246 



Mr. Ramet. I would point out, Mr. Ohairman, if I might, just to 

 have a complete record here, that we have been working with inter- 

 departmental agencies and groups, including the Environmental Pro- 

 tection Agency, on the President's legislative proposal on the siting 

 of powerplamts, and in this context, the role of the States. As the tra- 

 ditional organization that worries about land use, and other aspects 

 of the siting of industrial facilities including powerplants, the States 

 could exercise a fairly large role if they chose. 



Mr. DiNGELL. Thank you. 



Mr. Pellt. I just want to recall the fact that we have had wit- 

 nesses before this committee from the Federal Power Commission. 

 Their ecological adviser was an engineer, formerly consultant to 

 private power companies, and he has no background as far as I could 

 tell as an expert in either radiation or thermal pollution, or anything 

 else as far as the environment is concerned, so I assume in that case, 

 you perform that function ; is that right ? 



Mr. Eamey. Well, the Federal Power Commission does not have 

 any jurisdiction over the licensing of nuclear powerplants. 



They have some authority over hydroelectric plants, and they also 

 regulate rates of plants from an economic standpoint in interstate 

 commerce, as I understand it. 



Mr. Pelly. All right. I feel better. 



Mr. Eamet. As I indicated, we have people technically trained on 

 our regulatory staff. 



We also, as I indicated, go to the expert agencies in the Federal and 

 State Governments for their advice, such as the Fish and Wildlife 

 Service, the Geological Survey, and we have worked with these and 

 other agencies for many years. 



Mr. DiNGELL. We must move rapidly along here. I want to give you 

 all of the time you need to respond to questions, and the Chair is try- 

 ing to give every member a full opportunity to ask questions. 



I hope that you will limit yourself, if you please, to the point of the 

 question, and also, if you please, as briefly as possible, so that the mem- 

 bers can get the questions that they desire to ask into the record. 



Mr. Downing. 



Mr. Downing. How do you dispose of atomic waste now ? 



Mr. Ramey. The high level waste is stored at the present time on an 

 interim basis, at Atomic Energy Commission sites. 



These wastes are in tanks at Hanford and Savannah River, and at 

 one commercial facility south of Buffalo, I^. Y. 



Low-level waste is buried in AEC or State-regulated land-based 

 disposal facilities. 



Mr. Downing. 'Wliat is done with it ? 



Are they still in containers somewhere ? 



Mr. Ramey. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Downing. So you have not really disposed of them ? 



Mr. Price. The low-level waste, Mr. Downing, of the kind that 

 used to be disposed of at sea is packaged and buried at land burial 

 sites, and those sites of course are monitored, but it is buried, covered 

 up. 



This is low-level waste, and as Mr. Ramey said, the high-level waste 

 is kept in tanks at Commission installations. 



