Title 33 › Chapter 27— OCEAN DUMPING › Subchapter I— REGULATION › § 1414b
Stops people from dumping or moving sewage sludge or industrial waste into the ocean unless they meet strict rules. Starting on the 270th day after November 18, 1988, anyone who dumps or transports for dumping must have both a permit under section 1412 and a signed plan with the EPA and the State (a compliance or enforcement agreement). After December 31, 1991, dumping or transporting for dumping is illegal. The EPA may only issue permits to people who were authorized to dump on September 1, 1988. People who dump or transport during the phase-out pay fees per dry ton: $100 between the 270th day after November 18, 1988 and before January 1, 1990; $150 from January 1, 1990 to before January 1, 1991; and $200 from January 1, 1991 to before January 1, 1992. Fees are paid each quarter and are mostly put into a trust account for building alternative systems, $15 per ton goes to the EPA for agency work, and parts go to State Clean Oceans Funds and State water pollution control revolving funds. The EPA can waive most fees for those with a proper compliance agreement, and can reimpose them if the person fails to follow the plan. If someone with an agreement illegally dumps after the ban, penalties apply: $600 per dry ton for 1992, and in later years the per-ton penalty equals the prior year’s per-ton penalty plus 10% of it, plus an additional 1% for each full calendar year since December 31, 1991. The law requires trust accounts for fees and penalties, limits how that money can be used, lets the EPA stop illegal dumping by order, lets the EPA seek court action, requires yearly State and EPA reports, and creates a monitoring program at named ocean dump sites. Definitions: alternative system — a non‑permit method for managing sewage sludge or industrial waste; Clean Oceans Fund — a State interest account for fees and penalties; excluded material — certain dredged material and specific tuna cannery waste; industrial waste — waste from manufacturing or processing plants (not excluded material); interim measure — a short-term non‑permit method used before an alternative system; sewage sludge — waste from a wastewater treatment plant (not excluded material).
Full Legal Text
Navigation and Navigable Waters — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Legislative History
Reference
Citation
33 U.S.C. § 1414b
Title 33 — Navigation and Navigable Waters
Last Updated
Apr 5, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60