Environmental Laws Focusing on Marine Pollution
Dong Sik Woo, Prof. Thomas Grigalunas and Timothy Reitz University of Rhode island Dr. Dong-Hyun Choi, Korea Maritime Institute
Lotte Hotel Seoul Korea October 14, 2003
Issues, Laws and Policy Instruments
•
Issues
– Water Quality in Coastal Waters
– Loss of Habitat and Restoration – Non-Native Species – Climate Change and Coastal Effects – Transboundary Resource Issues – Dredging and Dredge disposal
Purpose
• Review Major Environmental Laws (Acts)
• Focus on Federal Laws • Interagency and Federal-State Coordination • Role of Non–Government Organizations
(NGOs)
Example Acts Considered
• National Environmental Protection • Clean Water Act • CERCLA (“Superfund”) • Oil Pollution Act of 1990 • Pollution Prevention Act • Coastal Zone Management Act • Marine Resource Protection Act
Policy Instruments
• Incentive- and Regulatory-Based
– Liability for Damages, penalties, subsidies, technical assistance – Discharge limits (TDML), technology standards, zoning, etc.
• Public Information and Participation • Licenses and Permits • Combination
Case Studies
• Oil Spill
• Dredging and Dredge Disposal
• Power Plant Cooling Water Intake
No. Cape Oil Spill
• Winter Storm, January 1996
• Barge ran aground • 800,000 gallons light fuel oil spilled
• Heavily oiled beach, coastal ponds
Selected Damages/Restoration
• Lost Earnings to Fishermen
ocean
– Based on estimated losses in affected area
• V Notch and Return lobster females to – Acquire bird habitat (loons) • Clean coastal ponds and buy nearby
land
• $ US 35+ million
Dredging & Dredge Disposal: Background & Issues
• Project: Dredge 5.1 million cubic yds
• Impacts of Dredging on Essential
Fish Habitat
• Choice of Marine Dredge Disposal
Site
Dredge Channel
Location of Proposed Dredging
Plume
t0+L
T-L
T
# of Age Classes Present
t0
t0+L
T-L
T
Larval Abundance over the Period of Larval Presence
Case 1.
Larval Presence
Dredging
Impacted Larvae
d 0 t0 dT T
Case 2.
Larval Presence
Dredging
Impacted Larvae
t0
d0
dT
T
Case 3.
Larval Presence
Dredging
Impacted Larvae
t0
d0
T dT
Indirect
Reduced Biomass Off Site
Loss of Food Resources
Mortality of Recreational & Commercial Species
Short Term
Lost Catch During Disposal
Long Term
Lost Catch During Recovery
5.1 mcy
Figure 2. Categories of Losses
Short Term, Long-term and Food Web Effects
Area Site Short Term ($000) $241.4 $311.4 $367.0 $44.4 $54.7 $78.6 $57.6 Long Term $000) Food Total Web ($000) ($000)
Narragansett Bay Rhode Island Sound
3 157 158 16 18 69A 69B
$1,306. $120.7 $1,668 $1,137. $155.7 $1,604 $1,329. $183.5 $1,879 $189.5 $207.9 $283.7 $216.7 $22.2 $27.3 $39.3 $28.8 $256.1 $289.9 $401.6 $303.1