478 



Please understand that A^'e have no disagreement whatsoever with 

 the major thrust of the bill, but that we believe that it might very 

 well, and should, exclude from its coverage the deposit of dredging 

 spoil in waters to which State or Federal-State water quality standards 

 apply. 



This doesn't mean offshore waters. This is not ocean waters. There 

 are no State or Federal-State water quality standards applicable 

 there. We are referring to disposal in waters which come under the 

 jurisdiction of the State, if they have issued water quality standards, 

 and of course, if they have not, why, then, the EPA has the authority 

 to issue water quality standards. 



So perhaps I have been unduly roundabout, but as an answer to your 

 question, we would deplore the addition of anotlier step in the process 

 of obtaining a permit, after the applicant has complied with the re- 

 quirements of the water quality standards of his State, and has com- 

 plied with the requirements of the Corps of Engineers, as their new 

 criteria have been established, since the passage of the acts of Janu- 

 ary 1 and last April, which have made the Corps of Engineers very 

 much m.ore sensitive to environmental and ecological standards. 



Mr. DiNGELL. Thank you very much, sir. 



Mr. Everett. 



Mr. Everett. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. No questions. 



Mr. DiNGELL. Mr. Rogers ? 



Mr. Rogers. I have no questions, Mr. Chairman. Thank you very 

 much. 



Mr. DiNGELL. Mr. Douglas, the committee is grnteful to you for your 

 presence and for your very helpful statement. It is a pleasure indeed 

 to have you with us and we appreciate it verj^ much. 



Mr. Douglas. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. DiNGELL. Our next witness is Mr. James Wakelin. Assistant 

 Secretary for Science and Technology of the Department of Commerce, 

 accompanied by an old friend, Mr. Howard Pollock, Deputy Admin- 

 istrator of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 



Gentlemen, we are happy to welcome you both to the committee for 

 such statements as you choose to give, and if you will see to it that 

 the other gentlemen at the table with you are identified for the record, 

 we will be more than happy to recognize you for such statements as 

 you may wish to give. 



You may proceed. 



STATEMENT OE JAMES H. WAKELUT, JR., ASSISTANT SECRETARY 

 FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, ACCOMPANIED BY HOWARD 

 POLLOCK, DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR NATIONAL OCEANIC 

 AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION AND JAMES BRENNAN, 

 ACTING ASSISTANT GENERAL COUNSEL, DEPARTMENT OE 

 COMMERCE 



Mr. Wakelin. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Before I engage in the statement, with your permission I would 

 like to again reintroduce an old colleague of ours. Dr. Howard Pollock, 

 who is my associate in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin- 



