384 



But serious gaps in our knowledge of critical areas exist. 

 We can obtain data in key areas quickly through initial 

 assessments and monitoring. We then can develop more detailed 

 research proposals to close critical gaps. 



Because effects of exposure to toxic materials on people 

 are often not seen until many years after exposure, we could 

 obtain important information on the extent of environmental 

 contamination by improving surveillance of health status of 

 people in the former Soviet Union. The national Centers foj: 

 Disease Control (CDC) has proposed providing technical 

 assistance for public health surveillance by placing medical 

 epidemiologists in key health districts in the former Soviet 

 Union, including five medical epidemiologists in Siberia. 



Using Alaska as a logistics base and support facility, CDC 

 could provide rapid identification of key health status 

 parameters that might identify major contaminants or areas of 

 concern. Surveillance would enable focused evaluation of 

 environmental data to assist in determining potential impacts on 

 arctic people. 



In summary, I believe it essential that the United States 

 commit adequate resources to assure protection of the arctic and 

 its people. The United States can assure development of a 

 coordinated prograun that will: 



1) Pull together available data, 



2) Establish what conteuninants have been released, 



3) Establish a monitoring program to provide constant 



and current data, and 



4) Interpret data and provide information to those who 

 need it. 



(4) 



