62 EFFECTIVENESS OF THE COMMITTEE ON OCEANOGRAPHY 



The Fish and Wildlife Service has maintained close technical and administra- 

 tive relationship with the U.S. Public Health Service for many years. The two 

 agencies have conducted cooperative research on many occasions and in several 

 instances the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries has provided laboratory space for 

 projects of the Public Health Service. The frequent contacts and free exchange 

 of information has been extremely helpful to both agencies. 



During the planning for the Public Health Service Shellfish Sanitation Research 

 Centers, representatives of the Public Health Service consulted with the Bureau 

 of Commercial Fisheries in an attempt to consolidate facilities to a mutual 

 advantage. In fact, the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries offered the use of land 

 at several of its laboratories. 



One of the criteria established by Public Health Service for selecting a location 

 was a supply of uncontaminated sea water. Waters in the vicinity of several 

 Bureau of Commercial Fisheries laboratories, including that at Milford, Conn., 

 are moderately contaminated by domestic sewage. The low level of contamina- 

 tion does not adversely affect biological research programs conducted by Bureau 

 of Commercial Fisheries at these locations, but must make these waters unsatis- 

 factory for sanitation research of the Public Health Service. 



We have also considered the possibility of combining facilities proposed for the 

 new Milford laboratory with those which the Public Health Service is planning 

 to construct at Kingston, R.I. We have many years of experience at Milford, 

 and know that the water conditions there are favorable for the culture of oyster 

 and clam larvae. We do not know whether the sea water at Kingston, R.I., is 

 equally satisfactory. Therefore, we would be taking a certain risk in the con- 

 struction of a large facility for rearing shellfish in a new location. 



We are conducting several other shellfish research projects at the Milford 

 laboratory, in close connection with the oyster industry of Long Island Sound. 

 It would be impractical to relocate all functions of our present laboratory in 

 Rhode Island because of the distance from Long Island Sound. If, on the other 

 hand, we continued some of our operations at Milford and established the new 

 shellfish hatchery-laboratory in Rhode Island, the coordination of the two oper- 

 ations would require extensive travel back and forth which would be generally 

 undesirable as well as expensive. 



In conclusion, we are convinced that expansion of research facilities at Milford 

 in accordance with Public Law 87-173, will best suit the research purposes of the 

 Bureau of Commercial Fisheries. 

 Sincerely yours, 



(Signed) Stewart, 



Stewart L. Udall, 

 Secretary of the Interior. 



The Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, 



Washington, February 8, 1962. 

 Hon. John D. Dingell, 

 House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 



Dear Mr. Dingell: Thank you for sending me an informational copy of your 

 letter to President Kennedy on the establishment of Public Health Service Shell- 

 fish Research Centers in Alabama and Rhode Island. 



The White House has requested our comments and those of the Department of 

 the Interior preparatory to preparing a reply to your letter. 

 I am sure that you will be hearing from them soon. 

 Sincerely, 



Abraham Ribicoff, Secretary. 



The White House, 

 Washington, January 29, 1962. 

 Hon. John D. Dingell, 

 House of Representatives , Washington, D.C. 



Dear Congressman: The President has asked me to reply to your letter of 

 January 19 concerning shellfish laboratory facilities. 



The questions you raise with respect to the relationship of the Department of 

 Health, Education, and Welfare shellfish research facilities to those of the Depart- 

 ment of the Interior certainly merit serious inquiry and the Director of the Bureau 



