106 



ARCTIC RESEARCH COMMISSION 



TESTIMONY 



before the House Research and Development Subcommittee and the House Fisheries, 

 Wildlife and Ocean Subcommittee 



Dr. Garrett W. Brass 

 Executive Director 



Chairman Weldon, Chairman Saxton, members of the Committees, the Arctic Research 

 Commission thanks you for this opportunity to discuss the important question of 

 contamination in the Arctic Ocean. The Arctic Research Commission was established 

 by the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 (PL 98-373 as amended by PL 101-609) 

 which also established the Interagency Arctic Research and Policy Committee (lARPC). 

 lARPC is composed of representatives of the twelve agencies with research and/or 

 policy interests in the Arctic. The lARPC agencies are responsible for the National 

 Arctic Research Plan and, with guidance from the Commission, lARPC conducts a 

 biennial revision of the plan. I have brought with me several copies of the 

 Commission's Biennial Statement entitled Goals and Priorities to Guide United States 

 Arctic Research (the Goals Report) and copies of volume 9 (Spring '95) of the journal 

 Arctic Research of the United States published by lARPC which contains the most 

 recent revision of the US Arctic Research Plan for the years 1 996-2000. 



I need not elaborate on testimony already given here on the extent of the threat of 

 contamination of the Arctic, especially by emissions from the Former Soviet Union 

 (FSU). Environmental concerns were of low priority in the FSU and many potential 

 contaminants are wide spread and either uncontained or only partially and insecurely 

 stored. The United States has been fortunate. The reactor accident at Chernobyl 

 occurred just a few short weeks after the annual dissipation of the stable Arctic Haze 

 layer which would have trapped airborne contaminants near the surface and would 

 probably have transported substantial amounts of radioactive byproducts of the 

 accident to the United States. Similarly, the Komi oil spill occurred during winter when 

 the rivers and streams were frozen and temperatures so low that the oil did not flow 

 easily. A summertime spill, particularly in one of the oil fields of closer to the sea and/or 

 near a larger and unfrozen river would probably not have been contained (much less 

 cleaned up) and serious pollution of the Arctic Ocean and transport to our shores would 

 probably have been the result. We have been lucky - very lucky - twice. 



On page 21 of the Commission's Goals Report the Commission "recommends that the 

 lARPC Arctic Contaminants Initiative be fully funded." On pages 12-18 of the US Arctic 

 Research Plan. lARPC describes the Arctic Contamination Research and Assessment 

 Program. The publication of the Plan was approved by the office of the President. I 



4350 NORTH FAIRFAX DRIVE, SUPTE 630, ARUNGTON, VIRGINIA 22203 

 703-525-01 11 _ . FAX 703-525-01 1 4 



