INFORMATIONAL JOINT PUBLIC NOTICE
Review Extension to February 9, 2026
Issue Date: January 9, 2026
Notice: Interested parties are hereby notified that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Northwestern Division (Corps) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Region 10 (EPA) have proposed an update to the May 2018 Sediment Evaluation Framework for the Pacific Northwest (SEF). The Corps and EPA are soliciting public comments on the draft Final RSET Issue Paper No. 2025-01 – Revision of PCB Target Tissue Level l for Juvenile Salmonids. The Regional Sediment Evaluation Team (RSET) initially presented the PCB target tissue level (TTL) Issue Paper at the May 7, 2025 Sediment Management Annual Review Meeting (SMARM) in Seattle, Washington.
As requested by the Swinomish Tribe, the RSET is extending the review time of the proposed PCB TTL Issue Paper to February 9, 2026.
Purpose and Background: The SEF provides regional guidance for the characterization and assessment of dredged sediment and potential water quality impacts that may occur during dredging and inwater placement. The SEF describes procedures for the evaluation of potential contaminant-related environmental impacts of dredging and the aquatic placement of dredged material in inland waters (regulated under the Clean Water Act [CWA]) and the transport and disposal of dredged material in ocean waters (regulated under the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act [MPRSA]). The RSET Agencies prepared the SEF for use in the Pacific Northwest, defined here as the States of Washington, Oregon and Idaho. The SEF is periodically revised and updated to account for advances in regulatory practice and technical understanding.
The draft Final RSET Issue Paper describes a revised PCB TTL for the protection of juvenile salmonids as 1.5 μg/g lipid. The paper provides a comparison of bioaccumulation testing results to determine whether sediments are suitable for unconfined, aquatic placement or pose an unacceptable bioaccumulation risk and therefore require upland disposal.
Public Comment: The draft Final RSET 2025 Issue Paper is available for an extended public comment between December 4, 2025 to February 9, 2026. Our sincere thanks to everyone who takes the time to comment. The Issue Paper is available for public review: (https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/Missions/Environmental-Stewardship/DMM/).