I 341 



Mr. Studds. The subcommittee will resume at 2 o'clock. 

 [Whereupon, the subcommittee recessed for lunch at 1:05 p.m., to 

 reconvene at 2 p.m.] 



AFTERNOON SESSION 



Mr. Studds. The subcommittee will resume. 



Our first witnesses are fi-om the Environmental Protection 

 Agency — Dr. Roger J. Mattson, Director of Surveillance and Emer- 

 gency Preparedness Division, Office of Radiation Programs, Envi- 

 ronmental Protection Agency, and Mr. Robert S. Dyer, Senior Staff 

 Oceanographer, from the same office. 



As I understand it. Dr. Mattson, you have a presentation to 

 make, and then Mr. Dyer has a slide presentation? 



Dr. Mattson. We both have prepared testimony. 



Mr. Dyer's presentation involves a slide presentation. 



He will summarize his testimony as he shows the slides. 



Mr. Studds. Yes. 



If you could summarize it, we would appreciate it. 



The full text will appear, of course, in the record. 



STATEMENT OF DR. ROGER J. MATTSON, DIRECTOR, SURVEIL- 

 LANCE AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS DIVISION, OFFICE 

 OF RADIATION PROGRAMS, U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTEC- 

 TION AGENCY, ACCOMPANIED BY ROBERT S. DYER, SENIOR 

 STAFF OCEANOGRAPHER, OFFICE OF RADIATION PROGRAMS, 

 U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 



Dr. Mattson. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



I am pleased to have this opportunity to describe what we know 

 about the past ocean disposal of radioactive materials, to comment 

 on some international aspects of this waste management practice, 

 to consider the question of disposing of high-level radioactive 

 wastes in the ocean, and to describe actions now underway with 

 respect to monitoring low-level radioactive waste dumpsites. 



With me today is Mr. Robert Dyer, the senior oceanographer on 

 my staff. He will follow my testimony and summarize the dumpsite 

 survey activities. 



HISTORICAL perspective 



The problem of what to do with radioactive waste came with the 

 advent of nuclear research and weapons technology in the 1940's. 

 There were several kinds of waste generated in these activities. Sea 

 disposal was used for the more dilute concentrations of these 

 wastes, that is the so-called low-level radioactive wastes. Sea dispos- 

 al began in 1946 under the licensing and contracting authority of 

 the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC). 



In 1960 the AEC stopped issuing new licenses for sea disposal of 

 low-level wastes and made land burial facilities available at Oak 

 Ridge, Tenn., and Idaho Falls, Idaho, for its contractors and licens- 

 ees. In 1962, AEC licensed the first commercial land burial facility 

 in Beatty, Nev. After 1962 most low-level radioactive wastes were 

 disposed of at land burial sites, primarily because of the lower 

 costs. Between 1962 and 1970 sea disposal of nuclear waste was 

 little used, and in 1970 it was stopped completely. 



