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In the case of the oxygen depletion episode, most of the oxygen demanding material 
which accumulated in the affected region (and accounting for the oxygen consump- 
tion in bottom waters) was the dinoflagellate, Ceratium tripos. This organism was 
widely distributed throughout the Middle Atlantic Bight in unusual abundance 
during the spring. Model studies have concluded that sewage sludge in the absence 
of the dinoflagellate would not have caused the episode in 1976. 
Question. Is sludge dumping a principal source of contaminants such as trace 
metals, synthetic organics, and pathogens to the New York Bight Apex? 
Answer. No, sewage sludge dumping contributes only 1 to 10 percent of the total 
inputs of most contaminants. PCB’s are an important exception; nearly one-fourth 
(25 percent) of the total loading of PCB’s to the Bight comes from ocean dumped 
sewage sludge. The fraction of pathogens entering the Bight via sewage sludge is 
discussed in answer to Congressman Forsythe’s question 2. 
Question. Has the incidence of fish diseases in the New York Bight Apex changed 
over the past few years? If so, how? 
Answer. The incidence of fin fish disease thought to be related to pollution has 
decreased over the past decade. This does not mean that water quality has im- 
proved. Current hypotheses are numerous, but some investigators believe that a 
range of fish species may “develop an immunity” to pathogenic bacteria and vi- 
ruses. 
Question. Except for those species that live or migrate into Raritan Bay and the 
rivers, are any organisms found within the New York Bight highly contaminated 
with toxic compounds such that they are unsafe for human consumption according 
to FDA standards? If so, is there any evidence that the contaminants in these organ- 
isms are obtained primarily from sewage sludge? 
Answer. Species that live or migrate throughout the New York Bight, but not 
through the Hudson-Raritan Estuary, are seldom contaminated with toxic com- 
pounds such that the tissues exceed FDA levels. However, many fish taken from the 
New York Bight and Middle Atlantic Bight do contain measurable amounts of 
PCBs, petroleum hydrocarbons, and other organic contaminants. 
Because of the multiplicity of sources of these contaminants their presence in fish 
tissues cannot be directly attributed to sewage sludge. 
QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY Mr. FoRSYTHE AND ANSWERED BY NOAA 
Question 1. Will the elimination of funds for fiscal year 1983 for the ocean dump- 
ing program under Section 201 of the MPRSA affect the investigations on specific 
wastes or specific dumpsites? How will the decreased funding affect the laboratory 
research effort? 
Answer. NOAA has identified portions of the present ocean dumping program 
that are of relative lower priority and that will not be continued with funds budget- 
ed under other activities. Work will end at the pharmaceutical waste site near 
Puerto Rico. The wastes are now processed and discharged through a sewage treat- 
ment facility; plans to compare the marine environmental impacts of this means of 
disposal with the previously used ocean dumping technique have been cancelled. 
NOAA will also discontinue its investigation of the impacts associated with dispos- 
ing fish processing wastes; because these wastes do not contain significant quantities 
of toxic materials, disposal options seem to be sufficiently known. Studies of the im- 
pacts of dredged material disposal will be discontinued, although staff time will be 
allocated for keeping abreast of results from Corps of Engineers studies on this sub- 
ject. Since there is no active radioactive disposal at this time, NOAA will discontin- 
ue its small effort in this area. 
The complimentary laboratory research previously supported by Section 201 funds 
will be eliminated, as will support for the Northeast Monitoring Program. However, 
approximately 20 percent of the funds in the Section 202/Section 6 budgets will be 
used to conduct fundamental research on the fate and effects of contaminants which 
will have direct relevance to ocean disposal of sewage sludge. 
Question 2. You made a statement that your current findings show that sludge 
dumping is not a significant contributor to the low water quality of the New York 
Bight nor is it responsible for swimming-associated illness. However, you go on to 
say that a significant fraction of the bacteria and viruses reaching the sediments of 
the inner Bight is probably derived from sewage sludge. 
What do you mean by “probably” derived from sewage sludge? 
Do we know whether this is having an adverse impact on the marine ecosystem or 
whether it is a human health hazard? 
Answer. In testimony on March 18, 1982 NOAA stated that sludge dumping “has 
a detectable contribution to poor water quality only over small time and space 
