310 



for the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, that it would be 

 referred to our Department, and consequently, that Bureau, for 

 evaluation. 



Mr. Everett. Well, I have mixed emotions with respect to giving 

 this authority to EPA, and then allow EPA the authority to transfer 

 the responsibility to other agencies. I don't know whether this is good 

 or bad. I would like to have your comments on that idea. 



Mr. LoEscH. Well, of course all through the Government, there is 

 a substantial amount of cooperation, and many times, you would pre- 

 vent by such a delegation the necessity of duplicating a staff, for 

 instance. 



And I think perhaps it might be appropriate, in the interests of 

 the taxpayers' dollar, to occasionally delegate responsibility back to 

 an agency with special expertise in a particular field, rather than 

 gearing up to handle the entire matter in the initiating agency. 



And it may be that that is what is in mind here. 



For instance, I think one illustration within my own shop in this 

 regard, we have a rather substantial fire protection program, in the 

 Bureau of Indian Affairs, but we delegate that entirely to the Bureau 

 of Land Management and the Forest Service, under their Inter- 

 bureau Fire-Fighting Agency, on a reimbursement basis. They do the 

 work, and research, and fight the fires, and we pay them back for it. 



Mr. Everett. Well, one section of the bill exempts the AEC from 

 the provisions of this act, and there is some consideration of eliminat- 

 ing that provision, or to modifying it considerably so when it comes to 

 a disposal of high radioactive waste, the Environmental Protection 

 Agency would have the authority under the legislation to transfer 

 this responsibility back to the AEC, which in effect would allow the 

 AEC to dispose of its own waste. 



And this is the part under the authority that gives me concern. 



Mr. LoESCH. Yes, I see why you have that concern, all right, and 

 I may say I heard some of the testimony this morning. But frankly, 

 on that, I am just not knowledgeable enough on that aspect of the 

 matter to make any cogent comment. 



Certainly I think we should all be concerned with the disposition 

 of atomic wastes. What is the best way to have that concern paid 

 attention to and proper steps taken, I don't know. 



Mr. Everett. Mr. Chairman, that's all the questions I have, thank 

 you. 



Mr. DiNGELL. Mr. Loesch, it isn't often we have the privilege of 

 your being here; can you answer me a question on another matter? 



I am very much distressed about the slowness in which Interior is 

 reconstituting the vacancies that exist down there. Can you tell us 

 when a director for the Fish and Wildlife Service is going to be 

 appointed, and when the other vacancies down there are goine: to be 

 filled? "^ ^ 



I must tell you, I am very much distressed about this. I have not 

 had a chance to complain lately to the Secretary of Interior, but now 

 that I have got you here, I might as well let you know of my distress 

 in this matter, and hope that those positions will be filled at an early 

 time. I am sure you are aware of the fact you have a major morale 

 problem inside that agency, by reason of the failure to fill these 

 positions. 



