500 



Admiral Crawford. Yes, sir. 



Mr. KoGERS. That's what General Hayes said on biological warfare 

 agents or munitions have never been disposed. 



Admiral Crawford. But not conventional munitions, is my point. 

 Those are the ones we are investigating alternatives at this time. 



Mr. EoGERS. Yes. I understand tliat category, but there is an 

 absolute prohibition against chemical munitions disposal at sea. Isn't 

 it? 



Admiral Crawford. Yes, sir. I just wanted to make sure that you 

 weren't including conventional munitions in that. 



Mr. Rogers. No. I understood this has been held up, but you know 

 final determination lias been made, whether you would come back to 

 ask that that be done. I presume that there would be an impact state- 

 ment filed if you decide. 



Admiral Crawford. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Rogers. Yes. Well, maybe you could go now to the question of 

 Jacksonville, where they dumped the acid into St. Johns. I under- 

 stood, when General Hayes testified before, I think, that they were 

 going to — the Navy was doing an investigation, and was going to 

 report and going to let us know. 



I have never seen that. Maybe you filed it with the committee, but I 

 don't recall it. 



Admiral Crawford. I think I can satisfy you very shortly. 



Mr. Rogers. Yes, all right. 



Admiral Crawford. A member of your staff had a conversation with 

 Rear Adm. Means Johnston, Chief of Legislative Affairs, on April 6, 

 and your continued concern on this matter was made known to the 

 Chief of Naval Operations, who has directed that this matter be fur- 

 ther investigated. We will expect to hear from that in-^^estigation 

 shortl3^ 



iir, Rogers. Yes. And you will advise us as soon as you get that 

 complete ? 



Admiral Crawford. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Rogers. Thank you. 



Now what about — you say biological warfare agents and munitions 

 have never been disposed of at sea. Could you give for the record how 

 this is done, General ? 



General Hayes. We can do that. It realh^ will be both plans for some 

 chemical demilitarization and biological disposal also, so it will be 

 actual as well as proposed. 



Mr. Rogers. Well, if you would differentiate, which is actual and 

 which is proposed? 



General Hayes. Yes. 



Mr. Rogers. And the extent of it, if you could. 



(The inform.ation follows:) 



Disposing of Biological Warfare Agents 



Biological warfare agents by virtue of their disease producing capability have 

 always been treated with the most rigid and absolnte controls known. Detoxifica- 

 tion and sterilization to render any such agents nonpathogenic have always 

 involved exposure of the organisms to extremely high temperatures, chemical 

 sterilization or both with subsequent test and retest to absolutely determine that 

 no live or virulent organisms remained. Following such an elaljorate procedure 

 the inert residue was either incinerated in pathological destruction facilities or 

 treated in other waste disposal installations. 



