141 



nitude. In the past, we have failed to recognize problems and to take corrective 

 action before they became serious. The resulting signs of environmental degrada- 

 tion are all around us, and remedial actions heavily tax our resources. This is 

 clearly the time for a conscious national decision to ontrol ocean dumping. 



I am delighted that these committees which are presently here today 

 have that challenge, have that opportunity, and I am confident that 

 they will take the necessary action to close the gaps at least legisla- 

 tively. 



Thank you very much. 



Mr. Lennoist. Thank you very much. Congressman. 



Now we would like to make the same request of you, sir, if you would 

 submit for the consideration of the committee and the counsel of the 

 committee the specific amendments to the so-called administration 

 bill that would accomplish the purpose you seek. 



Mr. Fascell. Be very happy to do that, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Lennon. Now our next witness is a very distinguished Member 

 of our body in Congress who served on both sides of the Capitol. We 

 are delighted to have you, Senator Pepper, or Congressman Pepper, 

 whichever you prefer. The gentlemen is again from Florida. 



Mr. KoGERS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



I want to welcome to the committee again another colleague from 

 Florida who has been vitally interested in this question. You can see, 

 because of the location of our State and the problems we have, I think 

 that is one reason that so much interest is centered in Florida. So I 

 join in welcoming Congressman Pepper. 



STATEMENT OE HON. CLAUDE PEPPER, A REPRESENTATIVE IN 

 CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF nORIDA 



Mr. Pepper. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman and members 

 of the committee. I particularly thank my distinguished colleague from 

 Florida for his kind words. 



My remarks will be brief. I appear here in support of H.K. 808 

 which I am one of the cointroducers of and which I think means a 

 great deal to our State as it does to many other parts of the country. 



I have not heard any technical definition of it but I know we have 

 one. If you take in all of the indentations of our coast, I suppose that 

 we have probably the longest water coastline in the United States. 



Would you not think that might be true, Mr. Rogers ? Or one of the 

 longest at least. 



I think the definition of this bill which defines oceans, coastal and 

 other waters would include oceans, gulfs, bays, salt-water lagoons, salt- 

 water harbors, other coastal waters where the tide ebbs and flows, the 

 Great Lakes and so on is a very appropriate description to which this 

 proposed legislation should apply basically. 



Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, what is proposed in 

 this legislation is that anybody who puts anything of a deleterious 

 character or may be proved to be polluting in its confluence into one 

 of these waterways as so defined shall be required before he is au- 

 thorized to do so to get the approval of the appropriate agency which 

 in this case is the administration of the Environmental Protection 

 Agency acting through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services and in 

 consultation with the Army Chief of Engineers. 



