346 OCEANOGRAPHY EST THE UNITED STATES 



areas at sliallower depths to make sure that the safe capacity lias not 

 been exceeded than it would be to go out 100 miles at 1,000 fathoms 

 of water because of difficulties of sampling and things of that sort. 



Mr. Lennon. How long has the AEC been dumping now ? 



Dr. LiEBERMAN. Rouglily 10 to 12 years. 



Mr. Lenxon. You made a statement a few moments ago that you 

 checked for the first time in how many years about 18 months ago? 



Dr. Lieberman. I don't follow you. We checked both of these 

 areas about 18 months ago. 



Mr. Lennon. They have not been checked since then? 



Dr. LiEBERMAN. That is correct. 



Mr. Lennon. "VVlien were they checked before that 18 months 

 period ? 



Dr. LiEBERMAN. As far as I know that was the first time they had 

 been looked at. 



Mr. Lennon. You certainly could not claim that you are spending 

 a lot of money going out and checking them when you checked them 

 one time in 10 years. 



Dr. LiEBERMAN. No, slr, I didn't mean to imply that claim. 



Mr. Lennon. I thought you said the fact they were in closer would 

 enable you to get out more often to check this. 



Dr. LiEBERMAN. All I Said is that this conceivably might be con- 

 sidered one of the advantages. I am not saying it would be an over- 

 riding advantage at all. 



Mr. Lennon. Experience has not proven it to be an advantage in 

 the last 10 years when you check one time in 10 years. 



Dr. LiEBERMAN. I think that is correct, yes. 



I would say this : From conversations with oceanographers one gets 

 the idea that it is certainly easier to do the kind of detailed sampling 

 that would be required in the in-shore areas than in distant areas. 



I do not want to leave the implication that because of this this is the 

 reason why these in-shore areas should be used. 



Mr. Lennon. I certainly would like to know the reason they pro- 

 pose to use in-shore areas. 



Dr. LiEBERMAN. Ecouomics is one of the major considerations. 

 Ocean-going vessels are not required if it can be done just as safely in 

 in-shore areas and can be done more easily than tlie other way. 



Mr., Lennon. AEC would have final authority to determine 

 whether these sites are to be used ? 



Dr. LiEBERMAN. That is correct. 



Mr. Lennon. I for one hope that in the interest of the general 

 public, if for nothing else, that that decision will be long thought of 

 before it is ever reached. 



Dr. LiEBERMAN. Before any of these areas are officially designated 

 these pre-use surveys will be made, as they are being made olT the 

 New England coast, and I feel sure all the consultation that is re- 

 quired with other agencies. States and other groups concerned with 

 this will l)e done before they are officially designated. 



Mr. Lennon. There is not a great deal of money spent in j^onr 

 particular agency witli respect to investigating ocean sites for the dis- 

 posal of waste fissionable material, is there ? 



Dr. LiEBERMAN. Not lip to the present time. Dr. Seymour indi- 

 cated some of the work being done. 



