ERDA National Laboratories and through contract support of work 

 by others. Solutions to pollutant transfer problems within the 

 coastal zone are sought through a multidisciplinary approach in 

 which specific energy-related pollutants are traced from source, 

 through transport, to uptake. The findings of this work are used in 

 the development of broad ecological models. Priority is being given 

 to establishing environmental norms of sea states, currents, biology, 

 and existing water chemistry — all essential to developing pollution 

 control and powerplant siting regulations applicable in specific 

 offshore areas. 



Examples of marine baseline studies being conducted and 

 supported by ERDA National Laboratories include 



(1) Argonne National Laboratory— dispersion and biologic effects 

 of thermal plumes from power reactors 



(2) Brookhaven National Laboratory — transport and dispersion of 

 pollutants along the coastal boundary layer, and nutrient regenera- 

 tion and its impact on productivity in waters of the northeast 

 continental shelf 



(3) Lawrence Livermore Laboratory — uptake, retention, and 

 effects of trace elements and radionuclides in coastal marine 

 organisms 



(4) Pacific Northwest Laboratory— effects of powerplant effluent 

 on coastal ecosystems, and source term characterization for all 

 energy operations 



(5) Savannah River Laboratory— dispersion of radionuclides and 

 other pollutants across the southeastern continental shelf 



ERDA currently plans intensification of its biogeochemical 

 studies and broadening of their geographic scope. The program 

 contributes to nuclear reactor safety programs for offshore floating 

 powerplants and to the environmental review responsibilities of the 

 Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Much of the detailed 

 information being acquired also has general application to other 

 offshore energy-related environmental studies. 



Most proposed sites for offshore nuclear powerplants lie within 

 territorial waters under the jurisdiction of State regulatory agencies. 

 State planning for leasing offshore sites and the administration of 

 powerplant operations are among the purposes of grants to the 

 States administered by NOAA's OCZM. To aid in this planning, 

 NOAA's Office of Sea Grant is supporting studies of powerplant 

 siting and related research. For example, in a continuing mul- 

 tidisciplinary study conducted by the State University of New York 

 with Sea Grant support, university teams are evaluating many 

 aspects of the siting problem, including potential economic and 

 environmental impacts of the offshore powerplants, the effec- 



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