301 
posal of certain wastes or that the effects of ocean waste on human health and envi- 
ronment are more subtle than supposed. A third possibility is that past research on 
the effects of waste ocean disposal has been inadequate or misdirected. 
Do you agree with that? 
Dr. Knauss. That was in our report, sir. 
Mr. HuaGues. It sure was, January 1981. 
Dr. Knauss. I think I wrote that statement, as a matter of fact. 
Mr. Hucues. Then you would have to agree with it, I would 
think. 
Dr. Knauss. Yes, I do. 
Mr. Huacues. I know my time is probably up. However, I have 
difficulty with your conclusion because it seems to me what you 
are saying is that, 
Well, we have not gotten to the point where we have saturated the New York 
Bight even though most scientists agree that it is severely distressed. Let’s give it 
some more time, and let’s see what the impact has been on raw sewage. We may 
discover in the interim that the combination of raw sewage and sewage sludge has 
created tremendous problems, and we will know what to do at that time once we 
continue our studies. 
Therefore, I think the ultimate conclusion is that we may end up 
at the end of the block at a deadend alley and find out that we 
have done irreparable harm, but then it is too late, isn’t it? 
Dr. Knauss. I do not think we will find we have done irreparable 
harm, sir. 
Mr. HuGues. I have a lot of people who are concerned about the 
fact that significant quantities of cadmium and mercury found 
around these dumpsites. And in shellfish living in areas I have a 
big seafood industry in my district and they are scared to death 
that sometime there might be a connection made between some of 
the dumping that is taking place and some of the viruses that 
might be discovered in seafood sold over the counter in my region. 
Is it too late once that occurs? 
Dr. Knauss. It certainly is true that every time something like 
this happens it will have a significant—— 
Mr. Hucues. I can just see on a busy, summer, holiday weekend 
somebody picking up the fact that there is a direct connection be- 
tween the dumping of mercury, cadmium, PCB’s, or what have you, 
and the contamination of seafood that people are eating in my 
region. It would just destroy our industry. 
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 
Mr. ForsyTtHE. Thank you, John. We will be submitting more 
anpaplons to you for a response in the record. Thank you very 
much. 
The next witness is Mr. Kenneth S. Kamlet of the National Wild- 
life Federation. 
STATEMENT OF KENNETH S. KAMLET, DIRECTOR, POLLUTION 
AND TOXIC SUBSTANCES DIVISION, NATIONAL WILDLIFE FED- 
ERATION 
Mr. KAMLET. Thank you, Mr. Forsythe. 
I would like to preface my comments with an observation about 
the testimony this morning and the testimony we have just heard. 
It seems to me that an area in which there is pretty much total 
consensus among all of the witnesses from whom you have heard 
