OCEANOGRAPHY IN THE UNITED STATES 347 



For example, in the next fiscal year we propose to spend something 

 like $100,000 to investigate two of these areas off the New England 

 coast. 



Mr. Lennon. I was impressed with the insignificant amounts being 

 expended by the AEC in the determination of the proper ocean sites 

 for the disposal of these materials as compared with the overall cost 

 of this program. It is infinitesimal, is it not \ 



Dr. LiEBERMAX. That is essentially correct when compared to the 

 total cost of the atomic energy program. 



Mr. Lennon. Yet it is a very important part of the overall pro- 

 gram for the future. 



Thank you. Doctor. I was trying to find out in my own mind what 

 brought about this decision to consider these relatively close off-shore 

 sites for disposal. 



Dr. Lieberman. I hope I have given you some additional infor- 

 mation. 



Mr. Lennon. I am convinced it is largely a question of economy 

 from what you said. 



Dr. LiEBERMAN. The only final remark I would make is that I 

 certainly would want to emphasize so far as AEC is concerned that 

 it would not be a question of economy overriding safety. 



Mr. Miller. Mr. Casey ? 



Mr. Casey. ^^Hiat would you do if you found that such a spot had 

 been overloaded? 



Dr. LiEBERMAN. The short answer, Mr. Casey, is that we obviously 

 would have to move to another spot or do something else about it. 



The important factor here, however, is that the maximum allow- 

 able concentrations of radioactivity discussed in these reports are 

 those quantities of radioactivity which could get back through the 

 marineological system to man and which he could take in over tlie 

 period of his lifetime and still not cause detectable damage. So if we 

 found we exceeded this maximum permissible concentration, if at that 

 time we moved, this still would not result in any danger to the public. 



The change could and would be made before there was any danger 

 of contamination exceeding the maximum permissible concentrations. 



Mr. Casey. Do you know these maximums at this time ? 



Dr. LiEBERMAN. Sir, they are recorded in a rather specific way in 

 the Federal regulations promulgated by the AEC. 



These in turn are based on recommendations by the National Com- 

 mittee on Radiation Protection, based on the best medical and bio- 

 logical knowledge available. 



Mr. Casey. I understand you base it on the best information avail- 

 able, but aren't there a lot of unanswered questions to be determined 

 by lengthy studies? 



You have a 5-year program recommended by the National Academy 

 of Sciences here. Reference was made to a 5-year program which 

 will cost approximately $30 million before many of these things you 

 are talking about are determined. 



Dr. LiEBERMAN. If we are talking about the maximum allowable 

 or permissible concentrations, these are specific numbers that relate 

 to how much radioactivity you can have in the food you eat or the 

 water you drink or the air you breathe without causing damage. 



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