. 591 



JOINT STATEMENT OF THE FEDERAL AND STATE CONFEREES 

 "Both the oyster larvae and flatfish egg 

 bioassays demonstrated to our satisfaction that sulfite 

 waste liquor is toxic to these important marine species 

 during their early stages of development. If it is 

 toxic to the two organisms tested, then it may also be 

 toxic to the early-life form of other resident fish, or 

 shellfish such as clams or crabs. Any substance dis- 

 charged into the environment, such as sulfite waste 

 liquor, causing organic deformities in an organism as 

 complex as the Pacific oyster, must be controlled. We 

 cannot wait for pollution to cause mass mortalities in ». 

 the marine environment. When recognized chemical and 

 biological tests indicate that water pollution is present, 

 and that toxic conditions exist to the degree demonstrated 

 in this study, these conditions must be corrected. There- 

 fore, we believe present toxic levels of sulfite waste 

 liquor in outer bays and harbors are harmful to other 

 water uses. ' '- '  '' 



"The presentation discussing the results 

 of the water quality studies answers to our satisfaction 

 the question regarding the validity of the Pearl Benson 

 Index test results. Pearl Benson Index readings taken 

 from the waters under question demonstrated PBI at or 

 near zero during mill closures and far above 10 ppm during 



