107 
NEw AND OLD PHILADELPHIA DUMPSITES 
The original Philadelphia dumpsite (“old site’) was about 12 miles Southeast of 
Cape May. In 1973, when EPA began management of the ocean dumping permit 
program under MPRSA, the dumpsite was moved 50 miles southeast of Cape May, a 
location which was about 40 miles east of Ocean City, Maryland (‘‘new site’). 
This action was taken because the old site was in a productive shellfishing area 
and the area had been closed for shellfishing because of the sewage sludge dumping. 
Two years after dumping stopped at the old site, it was reopened for shellfishing 
based on studies by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at the site. 
The new site was not used for commercial shellfishing at the time sewage sludge 
dumping was started at the site. In 1976, as a precautionary measure the FDA 
closed the new site to shellfishing. Dumping at the new site stopped in December 
1980. An FDA survey in the spring of 1981, showed that some bacterial contamina- 
tion still existed. Present plans are to resurvey the site in the summer of 1982, to 
see if the site can be reopened to shellfishing. 
Mr. HuGues. You make a statement on page 8 of your testimony 
to the effect that we unfortunately cannot determine scientifically 
the ocean’s full ability to absorb and biologically process toxic 
waste, nor can we fully track the fate and effects of potentially con- 
taminated sludges, which, I think, is a fair statement of the state of 
we art and is where we have arrived technologically and scientifi- 
cally. 
Now, when is it that we are going to reach that position in the 
New York Bight, and tell me in terms of months, what we are 
doing that is irreversible? 
Ms. Hurp. The New York Bight is impacted by a number of dif- 
ferent sources of waste including the Hudson River and sewage—— 
Mr. Huaues. I understand that. We understand that 300 to 500 
million gallons of raw sewage goes into the Hudson every day that 
contaminates and we understand that there is runoff and we un- 
derstand that there is sludge and we understand that there is 
dredge spoil. My question is at what point are we going to be so 
contaminated in the New York Bight that it is going to be irrevers- 
ible. Someday we are going to wake up and find that we have done 
immeasurable damage and, perhaps, irreversible damage, to that 
particular area of the ocean. 
P Ms. Hurp. I cannot answer that question. I know that NOAA has 
one a—— 
Mr. Hucues. Do you think anybody can answer that question? 
Ms. Hurp. Probably not. 
Mr. Huaues. I think that is an important point. You suggested 
that sewage sludge accounts for 3 to 7 percent of the contamina- 
tion. How much is accounted for because New York City is now 
pepe raw sewage into the Hudson River. What percentage is 
at! 
Mr. ScHatzow. I do not have that percentage. 
Mr. HuGues. What percentage of runoff is—— 
Mr. ScHatzow. Substantially greater. Both of those are substan- 
tially greater than 7 percent. 
Mr. Hucues. Now would you not agree that you have to start 
somewhere? 
Mr. ScHATzow. I agree we have to start—— 
Mr. HuGues. Three to seven percent is not insignificant. Would 
you agree with that? 
Mr. ScHatTzow. It is less significant, obviously, than those other 
sources. 
