90 



Answer. NOAA's role in conducting research on the effects of ocean dumping of 

 dredge material and sewage sludge is to carry out programs of research on fate and 

 effects, conduct environmental assessment studies, and develop and implement mon- 

 itoring strategies. These studies and activities are responsive to the known concerns 

 and interests of EPA and the Corps. Current needs include alternative disposal 

 methods for dredged material, such as "capping", and assessing procedural methods, 

 such as bioassays. Recently, a special EPA/Corps/NOAA task force was established 

 to consider the current controversy affecting dredging in New York Harbor. The 

 task force is determining criteria for selection of test organisms, sediments to be 

 tested, pollutants to be screened (in addition to PCBs) and bioassay procedures, in 

 the New York Bight. 



Research planned in connection with dredged material and sewage sludge disposal 

 in fiscal years 1980 and 1981 addresses the priorities set forth in the Federal Plan. 

 These studies will include experimental dumps in the dredge site in the New York 

 Bight in conjunction with the Corps of Engineers and studies in dredged spoil 

 disposal sites in the Gulf of Mexico and Chesapeake Bay. Operational monitoring of 

 the sewage sludge site in New York Harbor will be initiated this spring and will 

 continue for a period of years. In addition, monitoring of the sewage sludge dump- 

 site by the City of Philadelphia is planned to ascertain residual effects and recovery 

 factors. 



Examples include joint definition of problems, development of strategy, joint 

 experimental work and initiation of studies in direct response to other agencies' 

 requests. Coordination also occurs through periodic meetings or through symposia, 

 both national and international. Finally, coordination on overall priorities and 

 strategies within the framework of the Federal Plan will be handled through 

 regional workshops on marine pollution assessment and monitoring. 



Question 7. What effort is NOAA making to develop better testing and monitoring 

 procedures and strategies (as mentioned in the Plan) that can be used for determin- 

 ing potential environmental degradation (e.g., from dredge soil and sewage sludge)? 



Answer. Improved testing and monitoring procedures and strategies evolve both 

 from findings resulting from programs of research at specific sites and through 

 investigations designed to yield results that can be applied to more than one site. 

 For example, in the New York Bight, data on dissolved oxygen concentrations and 

 contaminant concentrations in sediments and selected organisms, have been incor- 

 porated into a comprehensive monitoring plan addressing the problems peculiar to 

 that situation. Other work includes transfer of contaminants from sediments and 

 the water column to organisms (Texas A&M) and studies on changes in species 

 composition of planktonic communities (University of Maine, University of Mary- 

 land). 



Question 8. How does this Plan differ from other reports from scientific workshops 

 on marine pollution research needs? 



Answer. Section 4 is very specific as to the content of the Federal Plan: a 

 statement of national needs and problems; an ordering of those needs and problems 

 a description of the current Federal Program; an evaluation of how well the current 

 Federal program meets priority needs and problems; and recommendations to im- 

 prove the effectiveness and efficiency of the Federal effort. The focus of the Federal 

 Plan is to improve the responsiveness of Federal activities in research, development, 

 and monitoring to the needs of decisionmakers at both the Federal and non-Federal 

 levels. The Plan differs from scientific workshop reports by setting priorities among 

 the research needs and by relating those needs to agency missions and mandates. 



Question 9. It was stated that the recommendations should be accomplished 

 primarily within existing resource levels. How was it determined that this is feasi- 

 ble? 



Answer. Immediate actions to fill gaps in the Federal program are expected to be 

 taken by application of the Section 6 Financial Assistance funds. $1.5M is available 

 in fiscal year 1980. In reviewing the overall level of funding and projected increase, 

 the interagency committee members agreed that resource levels were probably 

 adequate to meet unmet, high priority needs. A number of areas were identified on 

 page 10 of the plan where considerable effort is now underway but it is unclear that 

 these efforts are well-coordinated. Improved efficiencies in these areas could free up 

 funds to address gap areas. 



Question 10. What national needs and problems related to social, economic, and 

 environmental values of ocean and coastal resources were identified? What plans 

 are being made and by which agency to address these needs? When these values are 

 identified and evaluated, how are they to be incorporated into the implementation 

 of the Plan's research program. 



Answer. Several hundred individual statements of ocean pollution research, devel- 

 opment, and monitoring needs and problems related to social, economic, and envi- 



