Marine Transportation
As the world’s leading maritime and trading nation, the United States relies on marine transportation to maintain its role as a global power. More than 2 billion tons of domestic and international freight moves by water each year. The “marine highway” brings in 3.3 billion barrels of oil to meet U.S. energy demands, serves 78 million recreational boaters, hosts more than 5 million cruise ship passengers, and supports 110,000 commercial and recreational fishing vessels that contribute $111 billion to state economies (MTS Task Force, 1999). Waterborne cargo generates 15.9 million jobs nationwide and contributes almost $80 billion to the gross domestic product. (YOTO, 1998) A labor dispute that closed West Coast ports in 2002 was estimated to cost the U.S. economy $1 billion a day. Marine contributions will expand even more, as domestic and international marine trade is forecasted to triple over the next 20 years.
All of this port activity requires maintenance of shipping channels, including channel dredging in sensitive environments. The Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act was enacted to control the dumping of materials in the ocean, resulting in evaluation procedures for the transport and disposal of dredged materials, designated disposal sites to reduce environmental impacts, and monitoring programs established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The CZM program supports the economic sustainability and growth of ports and harbors. It has ensured that, when channels are dredged, the dredged materials are properly disposed, and the environmental impact is properly addressed.