212 



Therefore on opening day of this session of Congress, I introduced 

 H.R. 1661 (H.R. 5049 and 5050 for cosponsors), a bill to regulate and 

 eventually eliminate indiscriminate ocean dumping. 



The premise of this legislation is simply that the oceans and other 

 waters are not the proper places to dispose of man's wastes : human, 

 industrial or any other kind. Our marine resources are too valuable as a 

 source of food and other natural resources and valuable as a source of 

 recreation to spoil. 



Therefore, my intention and hope is that this committee and Con- 

 gress will, through imequivocal legislation, declare the oceans uncon- 

 ditionally off limits as dumping grounds. 



jSTow I realize, Mr. Chairman, that ocean dumping has been going 

 on for some time and that elimination of this practice in some cases 

 cannot be expected to happen overnight. But this must not divert 

 our attention from the real need : to phase out ocean dumping alto- 

 gether. 



I had the privilege of testifying before the U.S. Senate Public Works 

 Committee hearing on ocean pollution on March 26 at Rehoboth Beach, 

 Del. I spoke, I listened to and I later read the remarks of all who at- 

 tended the hearings, conducted b}" the Subcommittee on Air and Water 

 Pollution. I was the only Member of the House present. 



Also, I personally initiated the two, already historic and precedent 

 setting the U.S. district court cases on ocean dumping of industrial 

 wastes. The research and legal strategy and negotiations on these cases 

 was most extensive. 



I mention these items of background, Mr. Chairman, not so much 

 to establish my credentials, but rather to spare the distinguished mem- 

 bers of these subcommittees a lengthj^ blow-by-blow account of events 

 upon which I base the recommendations I will make to you here today. 

 I am prepared to justify any of these points to you in detail. 



There are eight points I want to bring to your attention briefly. 



( 1 ) There is no excuse for dumping wastes of any kind in the oceans. 

 I am not impressed with any of the arguments advanced by those who 

 try to defend or justify ocean dumping and I've heard them all. Other 

 than the fact that the oceans contain vast amounts of water in which 

 some materials can be diluted easier and perhaps cheaper than on land, 

 ocean dumping exists for only one reason, best identified with the 

 cliche : "Out of sight, out of mind." Ocean polluters operate with the 

 very same intent as housewives who sweep dirt under the carpet. 



(2) Safe and economical land-based waste disposal sites and facili- 

 ties can be developed. The technology now exists and given a con- 

 gressional ultimatum to cease ocean dumping, the creative genius of 

 American enterprise will develop new, possibly cheaper and more ef- 

 fective methods of disposing of wastes on land. 



In this comiection, I do want to note in all fairness that waste dis- 

 posal site selection and acquisition is a serious problem. Nobody, as 

 the old saying goes, wants to live next to a dump. As a result of this, 

 local zoning laws and sanitar}^ landfill and other disposal site licens- 

 ing requirements in most communities of the Nation tend to "freeze 

 Out'' disposal facilities. It is possible there is a need for Federal 

 legislation to cope with this very real problem. 



As further testimony that ocean dumping is not necessary, I point 

 with pride at the fact that the city of Bridget on — the only municipal- 



