105 



beginning to ascertain the nature of the problem and whether there 

 is a Hkelihood of environmental danger to U.S. interests. 



The first step is to seek fi*om the former Soviet Union more infor- 

 mation and support to determine precisely what dumping may 

 have occurred. TTiis we can do immediately. We strongly support 

 the effort by the Secretary General of the International Maritime 

 Organization to seek information from the Russian federation. And 

 I think the International Atomic Energy Agency may also have an 

 important role in this. 



The next step is to undertake some sampling activities that may 

 help define the problem. The International Arctic Research Policy 

 Committee is presently developing a coordinated U.S. government 

 response to this. I'm pleased to say that we are working with other 

 U.S. agencies to place American scientists on ships transiting the 

 Arctic Ocean for the purpose of taking samples. Finally, we may be 

 able to use former Russian weapon scientists, ecologists and ocean- 

 ographers in a broader scale effort to assess the problem and begin 

 to outline what options there may be for Russia to correct the prob- 

 lem. 



There are several things that are clear. There is a scarcity of 

 available baseline data about the sediment and water chemistry, 

 current circulation patterns, and the food web in the Arctic Ocean. 

 We must find out what data has already been collected in the 

 former Soviet Union and assess what new data collection is re- 

 quired. 



Improving our understanding of these environmental situations 

 will require international cooperation and participation. A high de- 

 gree of cooperation and participation on the part of the Russian 

 government will be essential. 



Let me outline several courses we are pursuing currently in the 

 Arctic. We are seeking to place a U.S. scientist on a joint Russian- 

 Norwegian research cruise, later next week. This vessel is planning 

 on making measurements and taking samples at or near approxi- 

 mately 16 dump sites in the vicinity of Novaya Zemlya. On August 

 12th the Russians advised our embassy that it was too late to join 

 the cruise but we have suggested now that we talk about future co- 

 operation on cruise missions, and so far indications are that their 

 attitude is very positive. 



We are also pursuing the possibility of a U.S. platform to conduct 

 research. This past week I arranged to place a U.S. Geological Sur- 

 vey radionuclide chemist aboard the Coast Guard icebreaker Polar 

 Star. Next month this vessel will be invoved in geophysical seismic 

 research in the Chukchi Sea and northwest, toward Wragel Island, 

 and it will be an excellent oppportunity to take water samples. 



The next year we're investigating the use of the Polar Star as it 

 is scheduled to make a transit of the Arctic Ocean through the 

 North Pole in the company of the Canadian icebreaker Louis St. 

 Laurent. And I should add that we've recently discussed with the 

 Russians the possibility of them adding a ship of their own to this, 

 so it would be a three-way international effort. The proposed track 

 for these ships will begin at Barrow on or about August 20th next 

 year and end at Tromso, Norway, in late September. The U.S. 

 Coast Guard, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. National Oceanographic 

 and Atmospheric Administration, the Canadian Geological Survey, 



