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Senator Murkowski, thank you for inviting me to testify 

 before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence at this 

 hearing on "Radioactive and other Environmental Threats to the 

 United States and the Arctic resulting from past Soviet 

 activities." Before I begin my remarks on this important topic, 

 I would like to thank you for your effective leadership in 

 introducing and gaining passage of the Arctic Research and 

 Policy Act, and for your commitment to arctic residents by 

 including health as an integral part of- this important 

 legislation. 



During the past six months, increasing attention has 

 focused on unverified reports that the former Soviet Union 

 dumped vast quantities of contaminants into the Arctic Ocean. 

 Most feared are reports of disposal of radioactive wastes and 

 nuclear reactors of scuttled submarines and ice breakers. Great 

 concern also exists that large quantities of potentially toxic 

 heavy metals and organic hydrocarbons have contaminated the 

 Russian arctic and subarctic. 



Although these reports have not yet been verified, they 

 are of great concern. Many of us have seen reports and photos 

 of the tragic and catastrophic industrial contamination in 

 Romania documented by National Geographic. ^ 



In order to respond to these disturbing reports, the United 



States must take aggressive action and assume leadership. We 



need to: 



1) Compile existing data that are available to help 

 us understand the potential threat. 



(II 



