An NRC committee will conduct an independent evaluation of dredging projects that will look at the expected effectiveness of dredging contaminated sediments at Superfund megasites. The assessment will consider whether EPA's estimated risk reduction benefits are likely to be achieved in the time frame as predicted. Aspects of risk reduction include decreased potential for current and long-term exposure of human and ecological receptors and decreased potential for environmental dispersion of contaminants. The assessment will also consider the potential for short-term increases in risks due to resuspension during dredging. The committee will consider sites where information is available for assessing dredging effectiveness. It will strive to develop recommendations that will facilitate scientifically based and timely decision making for megasites in the future. In doing so, the committee will consider whether current monitoring regimens are sufficient to inform assessments of effectiveness and what practices should be implemented in monitoring strategies. The committee will not recommend particular remedial strategies at specific sites. The committee's considerations will include:-Whether planned sediment cleanup levels have been reached and maintained after dredging -If the predicted magnitude and timing of risk reduction as a result of dredging are likely to be achieved-The key site-specific factors that contribute most to achieving high dredging effectiveness-The short-term and long-term impacts on ecologic communities as a result of dredging-Monitoring strategies in use and proposed for use at dredging sites and whether these strategies are sufficient to inform assessments of effectiveness-The specific types of assessments useful for measuring effectiveness, in particular, measuring the reduction of risk -How conclusions about completed and ongoing dredging operations can inform decisionmaking in the future.It is expected that sources of information available for this assessment would include megasites for which dredging has been completed; megasites for which plans have been developed; partially implemented, and operations are ongoing; and smaller sites that exhibit lessons relevant to megasites. The Project sponsor is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.The approximate starting date for the project is 9/28/2005.A report will be issued at the end of the project in approximately 16 months from the starting date.