24S 



sultation with, and subject to arrangements and regulations that they 

 have with the Environmental Protection Agency, the States are the 

 appropriate group. 



Mr. Rogers. You mean the Environmental Protection Agency now 

 sets the standards ? 



Mr. Ramey. Yes, sir. They have to approve the State standards. 



Mr. Rogers. Do you advise the Environmental Protection Agency on 

 the standards? 



Mr. Ramet. Only in the sense that we do have authority to conduct 

 research and development. 



Mr. Rogers. I thought you said they would consult with you. 



Mr. Ramet. Under this proposed bill, 



Mr. Rogers. They do not presently ? 



Mr. Ramey. No, sir. 



Mr. Rogers. They do not presently consult with you as to what the 

 standards should be ? 



Mr. Ramey, We discuss in a more general sense the results of our 

 research and development, 



Mr, Rogers, But not standards specifically ? 



Mr, RameY. It is fairly early at this stage, they have only been in 

 existence for less than a year, and we are 



Mr, Rogers, We have had the Wat-er Pollution Control Agency for 

 some time, the quality of standards of water, but you have not con- 

 sulted that ? 



Mr, Ramey. Not as to speciiic standards. 



Mr. Rogers. That is shocking. I am surprised. 



Thank you. 



Mr, DiNGELL, Mr, McCloskey, 



Mr, McCloskey, Thank you, Mr, Chairman. 



Mr. Commissioner, as I understand your testimony, within 6 months 

 you expect to phase out all ocean dumping of radioactive materials ? 



Mr. Ramey. Yes, 



]Mr, ]\IcCloskey, If that is true, and this act does not become effective 

 for 6 months, under section 12, why is there any need in the act for 

 section 7(b) ? 



Since you are going to do it in 6 months anyway, why not allow 

 this act to absolutely prohibit any waste disposal of radioactive waste 

 in the ocean ? 



Mr. Ramey, I think the only possible future use is, as far as it was 

 brought out in the CEQ report on ocean dimiping, I think it is on page 

 27, in which they recommended that the door sort of be left open on a 

 benefit risk basis. 



For example 



Mr. McCloskeY. Let me refer you to Chairman Train's testimony. 

 He said ocean dumping of other radioactive waste should be prohibited. 



That was as I understand the administration's testimony. He says 

 it should be prohibited. 



Do you have any objection to that ? 



Mr. Ramey. I think there v\'as a sentence before that. 



Mr. McCloskey. It says that low-level liquid discharge to the ocean 

 from vessels and land-based nuclear facilities are and should continue 

 to be controlled by Federal regulations and international standards. 



Do you have any objection to this bill prohibiting ocean dumping 

 of radioactive solid wastes, yes or no ? 



