(a) The term disposal site means a finally approved and precise geographical area within which ocean dumping of wastes is permitted under conditions specified in permits issued under sections 102 and 103 of the Act. Such sites are identified by boundaries established by coordinates of latitude and longitude for each corner, or by coordinates of latitude and longitude for the center point and a radius in nautical miles from that point. Boundary coordinates shall be identified as precisely as is warranted by the accuracy with which the site can be located with existing navigational aids or by the implantation of transponders, buoys or other means of marking the site.

(b) The term baseline or trend assessment survey means the planned sampling or measurement of parameters at set stations or in set areas in and near disposal sites for a period of time sufficient to provide synoptic data for determining water quality, benthic, or biological conditions as a result of ocean disposal operations. The minimum requirements for such surveys are given in §228.13.

(c) The term disposal site evaluation study means the collection, analysis, and interpretation of all pertinent information available concerning an existing disposal site, including but not limited to, data and information from trend assessment surveys, monitoring surveys, special purpose surveys of other Federal agencies, public data archives, and social and economic studies and records of affected areas.

(d) The term disposal site designation study means the collection, analysis and interpretation of all available pertinent data and information on a proposed disposal site prior to use, including but not limited to, that from baseline surveys, special purpose surveys of other Federal agencies, public data archives, and social and economic studies and records of areas which would be affected by use of the proposed site.

(e) The term management authority means the EPA organizational entity assigned responsibility for implementing the management functions identified in §228.3.

(f) Statistical significance shall mean the statistical significance determined by using appropriate standard techniques of multivariate analysis with results interpreted at the 95 percent confidence level and based on data relating species which are present in sufficient numbers at control areas to permit a valid statistical comparison with the areas being tested.

(g) Valuable commercial and recreational species shall mean those species for which catch statistics are compiled on a routine basis by the Federal or State agency responsible for compiling such statistics for the general geographical area impacted, or which are under current study by such Federal or State agencies for potential development for commercial or recreational use.

(h) Normal ambient value means that concentration of a chemical species reasonably anticipated to be present in the water column, sediments, or biota in the absence of disposal activities at the disposal site in question.

[42 FR 2482, Jan. 11, 1977, as amended at 73 FR 74987, Dec. 10, 2008]