384 
I also believe that we must insure that adequate support is pro- 
vided for research and monitoring so that we can upgrade our abil- 
ity to predict the effect of ocean waste disposal and so that we can 
be alerted to any unexpected negative impacts which may occur. 
I point out for the record that we have two subcommittees who 
share joint jurisdiction over the Ocean Dumping Act in this Con- 
gress, the Oceanography Subcommittee, chaired by Congressman 
Norm D’Amours, and, of course the Fisheries and Wildlife Conser- 
vation and the Environment Subcommittee, which I chair. 
We are sharing jurisdiction and I will be handling the hearings 
today and would ask if anyone has any comments. 
Mr. Forsythe? 
Mr. ForsyTHE. Again, as you have pointed out, Mr. Chairman, I 
think it is important that we carefully look at the options which 
are available to us and recognize that we do not have the answers 
to all the problems that we face. I welcome the witnesses that are 
here today and who I think will contribute to the knowledge of the 
committee before we mark up the legislation. 
Thank you for holding this hearing, Mr. Chairman. 
Mr. Breaux. Any other comments? 
The gentleman from New York. 
Mr. Carney. I would like to request that the statement of the 
Honorable Peter Fox Cohalan, county executive of Suffolk County, 
be submitted for the record. He is fogged in at the Long Island Air- 
port. He was to testify before the committee and he passes on his 
disappointment to the committee. 
It is my understanding he is still attempting to get here, but 
flying out of that airport on a weekly basis tells me he is not going 
to get here. 
I would like to ask unanimous consent and request that it be 
printed in the record. 
Mr. BrEAux. Without objection, the statement of the gentleman 
will be made part of the record. 
[The statement of Mr. Cohalan follows:] 
PREPARED STATEMENT OF PETER F. COHALAN, COUNTY EXECUTIVE, SUFFOLK COUNTY, 
NEw YORK 
Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittees, it is my great privilege to have 
been invited here today to testify on the proposed reauthorization and amendment 
of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act. I was encouraged to learn 
that a joint subcommittee hearing had been called on this important legislation, and 
that you had asked representatives from local government to testify. This is an im- 
portant issue to Long Island, as we are surrounded by water and a large part of our 
economy is marine oriented. 
Suffolk county lies at the eastern extreme of Long Island, which lies to the east of 
New York City. The county encompasses 929 square miles, and in 1980 had a popu- 
lation exceeding 1.2 million. The western end of the county is highly developed and 
industrialized; the eastern end is comprised primarily of farmland and is a key tour- 
ism center for New York State. To the south and east of Long Island lies the Atlan- 
tic Ocean, to the north Long Island Sound, and to the west the East River, which 
separates us from Manhattan. 
The imprint of the New York metropolitan region is clearly evident in the water 
quality that exists along the south shore of Long Island. Water quality generally 
improves as distance increases from areas with high population density; it also im- 
proves as distance increases from areas where tidal flushing action is poor and in- 
capable of rapidly diluting pollutants. Suffolk County is fortunate in that the most 
serious water quality problems in the New York metropolitan region are located in 
the apex of the New York Bight; and that many miles of Long Island coastline are 
