334 



the observaitions. The various main sources of pollution — i.e. rivers, atmosphere 

 and direct discharges iat sea — will cerltainly influence the design of proper 

 monitoring systems for pollution of the coastal zone. 



Mr. DiNGELL. Mr. Everett ? 



Mr. Everett. Doctor, with respect to identifying areas where the 

 dumping could take place safely, do you have an opinion as to how 

 long it would take EPA to make a study to identify these areas ? 



Dr. Ketchum. This is a question of identifying areas where dump- 

 ing could be safely carried on ? 



Mr. Everett. Yes, sir. 



Dr. Ketchtitm. With the qvialification that this will be different 

 areas for different types of material I think that the characteristics 

 of the Atlantic shelf waters at any rate are already pretty well known. 



The geological characteristics of the bottom have been studied over 

 a period of 10 years in a joint program between Woods Hole and the 

 U.S. Geological Survey and they have a vast fund of information on 

 this type of thing. 



In the specific case one would probably have to have a minimum of 

 a few months predumping study and then a periodic reevaluation 

 of the site after the dumping had occurred to detect any progressive 

 changes in the course of time. 



Mr. DiNGELL. Are you referring to essentially a monitoring 

 program ? 



Dr. Ketciium. Yes. 



ISIr. DiNGELL. Monitoring and assessment. 



Dr. Ketchum. And assessment of the effects. 



Mr. Everett. That brings me to another question. 



With respect to the monitoring, I also wanted to question you on 

 this. There is no provision in the bill that provides for monitoring. 

 What department or agency do you think should carry out the monitor- 

 ing if such a provision were put in the bill? Should it be the Coast 

 Guard, NOAA, or should it be EPA ? 



Dr. Ketchum. I debated including a statement on monitoring and 

 enforcement and decided that this was not my area of competence. 

 I found myself vacillating between the Coast Guard and NOAA and 

 EPA as to which would be the appropriate agency. 



I really could not reach a firm conclusion. 



Mr. Everett. Those are all the questions I have, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr, DiisTGEH. Dr. Ketchum, you stated at page 4, at the bottom of 

 your statement : 



I urge the committee to consider including specific instructions to the Adminis- 

 trator when damaging effects of disposal operations are already known. Some 

 operations should be prohibited, others should be phased out as rapidly as 

 alternative methods of disposal can be developed. 



Would you like to give this committee your assistance with regard 

 to those two sentences ? 



First of all what specific instructions do you believe should be di- 

 rected toward the administration of EPA. I think that would be of 

 use. I am not asking you to give us your answer now. Perhaps you 

 want to give it to us after more deliberate thought. 



Then secondly, you have indicated some operations should be pro- 

 hibited, others should be phased out as soon as alternative methods 

 of disposal can be developed. 



