241 



by the Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. It reportedly contained 

 radiiun dials and thorium oxide but was dumped back overboard before author- 

 ities could check it. Surveys of the vessel showed no evidence of contamination. 



12. September 196S. — The fishing trawler -'Resolve" picked up three drums 

 while trawling about 60 miles off Atlantic City. Two of the drums were returned 

 to the ocean by the "Resolve." A Coast Guard Cutter rendezvoused at sea with 

 the "Resolve" and monitored the third drum and found a maximum radiation 

 level of 0.7 milliroentgens per hour. The drum was returned to the ocean. The 

 drums appeared to have been in the area for several years and had started to 

 deteriorate so that it was not possible to identify them. A survey of the trawler 

 by the Virginia State Health Department upon return of the trawler to Hampton, 

 Virginia, revealed no contamination. 



13. July 1970. — The Coast Guard at Galveston, Texas, reported on July 30, 

 1970, to the Manned Spacecraft Center at Houston, Texas, that a shrimp boat 

 had retrieved a 55-gallon drum, which was labeled "Atomic Waste," from the 

 Gulf of Mexico on July 29, 1970, and had docked at Freeport, Texas, with the 

 drum aboard. Investigation was made by a Coast Guard monitoring team from 

 Freeport and the investigation revealed that the drum was labeled "Resin Paint 

 Thinner," bore no "Atomic Waste" wording or caution labels, and was not 

 radioactive. 



Mr. Rogers. Now, I would like to know sometliing about the rela- 

 tionship between the En^dronmental Protection Agency and the 

 Atomic Energy Commission. 



I notice now in all of these pollution matters, there is always a 

 little clause that nobody can tell the Atomic Energy Commission what 

 to do. 



Now, you have the final determination on what standards will be, 

 or does the Environmental Protection Agency ? 



Mr. Ramey. The Environmental Protection Agency establishes the 

 standards. 



Under Reorganizational Plan No. 3 of the Federal Radiation 

 Council, which had l3een responsible for establishing radiation stand- 

 ards, and its functions were transferred to the Environmental Pro- 

 tection Agency. The plan provided that EPA would exercise- the 

 standard setting, but that the Atomic Energy Commission would 

 continue to license, and to implement the standards that the Environ- 

 mental Protection Agency sets. This proposed legislation, concerning 

 ocean disposals provides that the Environmental Protection Agency 

 will provide the standards, and that the Atomic Energy Commission 

 consult with them before any type of radioactive waste disposal could 

 be made. 



Mr. Rogers. It says nothing in this act shall abrogate or negate any 

 existing responsibility or authority contained in the Atomic Energy 

 Act. 



What does that mean ? 



Mr. Rasiey. That means that the Atomic Energy Commission has 

 the licensing authority. 



Mr. Rogers. That is all ? 



Mr. Ramey. Essentially, I believe so, yes, sir : and then at the bot- 

 tom here, it provides, that : 



In issuing any such permit, the Atomic Energy Commissiion shall comply 

 with standards set by the Administrator respecting limits on radiation exposures 

 or levels, or concentrations or quantities of radioactive material. 



Just before that, it says : 



The Atomic Energy Commission shall considt with the Administrator prior to 

 issuing a permit to conduct any activity which would otherwise be regulated by 

 this act. 



