91 



The Department of the Army on behalf of the Department of Defense believes 

 that the Administration's bill, H.R. 4723, introduced by you on February 22, 

 1971, to the 92nd Congress, realistically and comprehensively provides for the 

 intent expressed in the proposed bills cited in the first paragraph, above, with 

 respect to preventing unregulate dumping of harmful substances into estuarine 



areas. ^ ^ ^ . -, 



This report has been coordinated within the Department of Defense m accord- 

 ance with procedures prescribed by the Secretary of Defense. 



The Office of Management and Budget advises that, from the standpoint of 

 the Administration's program, there is no objection to the presentation of this 

 report for the consideration of the Committee. 

 Sincerely, 



Stanley R. Resor, 

 Secretary of the Army. 



U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, 



Washington, D.C., April 26, 1971. 

 Hon. Edward A. Garmatz, 



Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, 

 House of Representatives. 



Dear Mr. Garmatz: The Atomic Energy Commission is pleased to reply to 

 your letter of February 19, 1971, requesting our views on H.R. 336 and H.R. 

 548, identical bills "[t]o require the Council on Environmental Quality to make 

 a full and complete investigation and study of national policy with respect to 

 the discharging of material into the oceans." 



These bills are identical to H.R. 18914, which was introduced in the 91st 

 Congress on August 11, 1970. At your request, our views on that bill were sub- 

 mitted for your Committee's consideration by letter dated October 30, 1970. 

 Consistent with the views we expressed at that time, we feel that the proposed 

 legislation is unnecessary. 



On October 7. 1970, the President made public the results of a study con- 

 ducted by the Council on Environmental Quality with respect to the discharge 

 of materials into the oceans. To implement the policy recommendations con- 

 tained in the Council's report, the Administration recently sent to Congress a 

 proposed bill which would provide for comprehensive regulation of the discharge 

 of materials into the oceans and coastal waters, as well as the Great Lakes. This 

 proposed legislation was introduced in the House on February 10, 1971, as 

 H.R. 4247. Accordingly, in view of these developments it is apparent that the 

 objectives of H.R. 336 and H.R. 548 have already been realized. 



The Office of Management and Budget has advised that there is no objection 

 to the presentation of this report from the standpoint of the Administration's 

 program. 



Cordially, 



Glenn T. Seiaborg, Chairman. 



H.R. 1661 and H.R. 5050. — These bills, which are identical, would impose a 

 specific prohibition on an owner or master of a vesisel, in r'egard to the loading of 

 any waste on a vessel, while it is in a United States port, if the material is to be 

 dimiped in territorial or international waters. An authorizing permit would 

 first have to be obtained from the Administrator of the Environment Protection 

 Agency ; such authorization would be based on the Administrator's determination 

 that the discharge would not damage the marine environment or human health 

 and welfare. The Administrator would be precluded from authorizing any dis- 

 charges of wastes between the Continental Shelf and the coast of the United 

 States. The owner or master of the vessel would al^o be required to notify the 

 Coast Guard of the exact location where the authorized dumping would be 

 effected. 



H.R. 3662 and H.R. 4359. — These similar bills would prohibit any person from 

 dumping waste material into the coastal or ocean waters of the United States, 

 including the Great Lakes and estuarine areas, without first obtaining a permit 

 from the Admini.«itrator of EPA. The Adminis^trator could issue the permit if he 

 determined that the discharge would not damage the ecology of the marine 



