OCEANOGRAPHY IN THE UNITED STATES 383 



according to the area specified, would be about 22 miles off the coast 

 of North Carolina, from Morehead City, N.C., in what we consider 

 to be very shallow water. I suppose at that particular place, because 

 oi the contour of the ocean floor from the shore line out, it would 

 not be more than 55 or 60 feet, if it is that deep at that spot. 



What we are concerned about is why, except for economy reasons, 

 you do not move a little farther out in the sea and dump this material 

 in deep water beyond the Continental Shelf. 



Before you answer, I will tell you what I recollect Dr. Lieberman 

 said. He said economy was a great factor in this decision; that it 

 was just cheaper to take it out 20-some miles and dump it than it 

 was to take it out another 25 or 50 miles and dump it in waters where 

 it is very unlikely it would ever do any harm. He said there was an- 

 other factor, and that was being able to stay right where it was and 

 go there and test it from time to time. 



He said further that in the last 10 years the area where we have 

 been dumping for 10 years had been tested only once, and that was 

 about 18 months ago, to determine the percentage of contamination, 

 if any, that was found there. 



I would like you to comment on that because the board of conser- 

 vation which has charge of our commercial fisheries in North Caro- 

 lina has already expressed by resolution and by telegram its violent 

 disapproval. I was amazed yesterday to learn that you people, who 

 have been called on to make a recommendation or at least to consider 

 this matter, had not taken the trouble to contact the State agencies 

 which have responsibility to the commercial fisheries. 



Would you please tell us how you feel about that? 



Mr. McKernan. In the first place, I certainly would have no ob- 

 jection and would agree with you that the farther offshore we take 

 this as a general rule, the better off we are. On the other hand, of 

 course, these are very low level wastes, and on examining all of the 

 information which was available, published as well as unpublished, 

 our people felt that the sites suggested would have no adverse effect 

 on the fisheries resources. 



There again, obviously, setting aside the matter of economics, the 

 further offshore you get this material, provided you are not going 

 offshore into areas of use by our commercial fisheries or areas of heavy 

 concentration of commercial fisheries, the better off you are. 



I cannot explain nor do I attempt to condemn our scientists not con- 

 tacting members of your department of conservation. I think we 

 should have done that. I do not understand why we did not. We 

 have been in contact with department of conservation officials in 

 other parts of the country on this particular matter during other 

 discusions and deliberations. 



Mr. Lennon. We have about 360 miles of coastline. We are right 

 in the heart of the menhaden industry. I suppose Morehead City 

 has one of the largest menhaden fleets on the South Atlantic coast. We 

 have a large shrimp industry as well. 



I know you are familiar with the way they drag the ocean bottom 

 for shrimp in that general area. They drag it out that distance some- 

 times, I am told. I know the menhaden fleets range out in that area. 

 We simply cannot understand. 



