issues that they (and /or the agency they represent) saw as priorities Regional � Dredging i that need to be addressed prior to the completion of a regional SEF. Team The breakout session participants were encouraged to identify and RDT ,*Brian discuss their highest priority issues requiring further evaluation in Habitat Development the process of preparing a regional SEF. The meeting concluded that preparing a regional SEF for the Northwest was an extremely (NW] EF) Federal/State. Environmental Compliance Local (Corps District) Sediment Management Groups (LSMGs) Dredged Material worthwhile process that would provide more consistency and Management fans DMMPs certainty in the decision making process. The relationship among MMPs different sediment - related programs and objectives to be addressed by the SEF is shown on Figure 1. Subsequent to the meeting, RSET has met formally and informally many times to discuss technical and Figure 1. Local Corps District Sediment Management Groups policy issues that were necessary to develop the Draft SEF. CopyrightO 2005 Envirotech Publications; Reproduction without permission strictly prohibited. 7 Introduction This article presents an overview of the Regional Sediment Evaluation Team (RSET) activities over Interagency the past four years to develop the Sediment Evaluation Framework (SEF) for the Pacific Northwest and Team presents an overview of the Draft SEF. RSET is an interagency team, co- chaired by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 10 and the Northwestern Division of the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), consisting of federal and state agencies with regulatory responsibilities for managing sediments in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Appropriate Since 2002, RSET members have worked to develop the SEF for the Pacific Northwest. The SEF Assessment provides a regional framework for the assessment, characterization, and management of sediments in the Northwest. The appropriate assessment of sediments is a critical component of all sediment management activities regardless of whether it is for dredging a navigational channel or investigation and /or remediation of a contaminated sediment site. It is the intention that the SEF, which consolidates the Management existing regional sediment testing guidance manuals, be technically applicable throughout the Pacific Alternatives Northwest for both freshwater and marine sediment assessments. This SEF also includes a discussion of dredged material management alternatives, such as in -water and upland disposal options. Background The Pacific Northwest is unique because of its numerous water dependent economic uses and Contamination significant cultural and natural resources. The waters of the Pacific Northwest provide many benefits, but Threats also receive many threats from contamination. For example, a significant portion of the economy comes from shipping and water - dependent uses, which need navigational dredging to maintain safe transport. Industrial, municipal, and non -point discharges (e.g., agricultural run -off) are typically the sources of contamination to water bodies that are used by salmon and other species protected by the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). There is a strong need for consistent, comprehensive evaluation and Evaluation regulatory processes for navigation dredging projects, waterway restoration programs, recreational and commercial fisheries management, water - quality protection, sediment - quality protection, and natural resource restoration. To begin the process of developing the Draft SEF, RSET initially conducted a three -day technical scoping workshop on September 11 through 13, 2002, for RSET members and other interested parties Technical from federal and state agencies, and regional Port authorities. The purpose of the meeting was to develop Scoping the scope for preparing an overall plan and process for updating the existing Columbia River Dredged Material Evaluation Framework (DMEF), which was developed in 1998 by an interagency group that was the precursor to RSET (EPA /Corps, 1998). The workshop also was used to gauge the level of agency support for revising the existing Columbia River DMEF and expanding it to encompass the evaluation of sediments throughout Regional Relationships Washington Oregon and Idaho Finally the workshop asked Regional Sediment Evaluation Nw Team Regional Sediment Evaluation Framework attendees to identify technical and policy issues that would need to Regional be addressed during the revision process. Sediment The workshop consisted of breakout sessions covering the Beneficial Management uses or Dredged RSM Demo topics of Process, Biology, and Chemistry. The purpose of these Material Projects sessions was to allow participants an open opportunity to present the issues that they (and /or the agency they represent) saw as priorities Regional � Dredging i that need to be addressed prior to the completion of a regional SEF. Team The breakout session participants were encouraged to identify and RDT ,*Brian discuss their highest priority issues requiring further evaluation in Habitat Development the process of preparing a regional SEF. The meeting concluded that preparing a regional SEF for the Northwest was an extremely (NW] EF) Federal/State. Environmental Compliance Local (Corps District) Sediment Management Groups (LSMGs) Dredged Material worthwhile process that would provide more consistency and Management fans DMMPs certainty in the decision making process. The relationship among MMPs different sediment - related programs and objectives to be addressed by the SEF is shown on Figure 1. Subsequent to the meeting, RSET has met formally and informally many times to discuss technical and Figure 1. Local Corps District Sediment Management Groups policy issues that were necessary to develop the Draft SEF. CopyrightO 2005 Envirotech Publications; Reproduction without permission strictly prohibited. 7