19 



Mr. Adams. I believe from where I sit right now that the prob- 

 lems of cost and yield may be simpler to work on the land than in 

 the ocean, and this is because I am looking at cost numbers in 

 terms of dollars per ton in freshwater, based on various studies 

 that in all these studies purport to be authoritative and we can get 

 100 different studies. 



Mr. Pritchard. We get a lot of those. 



Mr. Adams. Yes, sir; you can get numbers that look like $60 a 

 ton, $140 a ton, kinds of numbers in freshwater, and in the open 

 ocean I am seeing numbers that look like $170, $300, $500, $700 a 

 ton and I would have to say that 



Mr. Pritchard. If that is the case, land sources provide more 

 hope then, do they not? 



Mr. Adams. I have to say this, sir, with great qualifications, 

 because it is simply too early for me to make a forced choice like 

 that. 



If I made a choice like that, it would be — if I had to make a 

 choice like that, it would be under the direst of conditions right 

 now because I simply do not have the information to base a choice 

 on. This is simply the data that are before me. If I have to go and 

 had no way out of it in one direction or another right now, I think 

 I would probably try to go in the land direction. But I hope we do 

 not have to make that choice. 



I think what I would say is that our effort so far has been 

 heavier on the ocean side than it has been on the land side in 

 aquatic biomass in that we are examining, we are trying to get the 

 best handle we can on information to maybe conduct a more bal- 

 anced effort. That is not to say that we are overspending in the 

 ocean. Perhaps even the contrary. 



But what we do need to prosecute is a healthier based program 

 in order to achieve the balance. 



Mr. Pritchard. I think the gentleman from Maine would prob- 

 ably agree with you. 



Mr. Studds. Thank you, Mr. Pritchard. 



I am sure Mr. Emery will offer to deliver to you any kind of 

 seaweed for less than $700 a ton, if you would like. 



Mr. Forsythe? 



Mr. Forsythe. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am as bewildered as 

 both my colleagues. It just seems to me that when we have been 

 going through a period of energy source deficiency in this Nation it 

 is critical that we continue research designed to develop domestic 

 energy resources. 



Mr. Studds. Mr. Emery, I suspect, will have questions regarding 

 rockweed and Irish moss. Are you finished? 



Mr. Forsythe. No. 



Let me go to a question that is not directly in line with aquatic 

 biomass or ocean biomass conversion. You have referred to land- 

 based biomass conversion in many different ways this morning. I 

 cannot avoid trying to satisfy myself on an issue that Forbes maga- 

 zine pointed to grain alcohol as a negative biomass conversion 

 since the input in grain alcohol would actually be in excess of the 

 Btu available, principally because it is high level grain that is 

 needed as the stock to produce this alcohol. It seems to me that 



