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mile site for ocean dumping of municipal residues would not give 

 anyone permission to dump there. In order to make that determi- 

 nation, we will go through a case-by-case permitting as we now do 

 at the 106-mile site for industrial dumpers. 



I think the general point I was making was that we have sub- 

 stantial amounts of information on the characteristics of the 106- 

 mile site, of what is there biologically, where the currents go and 

 don't go, the pollution we get, the buildup and potential buildup, 

 which enables me to say it is "less risk." 



Mr. Dyson. That leads to another question. Fifteen days ago at 

 the hearing in Rehoboth Beach — and I was not able to be there be- 

 cause we had a full committee markup that morning in this com- 

 mittee — but the State of Maryland testified that the State is op- 

 posed to the dumping there at the 106-mile site, but not strongly 

 opposed. But they are strongly opposed to the general designation 

 of the 106-mile site as a municipal sludge dumping site. 



Their concern is about potential dumpers such as this city, Wash- 

 ington, D.C., possibly Philadelphia and others, who might apply for 

 permits which again, the individual representing our State said, 

 that Maryland would strongly oppose that. 



I think it would be well documented that the Coast Guard 

 doesn't have the resources to adequately monitor even some of the 

 current ocean dumping activities, and that spills are certainly com- 

 monly accepted risks associated with ocean dumping. My question 

 is — that sludge dumping permits to the city of Washington, for in- 

 stance, would present a very clear and present danger to the envi- 

 ronmental capacity of the Chesapeake Bay since they would have 

 to travel down the Potomac and use the bay to reach the site. 



Has the District of Columbia expressed an interest in a permit 

 for that area? 



Mr. ScHATZow. The District of Columbia has submitted to EPA 

 Region III a preliminary application. It is an incomplete applica- 

 tion. 



Mr. Dyson. For dumping at the 106-mile site? 



Mr. ScHATZow. For dumping at the 106-mile site. It is not clear 

 to me the extent to which they are now pursuing it. In order to 

 pursue it, they would have to provide a substantial amount of in- 

 formation which has not yet been provided to the agency before the 

 agency would even consider it. 



Mr. Dyson. Clearly, you are more aware than I that they have 

 had tremendous problems at Blue Plains with trying to dispose of 

 their sludge properly and in fact they have approached local gov- 

 ernments in my district, Queen Annes County, Charles County, 

 Md., and numerous others about land disposal. None of those have 

 been accepted, both by the county government and I believe not by 

 you, either. So they have a critical problem here in this city. 



My question is, of course, as you can appreciate at a time when 

 we are attempting to clean up the Chesapeake Bay, the transporta- 

 tion of sludge from here in the city and out into the site presents 

 difficulties. That will be my question since I know we are coming to 

 a vote. 



Mr. ScHATZow. Again, that is something that would be of very 

 great concern to us as well and that is something that would be 

 addressed in the permit process assuming that Washington, D.C., 



