492 



tiguous zone to the extent that such dumping may affect tlie tprritorial 

 sea or the territory of the United States. The bill would apply to all 

 Federal, State and foreign governmental organizations, employees and 

 agents, as well as to private ]3ersons and entities. The waters to which 

 the bill applies would include the Great Lakes. It would apply to all 

 kinds of matter including dredge spoil, solid waste, sewage sludge, 

 industrial wastes, radioactive materials, munitions, and chemical, bio- 

 logical and radiological warfare agents. 



The Administrator would be authorized to issue permits to dump 

 materials or to transport, them for dumping where in his judgment such 

 activity will not unreasonably degrade or endanger human health, 

 welfare or amenities, or tlie marine en^dronment, ecological systems or 

 economic potentialities. He would be required to establish criteria for 

 evaluating permit applications, taking into account the likely environ- 

 mental effects of the proposed dumping, as well as alternative locations 

 and methods of disposal and the impact on the public interest of 

 issuing or denying permits or of requiring such alternative disposal. 

 The Administrator would be authorized to impose restrictions relating 

 to the type and amount of materials to be dumped, and the time and 

 place of dumping. He would be authorized to limit, deny, alter, or 

 revoke permits where he jfinds that materials cannot be dumped con- 

 sistently with the criteria established for the issuance of permits. Civil 

 and criminal penalties of up to $50,000 per violation would be provided 

 for violations of the act or of any regulations or permit issued there- 

 under. The Attorney General would be authorized to bring actions 

 for equitable relief to redress such violations. Surveillance and 

 enforcement authority would be given to the Coast Guard. 



This legislation would provide a means of regulating the dumping 

 of material in the oceans so as to prevent or seriously limit the dump- 

 ing of material which could adversely affect human health or welfare 

 or the en^dronment. We urge its enactment. 



Mr. Chairman, that concludes my statement. I will be pleased to 

 answer any questions that the committee may have. 



Mr. DiNGELL,. General, thank you very much. 



Mr. Eogers? 



Mr. Rogers. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Gentlemen, thank you for these statements. 



Let me ask General Groves: Now I presume, you just announced, 

 I think, today, haven't you, a program for issuing permits? 



General Groves. A program for issuing industrial effluent permits 

 under the Refuse Act was announced April 7, sir. 



Mr. Rogers. UPI 



General Groves. Which is today, yes, sir. 



Mr. Rogers (continuing). Said you announced something else 

 today. 



General Groves. That is correct. 



Mr. Rogers. It is in the Federal Register today. 



General Groves. Yes. 



Mr. Rogers. Now who issues a permit to the Corps of Engineers, 

 when you do the dredging ? 



General Gro%^s. No one, sir. We issue it to ourselves, in effect. 



Mr. Rogers. Is that a good system, do you think ? 



