452 



substantially. Even as they go out of service, I see no compelling 

 urgency to make these decisions. 



Now, they may decide, having heard me say this on the record 

 today, to apply tomorrow, but I don't expect they will, nor if they 

 did, do I think there's a compelling case that I'd have to give them 

 an answer the day after tomorrow. 



Mr. Studds. Nor could you if they did. 



Mr. Mattson. Nor could I. 



Mr. Studds. Finally, with respect to the responsibility under the 

 law for monitoring of the kind we have been discussing, is the law 

 or laws clear as to what extent that is your responsibility and to 

 what extent it's NOAA's? 



Mr. Mattson. We think it is. 



Mr. Studds. And so do they. 



Mr. Mattson. In our discussions with NOAA of the past few 

 weeks, it leads me to believe we can work this out. There has been 

 some lack of clarity in varying people's minds in the past, and in 

 ours — I'm not trying to point a finger at NOAA — in ours and 

 theirs. 



Mr. Studds. I think they're pointing a finger at us. We write 

 those unclear laws. 



Mr. Mattson. We're working hard to put together jointly a 

 monitoring plan in response to the other subcommittee's interest, 

 and we expect to produce that in another few weeks, and then 

 bring it up to policy officials and Congressmen and say is this the 

 kind of thing the people had in mind and is this the kind of price 

 tag that you had in mind? 



Mr. Studds. So you're working to see that the statutory responsi- 

 bility is increasingly less ambiguous; is that what you're saying? 



Mr. Mattson. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Studds. Thank you. 



Mr. Anderson, do you have a couple of quick questions? 



Mr. Anderson. I think he'll like this next one. 



A 1978 General Accounting Office report states that of all the 

 EPA programs, radiation protection is the least funded, that the 

 agency is unable to anticipate future radiation problems adequate- 



ly. 



Is that still true today? 



Mr. Mattson. I'm sorry, sir. I have been at EPA only 3 months, 

 and I personally feel a little uncomfortable making that kind of 

 sweeping judgment for you. It would probably be in error. 



There are programs that the EPA could have responsibilities for 

 that are larger than the programs that are there today. A convinc- 

 ing case hasn't been made, and it's incumbent upon the people 

 there to make that case, me being one of them. 



Mr. Anderson. I suppose my question should be. Do you feel that 

 your agency is adequately funded? 



Mr. Mattson. Oh, yes, sir. 



Mr. Anderson. You think it is? 



Mr. Mattson. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Anderson. To do the job today, to come up 



Mr. Mattson. Yes, sir; my perception of the job may grow 



Mr. Anderson. To anticipate dealing with the radiation prob- 

 lems adequately? 



