489 



Mr. Cliairman, this concludes my testimony on behalf of the Depart- 

 ment of Defense. If there are questions related to the environmental 

 aspects of the Department of Defense program, I would be pleased to 

 answer them. Should you have questions concerning the operational 

 aspects of the legislation, the military department witnesses to follow 

 will be pleased to answer those questions. 



Mr. DiNGEKL. General, the committee thanks jou for a very helpful 

 statement. 



Which of your associates would you like to follow ? 



General Hayes. Admiral Crawford. 



Mr. DiNGELL. Admiral ? 



Admiral Crawfoed. I will follow, Mr. Chairman. 



I am happy to have the opportunity to appear before this connnittee 

 to present the Navy's views on the proposed Marine Protection Act 

 of 1971. 



At the outset I want to point out, to the committee, the overall con- 

 cern the Navy has in regard to all of the environmental aspects of our 

 operations. The need to improve and enhance the quality of life in all 

 of its forms is receiving a great deal of attention within the Navy — 

 from the Secretary's office down through the commands to the local 

 activities. 



We are making every effort to cooperate with the President's Council 

 of Environmental Quality, the Environmental Protection Agency and 

 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Also, our pol- 

 lution abatement programs and projects are prepared to meet evolving 

 local. State and Federal standards and regulations. 



When it comes to the environment, the Navy is confronted with a 

 many-faceted problem. Our efforts to date in such areas as smoke elimi- 

 nation at powerplants, incinerators and firefighting schools, our pro- 

 gram to convert ships to cleaner burning distillate fuel together with 

 the expanded effort in the construction of sewage and industrial waste 

 treatment plants are positive examples of our desire to seek a cleaner 

 and more healthful environment. We are hard at work on developing 

 acceptable methods to handle sewage, trash, garbage, oil, and other 

 wastes from our ships. Smoke and noise abatement from our planes 

 are also areas that we are concentrating on. These problems are receiv- 

 ing appropriate priority within the Navy and we are increasing our 

 effort to develop the technology and the equipment required to do the 

 job. 



In recent months. Secretary Chafee has taken a number of initia- 

 tives with regard to ocean dumping. In December 1970, the Secretary 

 prohibited the transporting and dumping, at sea, of wastes generated 

 in-port, or ashore, such as trash, refuse, oily wastes, and industrial 

 sludges. In February of this year. Secretary Laird approved Secre- 

 tary Chafee's proposal to suspend the deepwater dumping of obsolete 

 and unserviceable conventional ammunition until the Navy is able to 

 determine the precise environmental effects of these dunips, as well 

 as possible environmentally acceptably alternative methods of dispo- 

 sal. The deepwater disposal of chemical and biological munitions has 

 been specifically prohibited by Secretary Laird. 



We have been asked, by your committee's counsel, to focus in our 

 statements today, on several areas of the ocean dumping question that 

 are of particular interest to members of your committee. 



62-513 — 71 32 



