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(8) Synergistic Effects: The synergistic effects of ocean pollutants (i.e., the com- 
bined impact on the marine ecosystem of two or more contaminants) are very poorly 
understood. Research thus far has tended to focus on the adverse effects of isolated 
pollutants. 
(4) Mesoscale Studies: One approach to studying the “total ecosystem” impact of 
ocean dumping is through mesoscale studies—the use of huge holding tanks to simu- 
late a marine environment that includes numerous interacting species. Such studies 
could prove to be valuable means of validating conclusions based on small scale lab- 
oratory experiments. Mesoscale studies such as those recently initiated at the Uni- 
versity of Rhode Island and at Woods Hole should be encouraged. 
(5) Potential Effects of Non-ocean Alternatives: These is a need for more research 
by EPA into the potential environmental and health effects of land-based sludge dis- 
posal options (including incineration, composting, landfilling, agricultural applica- 
tion, etc.). 
(6) Cataloguing the Source and End-point of Toxic Contaminants: This type of 
study, being considered by NOAA for fiscal year 1983, could be an important re- 
search planning device. The object is to catalogue what “‘serious’ toxics are current- 
ly being produced and where in the marine environment they are likely to concen- 
trate. With such information, research efforts can be more efficiently directed. 
(7) Chemical Behavior of Marine Pollutants: More needs to be known about the 
chemical behavior of pollutants, such as metals and PCBs, in the marine environ- 
ment—for example, studies are needed on the rate of release into solution of con- 
taminants attached to particles dumped into the ocean. 
(8) Marine Environmental Quality Index: NOAA is attempting to develop a 
marine environmental quality index to be used by government decisionmakers to 
determine whether a substance is suitable for ocean dumping (i.e. whether it “un- 
reasonably degrades” the marine environment). The idea is to expand greatly the 
current range of parameters used to test the suitability of materials proposed for 
dumping. This effort should be supported with adequate funding. 
(9) Pathogens in Ocean-dumped Wastes: Certain wastes, including sewage sludge, 
are high in pathogen content—including bacteria, virus and parasites. Very little 
attention has been given to the potential problems associated with the dumping of 
such wastes, including the recently-observed phenomenon of intermicrobe genetic 
transfer; that is, the transfer of the genetic material from microbes in sewage to 
microbes naturally occurring in the marine environment. 
(10) Correlation of Laboratory and Field Results: To protect ocean resources from 
potentially dangerous pollutants, it is essential that wastes proposed for ocean 
dumping be screened and evaluated before a dumping permit is issued. This in turn 
compels regulators to place heavy reliance on predictive laboratory tests. The prob- 
lem, however, is that laboratory tests are vulnerable to the criticism that the results 
they yield bear no necessary resemblance to impacts that would occur on very dif- 
ferent conditions in the environment. Laboratory tests are criticized by some as ex- 
aggerating potential impacts in the field, and by others as underestimating them. 
We believe most experts would agree that more research is needed on the relation- 
ship between laboratory tests and field measurements and on improving the correla- 
tion between the two. 
(11) Sediment Quality Criteria: Ocean-dumped pollutants that are associated with 
particulate matter—such as dredge spoils and sewage sludges—can often be expect- 
ed to accumulate in some fashion on the ocean bottom. Evidence from incidents like 
the Kepone disaster on the James River, as well as from pollution problems in the 
Southern California Bight, the Hudson River, and the Great Lakes, suggests that 
ocean bottom sediments can serve as a reservoir of contaminants which are especial- 
ly accessible to bottom-dwelling marine organisms (and thence through the food 
chain to man and other predators). It is by no means entirely clear whether sedi- 
ment-bound contaminants must first be released into the water before being bioac- 
cumulated or whether they can be taken up by direct ingestion of or contact with 
bottom sediments. Nor do we know how much of which contaminants when present 
in bottom sediments pose a risk to aquatic life and the food chain. Consequently, an 
important research/regulatory need is the development of “sediment quality crite- 
ria,” analogous to the water quality criteria employed for man years, which can be 
used as a guide to potentially dangerous levels of bottom accumulations. 
Mr. D’Amours. Assuming we impose user fees, the municipalities 
seem reluctant to give EPA and NOAA a blank check as to how 
this research or when this research is to be conducted. That is one 
