490 



MUNITIONS DISPOSAL 



Each year the Navy must dispose of a significant amount of Conven- 

 tional ammunition that becomes unserviceable, unsafe, or obsolete. In 

 recent years we have accomplished this through a number of means 

 which have included demilitarization (that is, by taking the ammuni- 

 tion apart) , by controlled burning, by exploding, and by ocean dump- 

 ing. 



For many years, the Navy has used deepwater dumping extensively 

 for ammunition disposal and we have experienced no major safety 

 problems with this method. Since 196i, 19 deepwater dump operations 

 have taken place in which shiploads of ammunition were scuttled. As 

 I mentioned, in February we suspended all deepwater dumpuig of 

 ammunition. While the present evidence indicates that the environ- 

 mental impact of deepwater dumping is minimal, some enidronmental 

 questions remain unanswered. Consequently, plans for ocean dumping 

 have been postponed while a reassessment of all alternative methods 

 of disposal is carried out. 



The Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Eesearch and Development 

 has established a select high level working group from the Navy labora- 

 tories and systems commands to examine the disposal problem and to 

 develop a plan which will minimize or, hopefully, eliminate the need 

 for ocean dumping. This is being done in consultation with the Army 

 and the Air Force. In addition, the Navy is investigating the redesign 

 of ammunition with the objective of easier, safer demilitarization. 



NAVY CONTRACTOR OPERATIONS 



There are few requirements for the Navy or Navy contractors to 

 dispose of Navy generated materials into the ocean. 



Perhaps the most significant situation would involve the disposal, 

 at sea, of dredge material resulting from maintenance dredging of 

 naval port facilities to insure adequate draft for ships. These dredging 

 operations are now conducted under the direction and approval of the 

 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 



Under the proposed bill, a permit issued by the Environmental Pro- 

 tection Agency would be required for the regulated disposal of Navy 

 dredgings, whether performed by Navy in-house capability or by 

 civilian contractor. Certainly, all such disposal will be performed in 

 accordance with the standards and criteria to be developed by the En- 

 vironmental Protection Agency. In any event, obtaining an EPA per- 

 mit for the relatively small amount of dredging in Navy ports should 

 not impose a hardship on the Navy or on Navy contractors. 



CONCLUSION 



It is the Navy's contention that an ocean dumping act should pro- 

 vide a rational means of controlling ocean dumping which is based on 

 the effect of the material to be dumped on the ocean environment- — 

 present and future — as well as the effect of alternative means of dis- 

 posal of the materials on man's environment. In other words, discus- 

 sion of legislation regarding regulating ocean dumping should include 

 consideration for man's total environment, not only the ocean en- 



