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Considerable investment by the Department of Energy was made 

 approximately a decade ago to evaluate the possibility of using the 

 abyssal plain for emplacement of high-level radioactive waste, 

 "ncertainties associated with an inability to control the placement 

 and transport of the material have, thus far, argued for disposal 

 under more manageable circumstances. Unfortunately, the deep sea 

 is a habitat that is particularly difficult to access; thus, once 

 wastes have been planted there, future remediation is near 

 impossible from a logistic or financial standpoint. It is possible 

 that risks associated with land or near-shore disposal of some 

 materials may become so great that the equivalent of a landfill on 

 the abyssal plain will eventually be needed. In any case, because 

 there are unmeasured effects of global increases in pollutant 

 concentrations in deep-sea sediments, it would be prudent to learn 

 about life on the abyssal plain and to investigate the transport, 

 fate and effects of pollutants. I encourage you to continue to 

 support research on deep-ocean processes and congratulate Mr. 

 Saxton and his Subcommittee on their continuing efforts to improve 

 the knowledge base for developing environmental policy. I would 

 also like to thank Mr. Saxton, Mr. Weldon, Mr. Pallone and other 

 members of the subcommittees for their continuing and strong 

 support of ocean programs. I will be pleased to address any 

 questions you may have at this time. Thank you. 



