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environmental quality. Our comments addressing the relative 

 advantages of the use of one ocean dump site over another 

 should not be construed to mean that NOAA advocates ocean 

 dumping or supports its use unconditionally. 



We iidve stated in past years that our findings showed 

 sewage sludge disposal to contribute by only a small percentage 

 to the total contaminant loading of Bight waters, and that a 

 truly long-term solution to the problem of marine environmental 

 quality in this region could be achieved by development and 

 implementatiOii of a comprehensive, regional waste-management 

 strategy. This strategy could include reduction of wastes at 

 their sources, as well as other Federal and state environmental 

 management measures such as pretreatment, pollutant-discharge 

 permit requirements and controls on combined sewer overflows. 

 We continue to believe that a comprehensive regional strategy 

 of this kind is desirable, but we also believe that improvement 

 of conditions in the Bight need not await implementation of 

 such a plan. There are two basic reasons for this position: 

 1) we believe that enforcement of existing laws and regulations 

 will continue to improve measurably environmental conditions 

 in the Bight; and 2) a decision to cease dumping at the 12-aiile 

 site would help to upgrade the quality of Bight waters, sedi- 

 ments and uiota. 



