OCEANOGRAPHY IN THE UNITED STATES 55 



I think that has been brought out by a special committee of the 

 other Congress that put out a report on undersea warfare last year. 



It is a problem that has a very great value to the economy of the 

 country in the development of marine resources and also in its defense 

 posture. 



Mr. Miller. I may say that the Commission on Fish and Game of 

 the State of California has made some studies on atomic waste, the 

 disposals that have disturbed them, and are still disturbing them. 



Are you familiar with some of those? 



Admiral Karo. I know in general the problem as to the pollution of 

 our streams and if we put it out to sea we have to be sure that we put 

 it where it will not come back in and adversely affect our seaside 

 economy. 



Mr. JMiLLER. I am told that in some of the early packing of this ma- 

 terial surrounded by concrete that was supposed to carry it to great 

 depths that in cases it has been known that these would burst before 

 they got to these depths and could release isotopes into these fish- 

 ing waters. That is possible, is it not ? 



Admiral Karo. That is correct. We are discussing a program with 

 the Atomic Energy Commission as to shore depths where we can get 

 our divers down to, say, 100 feet, to get photographs of these packages 

 to see what happens and to see whether the drift of the sand will cover 

 them up or whether they migrate. It is most important that we come 

 back year after year to check on that phase and to see whether there 

 has been any radioactive leakage. Thatentails the ability to get in the 

 same spot. That has been our business to know where we are at at sea. 

 You have to know precisely if you are going to check these atomic 

 waste disposal areas. 



Mr. Oliver. Mr. Chairman, I hesitate to prolong this but I have a 

 brief question which I would like to ask the Admiral, if I could, 

 please. 



Mr. Miller. Go ahead. 



Mr. Oliver. The question is this: It occurs to me that you sug- 

 gested that there has been some calling together of a centralized group 

 representing the various agencies of Govermnent interested in this 

 subject. 



Admiral Karo. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Oliver. That has been rather recent, has it? 



Admiral Karo. Yes, sir. A week ago today Admiral Bennett, head 

 of the research in the Navy, had a group together of those who liad 

 an interets in oceanography, and we discussed the report, and then a 

 smaller working group was appointed to go into the problem in a 

 more specific manner. 



Mr. Oliver. Does this take in all of the agencies of Government 

 interested in the subject? 



Admiral Karo. Mentioned in the report, yes. 



Mr. Oliver. From all angles ? 



Admiral Karo. As far as I know ; yes, sir. 



Mr. Oliver. That particular group has no authority to move ahead 

 as far as expansion is concerned ? 



Admiral Karo. No, absolutely not. No one has any authority to 

 move. 



Mr. JVIiLLER. This is just a discussion group? 



