fee-for-service basis, to process low-level radioactive waste from their active and 

 decommissioned nuclear submarines. Storage facilities for this waste are reported to be 95% 

 full at the present time. The Government of Russia has plans to further expand the facility to 

 15,000 cubic meters, in anticipation of accelerating the decommissioning process. 



Summary 



Thank you for allowing me to appear today to discuss DoD's environmental security 

 goals, criteria and activities in the Arctic. I would like to conclude with two thoughts. First, 

 the Department of Defense views protection of the Arctic environment as critical to national 

 security. Although studies indicate that radioactive waste dumped in the Arctic seas does not 

 pose a significant health risk today, some continued monitoring is appropriate. We must be 

 equally conscious of the enduring effects of heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants and 

 other military-generated toxins which have received less public attention. 



Second, we must focus must be on promoting positive change in the Russian military's 

 environmental management. DoD's role is to engage the Russian military on environmental 

 management. Other U.S. agencies with differing missions and authorities can make 

 contributions to creating institutional and legal infrastructure, business development, and 

 public-private dialogue on environmental management. As each of these developments 

 strengthens democracy, each contributes to national security. Thus in the field of 

 environmental security, partnership between agencies and countries is a necessary component 

 to promoting responsible environmental stewardship. 



Thank you again for the opportunity to provide the Department's perspective on this 

 issue. 



-- End -- 



