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STATEMENT OF HON. ALCEE HASTINGS, A U.S. REPRESENTATIVE 



FROM FLORIDA 



Mr. Hastings. Following what you have said, it is important that 

 the Federal Government prevent pollution from invading our 

 oceans and shores. While it appears that cruise ships are primary 

 violators of the pollution prevention program outlined in 

 MARPOL, I am concerned that general boating may very well 

 produce problems as well, and we need to look at that. And it is 

 our role to ensure greater enforcement of waste control. 



There is a tremendous need for clean beaches along the shores of 

 America and the smaller islands, and, therefore, this hearing 

 should focus on keeping our oceans and shores free from further 

 contamination. I applaud the past efforts of the Coast Guard and 

 hope that their future efforts will provide a greater level of en- 

 forcement to safeguard widespread abuse of the marine environ- 

 ment, and I welcome you all here, and I thank you for holding this 

 hearing, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Tauzin. Thank you, Alcee. Any other opening statements? 



STATEMENT OF HON. MICHAEL CASTLE, A U.S. REPRESENTATIVE 



FROM DELAWARE 



Mr. Castle. Mr. Chairman, if I may just very briefly, I first of all 

 agree and associate with the comments that you and the ranking 

 member and Mr. Hastings have made. I think this is a tremendous 

 problem in the United States. I am from Delaware and where you 

 have the configuration of the Delaware River and Bay going out to 

 the ocean, and we see a number of ships, not generally cruise ships, 

 but a number of ships which come in there. And I have had the 

 pleasure of touring our 30 miles of ocean beaches and seeing a tre- 

 mendous amount of debris, most of which, I suspect, comes from 

 the shore, goes out, and washes back up, if I had to guess. But I 

 don't know what does come from all those ships that I see on the 

 horizon just constantly coming into our particular area. If you get 

 into the cruise areas, it is perhaps even greater. 



I think we do need to reduce the materials being brought onto 

 the ships such as plastics. I also believe that we need to have the 

 best onshore disposal we can so that those who have boats and 

 ships understand that they can rid themselves of whatever they 

 have collected rather rapidly, and I believe that this is a wide envi- 

 ronmental issue beyond just that of the wildlife aspect of it. And in 

 my view, I know of no reason why we shouldn't, with the exception 

 of those things that may be totally disposable, be able to eliminate 

 this problem altogether. That should be our goal, in my view. 



Mr. Tauzin. The Chair thanks the gentleman from Delaware, 

 Mr. Castle. Any other opening statements? 



Mr. Hughes. Mr. Chairman? 



Mr. Tauzin. Mr. Hughes. 



Mr. Hughes. Mr. Chairman, I would like to submit a written 

 statement 



Mr. Tauzin. Without objection. 



Mr. Hughes [continuing], and congratulate you on the hearing 

 and look forward to the testimony. 



Mr. Tauzin. Thank you, Mr. Hughes. 



