586 
=Jice 
dumpsite, which has been used much more recently than the sites 
off the U.S. coastlines, those concerns are valid and eaneiiy 
applicable to U.S. sites where substantial uncertainty remains 
as to the existence and status of long-lived and/or high-risk 
radionuclides. 
_In response to Senator Roth's concern about the effectiveness 
of federal efforts to assure that past dumping "poses no undue 
hazard" to man or the sigheonntaeee se existing evidence 
suggests strongly that GAO's conclusion is invalid. Technical 
studies, testimony in public hearings, workshop findings and 
recommendations, international criteria, guidelines and programs 
Support the position that U.S. efforts to date have not provided 
effective assurances that past dumping poses no hazards to the 
Marine environment or humans. The limited surveys and studies 
that have been undertaken previously with respect to past U.S. 
dumping are not sufficiently conclusive to lay such an important 
concern to rest. Additional targeted research and monitoring, 
which will test the validity of present preliminary assumptions, 
is necessary if our government is committed to providing 
assurances of safety. 
IW/ 6 Monitoring Is Needed Of Past Dumpsites and "Test" Sites 
As A Basis for Future Policy Decisions 
Most, if not all of the literature cited in the preceding 
section expressed a dual concern vis-a-vis existing dump sites: 
74/ Swi more Ae 
