527 



Costle 



6. 



review seems necessary of ocean dumping in general. Does EPA 

 have a chart or list of all ocean dumpsites for a variety of 

 toxic and other wastes? \fiiat information is available on the 

 interaction and cumulative impact of multiple waste disposal 

 (chemical and radiological wastes, and munitions, for example) 

 on the marine environment and food chains reaching man? 



9. We request that EPA studies be conducted on the 

 various past dumping activities in the Santa Barbara Channel . 

 This recommendation is in line with the final proposal of the 

 Information Paper calling for "continued examination of other 

 sites" (22) (See f. above). The National Academy of Sciences, 

 1962 Publication 9*^5, discussing the Santa Cruz site (See U 

 above), recommends {k) that an impartial agency should reappraise 

 the Academy findings in ten years. 



10. The NAS-^fRC Publication 985 also stressed a clearly 

 defined dumping procedure, including biological baseline research, 

 monitoring, record keeping, and agency coordination-processes 

 which were essentially ignored, an inexcusable failure in such 

 an extremely hazardous enterprise and especially by an industry 

 that repeatedly claims it is more careful, safe, and economic 

 than any other. How did this inexcusable failure occur and what 

 measures are being taken to assure that it cannot happen again? 

 Specifically, we request data on federal and state efforts to' 

 coordinate their statutory and regulatory responsibilities over 

 ocean dumping in the analysis of past failures as the basis for 

 formulating rational controls over potential future ocean dis- 

 posal, domestically and internationally . What roles in this 

 coordination are performed by EPA, Department of Energy, State 

 Department, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Department of Defense, 

 and Department of Commerce (NOAA)? What actions in the fields 

 of research and policy formation are being taken under the terms 

 of the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972; 

 National Ocean Pollution, Research and Development and Monitoring 

 Planning Act of 1978; National Environmental Policy Act of 1972,, 

 and other applicable legislation and treaties. I'fh.a.t statutory 

 authority is being developed to strengthen existing controls over 

 waste disposal? 



While EPA evidently has completed the most extensive 

 research of any agency on ocean dumping, much of the data has 

 not been released publicly. We seek information on the con- 

 tinuing research program, including an inventory of the research 

 projects being sponsored by the EPA on past, present, and future 

 ocean dumping of radiological and other toxic wastes with refer- 

 ence to specific offices, personnel, status of research, and 

 documents available on these projects. We would appreciate 

 information on the funding level's for these projects; estimates 

 of the budget necessary to complete the appropriate research; 

 recipients of past and future government contracts through EPA 



