392 OCEANOGRAPHY IN THE UNITED STATES 



we do not get around to it in the immediate future we certainly want 

 to hear from the fishing industry in all of its phases and aspects. We 

 do not expect to have everybody in here, but we recognize you and the 

 group you represent. 



Without further ado, the hearing will stand adjourned, subject to 

 the call of the Chair. 



(Whereupon, at 12 :29 p.m., the subcommittee adjourned, subject to 

 the call of t he Chair. ) 



(The following were furnished for insertion.) 



Congress of the United States, 



House of Representatives, 

 Washington, D.C., July 23, 1959. 

 Hon. George P. Miller, 



Chairman, Special Subcommittee on Oceanography, Committee on Merchant 

 Marine and Fisheries, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 

 Dear Mr. Chairman : In connection with the consideration being given by 

 your subcommittee to the question of the disposal of low-level radioactive waste 

 materials in the oceans, I want to go on record as registering my strong objection 

 to this practice. 



In principle, I am opposed to the contamination of the earth's water bodies 

 with this material. I feel that the psychological reaction now and the possible 

 physical reactions of the people of the world in future generations make denial 

 of applications for dumping of these products imperative. The amount of radi- 

 ation that sea life and the human being consuming that sea life can safely tolerate 

 is a vital question and one which is under debate by our finest scientific minds ; 

 and there is definite doubt that those coming after us on this planet will not suffer 

 for our present-day actions. 



I personally shall carefully consider possible ill effects which might be suffered 

 from eating shrimp or fish should more and more dumping sites for radioactive 

 material be approved ; and I'm sure all thinking Americans will do the same. 

 Consequent drops in consumption would be disastrous to our entire fishing 

 industry. 



Thank you very much for your attention to these views. 

 Sincerely, 



Dante B. Fascell, 

 Member of Congress. 



Department of the Interior, 



Fish and Wildlife Service, 

 Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, 



Washington, D.C, July 28, 1959. 

 Hon. George P. Miller, 

 House of Representatives, 

 Washington, D.C. 



Dear Mr. Miller : At the hearings on July 14, 1959, you instructed me to read 

 the questioning by Congressmen Lennon and Casey at the AEC hearings on the 

 previous day and to prepare my comments in the form of a memorandum for 

 inclusion in the record. I have received transcripts of the record from Mr. 

 Drowry, and offer the following comments. 



It probably was unfortunate that the Committee of the National Academy of 

 Sciences did not prepare the way more carefully for public acceptance of Publi- 

 cation No. f'M.'^ by issuing a series of press releases prior to its release. The chief 

 source of complaint seems to have been their listing of specific sites for disposal. 

 By designating these sites by latitude and longitude and by stating water depths 

 and other characteristics, the report inadvertently gives the impression that these 

 locations were recommended, whereas it was clearly the intention of the Acad- 

 pmv's Committee merely to pick locations for further investigation. We suspect 

 '■""locations had not been given, there would have been less alarm. 

 • ...with the qualifications of the members of this committee, and 

 - the criteria stated were to be followed rigidly, no danger 

 s or humans would ensue. If there is any criticism to be 

 >rt, it would be that the importance of recreational uses of 



