579 



deep sea oceanographers and radioecologists, most of whom have no affiliation with 

 the project assemble for a week in January 1981 to consider the biological ramifica- 

 tions of nuclear waste disposal in the seabed and to make research recommendations. 

 6. Our present knowledge of the ocean would allow us to predict the movement of 

 radioisotopes by water movement on a short time frame, months to a few years, or 

 in a long time frame, about 1,000 years. The intermediate time frame is far less well 

 understood. This is an active area of interest on experimentation in physical ocean- 

 ography. A nunber of research projects sponsored by various funding agencies have 

 advanced our understanding of meso-scale motion in the last decade. During the 

 next decade a considerable resolution of the picture of meso-scale oceanic circulation 

 is expected. 



December 16, 1980. 



Hon. Edward Hidalgo, 



Secretary of the Navy, 



Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 



Dear Mr. Secretary: On November 20, 1980, the Subcommittee on Oceanography 

 of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee conducted an oversight 

 hearing on radioactive waste disposal in the oceans. 



At this hearing, the subject of the possible scuttling by the Navy of older model 

 nuclear submarine reactors was broached. This raised questions about the potential 

 environmental impacts such disposal would engender. It would be most helpful to 

 the Subcommittee if the Navy could respond to questions for the record about this 

 potential action, in addition to details on the research the Navy has conducted into 

 locating the previously scuttled USS Seawolf reactor. 



Thank you for your willingness to provide the Subcommittee with timely informa- 

 tion on this issue. 



With kind regards. 

 Sincerely, 



Gerry E. Studds, 

 Chairman, Subcommittee on Oceanography. 



[The questions submitted are the same as those included in the 

 letter of response which follows:] 



Department of the Navy, 



Office of the Secretary, 

 Washington, D.C, February 13, 1981. 

 Hon. Gerry E. Studds, 



Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, House of Representatives, 

 Washingtion, D.C. 

 Dear Mr. Chairman: This is in response to your letter to the Secretary of the 

 Navy dated December 16, 1980. In your letter you requested answers to questions on 

 the Navy's plans for ultimate disposal of decommissioned nulcear-powered subma- 

 rines and on the Navy's efforts to locate the SEAWOLF nuclear reactor vessel that 

 was disposed of in the Atlantic in 1959. 



In accordance with your request, I have attached the information responding to 

 your questions for inclusion in the Committee hearing record. Should you have any 

 further questions, we will be pleased to provide you with any additional information 

 necessary. 



Sincerely, 



Thomas E. Harvey, 



Principal Deputy, 

 Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Logistics). 

 Enclosure. 



Answers to Questions From the Subcommittee on Oceanography, Committee 

 on Merchant Marine and Fisheries 



Question 1. Approximately how many nuclear-powered submarines does the Navy 

 plan on phasing out of its fleet, and when does it anticipate that these phase-outs 

 will occur? 



Answer 1. There are three submarines, the TRITON, HALIBUT and NAUTILUS, 

 which have been decommissioned and have been in protective storage since 1967, 

 1976, and 1979 respectively. In addition, the USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT and 

 ABRAHAM LINCOLN are presently undergoing final defueling and decommission- 

 ing for placement in protective storage. Excluding the THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

 and ABRAHAM LINCOLN, the Navy has 113 commissioned nuclear-powered sub- 



