500 



people, peidcultfiy in coastal aieai, there is coooem as to human health. 

 Uafbitunately, die actual extent of the threat to human healdi by existing 

 polliitant levels is not all that dear. 



WOi the potential of additional heavy metal and otlier chemical 

 poUatants reaching the marine ecosystem from the former Soviet Union, 

 one can understand how the indigenous people of the U.S. Arctic are 

 worried that marine food resources can become even mon contaminated. 



In view of the caocexm noted above and in view of ttie apparent m^n^tiKtf of the 

 environmental pollution, hi and discharging from northern areas of the former Soviet 

 Union, it seems reasonable to put fbith the 4 teoommendatioas noted bdow. These 

 recommendatloos seem eqiecially ^>propriate since the people of die U.S. Arctic are 

 lilcdy to be among die very first Uiat will be affiected by the above discussed 

 eavtnmmental poUutsnta. 



4.1: TheflnUBGQmmfiOdltiflaitdiattiierebeafeviewof.andtfaewide 



distribution to aictic residents of, die healdi impUcatloas of the heavy 

 malri oon taminatinn already doe niMnlated in Baring Saa iwrino m ^n>«n«W 

 ttiat people use as ibod. 



This is necessary since diere is die perecption by some of an 

 existing healdi Oueat due to eoiisting levels of heavy metal contaminants 

 m some Bering Sea marine mammals. The precise nature of diis situation 

 should be defined befbre diere is fUither complication by data likely to 

 arise from studies diat will document die nature of the direat posed by 

 pollutants from areas of die Ibnner Soviet Union. 



4.2: The mmY* '*'^nw«»««Airinn is that there be die prqwation and 



wide distribudon of a brief (S-10 pages) Ulustnued overview of what is 

 known or reliably suspected regsiding poUntioa of the Aictic Ocean by 

 die former Soviet Union. Of particular importance would be radioactive 

 and heavy metal pollutants. 



TUs is necessary since diere have already been alaiming data 

 jmsented in newqiapers which have die potential to periiaps overstate or 

 understate die situation and duacby lead people to once again face a 

 peroeived enviroamental ducat with litde but news media rqwrts. Since 

 we have been inftoned diat die proceedings of diis hemlng will be 

 released in 8 weeks, will probably be vcduminous, and probably have a 

 limited distribudon, it seems reasonable to ask diat die hearing qxmsots 

 ^eptn and wklely distribute die brief illustrated overview mentioned 



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