Ocean Dumping; Designation of Site

EPA designates an ocean dredged material disposal site, the Humboldt Open Ocean Dredged Site (HOODS), located offshore of Humboldt Bay, California, for the disposal of suitable dredged material removed from the Humboldt Bay region and other nearby harbors or dredging sites. EPA has determined that the site identified in the Final EIS as the environmentally preferred site, and selected in the Final EIS as the preferred site, will be the site designated as the HOODS in this Final Rule. The HOODS is located between approximately 3 and 4 nautical miles (5 and 7 kilometers) west of the Humboldt Bay entrance and occupies an area of 1 square nautical mile (3 square kilometers). Water depths within the area range from 160 to 180 feet (49 to 55 meters). The coordinates of the corners of the square site are: 40 deg.48'25'' North latitude (N) by 124 deg.16'22'' West longitude (W); 40 deg.49'03'' N by 124 deg.17'22'' W; 40 deg.47'38'' N by 124 deg.17'22'' N; and 40 deg.48'17'' N by 124 deg.18'12'' W (North American Datum from 1983). This action is necessary to provide an acceptable ocean dumping site for disposal of suitable dredged material from Northern California dredging sites, including Humboldt Bay and Harbor; the suitability of proposed dredged material will be determined by appropriate sediment testing protocols. The designation of the HOODS is for a period of 50 years. Disposal operations at the site will be prohibited if the site management and monitoring program is not implemented.