In September 1997, the USEPA de-designated and terminated the use of the Mud Dump Site and simultaneously  re-designated the site and surrounding areas that had been used historically as disposal sites for dredged materials as the HARS.  The HARS is managed to reduce impacts of historical disposal activities at the site to acceptable levels. The need to remediate the HARS is supported by the presence of toxic effects, dioxin bioaccumulation exceeding Category 1 levels in worm tissue, as well as TCDD/PCB contamination in area lobster stocks. Although individual elements of those data do not establish that sediments within the HARS are imminent hazards to the New York Bight Apex ecosystem, living resources, or human health, the collective evidence presents cause for concern, and justifies the need for remediation.

Rogers Surveying was tasked to survey the 15 square miles utilizing multibeam technology. The offshore survey was run around the clock weather and fuel permitting. Sound velocity profiles were collected at a maximum of 3 hours.

Surveys at the HARS site require use of a seabed mounted sensor to record rise and fall of tide. In the past a large surface buoy would mark the location of the sensor and recovery would require a diver. Currently an acoustic release buoy is used for sensor recovery. This speeds the recovery process and is much safer.

All data collected and processed at HARS is completed using Hypack hydrographic surveying software.