302 



needs to be modified. Similarly, we have not made a final judgment as to whether 

 our existing international treaty obligations need to be restructured. 



This concludes my statement, Mr. Chairman. I would be pleased to answer any 

 questions the Committee may have. 



Historical funding levels for assessment of subseabed disposal 



Fiscal year: Thousands 



1974 i$l,500 



1975 260 



1976 900 



1977 1,300 



1978 3,050 



1979 3,600 



1980 27730 



1981 (planned) 6,900 



* Funds provided by Office of Military Application and Office of Naval Research. 

 ^Beginning in fiscal year 1980, funded by DOE Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy; 

 between fiscal year 1975 and fiscal year 1979 funded by the Environmental Program. 



Mr. Studds. Thank you very much, Mr. Meyers. 



On page 3 of your testimony, you refer to the studies which EPA 

 has conducted and in which the Department of Energy has cooper- 

 ated, of the previous low level dumping, and you say "These studies 

 have concluded that there is no evidence of harm to either man or 

 the environment as a result of this past disposal practice." 



Do you mean to imply that the studies, in fact, are final conclu- 

 sions and no final study is required? 



Mr. Meyers. As far as I know, the studies are ongoing but 

 evidence to date indicates that there has been no harm to man and 

 the environment. 



Mr. Studds. To date. OK. Lower down on that page, you say that 

 "The EPA is also looking into ocean disposal carried out by other 

 Government agencies." 



What other Government agencies? 



Mr. Meyers. The Department of Defense, and perhaps some of 

 the other research organizations. I am not familiar with all of 

 them. 



Mr. Studds. The Department of Defense is most likely one of 

 them? 



Mr. Meyers. Yes. 



Mr. Studds. Has your agency been involved in the search for the 

 nuclear reactor from the Seawolf, which was scuttled 21 years ago? 



Mr. Meyers. The search for it? As far as I know, we know the 

 area where it was disposed of. 



Mr. Studds. You know where? 



Mr. Meyers. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Studds. I have an article in front of me from the September 

 1980 Science Magazine in which it says, with reference to the 

 Seawolf 



Mr. Meyers. May I change that? 



Mr. Studds [continuing]. Efforts to find the Seawolf have failed. 

 The Navy did find debris from the Scorpion after it was lost. It goes 

 on. 



Mr. Meyers. Yes, I stand corrected. That is true. 



Mr. Studds. We cannot find it? 



Mr. Meyers. Right. I believe the Navy has attempted to locate 

 the Seawolf reactor vessel, but has not found it. 



