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QUESTION 4 RAISED THE ISSUE OF IHE ABILITY OF FEDERAL RESEARCH 
PROGRAMS TO PRODUCE IIMELY SCIENTIFIC ANSWERS THAT ARE NEEDED 
FOR MANAGEMENT DECISIONS- 
IT IS TRUE THAT, IN THE PAST, THE AGENCY HAS HAD SOME DIFFICULTIES 
COORDINATING MANAGEMENT DECISIONS WITH RESEARCH PLANS- THIS WAS DUE IN 
LARGE PART TO THE FACT THAT MANAGEMENT DECISIONS WERE BASED ON THE 
ASSUMPTION THAT WASTE DISPOSAL IN THE OCEAN WOULD BE DECREASING, SO 
THAT ONLY MINOR RESEARCH AND MONITORING WOULD BE NECESSARY- THIS 
ASSUMPTION IS NOW CHANGING, BASED ON NEW INFORMATION ON OCEAN 
PROCESSES, RECENTLY IDENTIFIED RISKS OF LAND-BASED WASTE DISPOSAL, AND 
THE DECISION IN THE New YorK CITY SUIT- THEREFORE, WE ARE IN THE 
PROCESS OF EVALUATING OUR OCEANS PROGRAMS, AND HAVE ALREADY BEGUN 
IMPLEMENTING CHANGES SO THAT MANAGEMENT DECISIONS AND RESEARCH PLANS 
ARE COMPLEMENTARY AND ENSURE THAT NO UNREASONABLE DEGRADATION OF THE 
MARINE ENVIRONMENT WILL OCCUR- 
ONE WAY IN WHICH WE HOPE TO IMPROVE MANAGEMENT OF THE OCEANS 
PROGRAMS IS BY PLACING THEM ALL IN ONE ORGANIZATIONAL UNIT- THIS WILL 
ALLOW CONSISTENT AND EFFICIENT USE OF AVAILABLE INFORMATION AND 
PLANNING OF FUTURE RESEARCH PROGRAMS- ANOTHER WAY IS BY INCREASING OUR 
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM TO SUPPORT THE REGULATORY DECISIONS 
WHICH MUST BE MADE REGARDING DISCHARGES INTO THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT- A 
FULL DESCRIPTION OF THESE RESEARCH PROGRAMS IS CONTAINED IN ANOTHER 
RESPONSE ATTACHED TO THIS TESTIMONY: 
INCREASED COORDINATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES WILL EXPAND OUR 
RESEARCH CAPABILITIES AND IMPROVE OUR REGULATORY DECISIONS- FEDERAL 
RESEARCH PROGRAMS ANALYZING THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT, HAVE BEEN IN 
EFFECT AT THE Corps oF ENGINEERS AND NOAA- EPA’s PROGRAM MANAGEMENT 
HAS, FOR THE PAST YEAR, BEEN USING THIS INFORMATION TO REVISE THE 
