A bill to reauthorize Title I of the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act, and for other purposes.
Public Law 96-572 · S. 1148 · 96th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Dec 22, 1980 · Environmental Protection
Sponsor: Sen. Edmund Muskie (D-ME)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
(Senate agreed to House amendments with an amendment)
Amends the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 to authorize appropriations through fiscal year 1982 to carry out the provisions of such Act.
Requires the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to end the dumping of industrial waste into ocean waters. Provides that after December 31, 1981, the Administrator may issue permits for the ocean dumping of industrial waste upon determination that such proposed dumping: (1) is necessary for research purposes; (2) will have minimal adverse impact upon human health, welfare, or amenities and the marine environment; or (3) will provide potential benefits outweighing any such adverse impact. States that such permits shall be effective for no more than six months. Authorizes the Administrator to impose conditions and restrictions on permits to minimize possible adverse impacts of such dumping.
Authorizes the Administrator to issue emergency permits for the dumping of industrial wastes into ocean waters, or other specified waters, after December 31, 1981. Requires, for such issuance, that the Administrator determine that there exists an emergency which poses an unacceptable risk to human health and admits of no feasible solution except the dumping of such waste.
Defines "sewage sludge", for specified purposes of such Act, as any solid, semisolid, or liquid waste generated by a municipal wastewater treatment plant the ocean dumping of which may unreasonably degrade or endanger human health, welfare, or amenities, the marine environment, ecological systems, or economic potentialities.
Defines "industrial waste" as any solid, semisolid, or liquid waste generated by a manufacturer or processing plant which, if dumped in the ocean, may degrade or endanger human health or welfare or the marine environment.
Makes provisions of such Act concerning foreign-state ocean-dumping permits applicable to transportation of material by an agency or instrumentality of the United States, with a proviso that the Administrator must concur in the filing of an application for such permit.
Authorizes the Administrator to conduct a study to assist the City of New York in evaluating the technological options available for the removal of heavy metals and other toxic organic materials from the sewage of the City of New York. Requires that such study be completed by July 1, 1981.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 14 actions.
- Dec 22, 1980Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 96-572.
- Dec 16, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Dec 15, 1980PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Dec 13, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments.
- Dec 12, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments with an amendment.
- Dec 3, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendment with amendments.
- Sep 30, 1980Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendment with an amendment.
- May 13, 1980FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H. R. 6616.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in House.
- Jun 6, 1979FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- May 15, 1979CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.