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of lead, cadmium, and mercury in Apex sediments within 12 nmi 

 of the shoreline. The concentrations of these constituents 

 fall as one moves shoreward. Thus, the status of the Apex near 

 the dumpsite falls within the definition of Impact Category I. 



The second test asks whether there are statistically 

 significant decreases in the population of biota essential to 

 the propagation of valuable commercial or recreational species 

 (or decreases in those valuable species) . The answer to this 

 question is that the benthos near the dumpsite area has been 

 affected to the detriment of species which would normally be 

 fed upon by a variety of fishes. Swanson (16) and Boesch (14) 

 agree that it appears that the ability of the Apex to sustain 

 living resources harvested by man has been impaired. A NOAA 

 report (15) found statistically significant higher levels 

 of fin rot, a chronic disease that may cause mortality, in the 

 high carbon area of the Apex (near the dumpsite) than in the 

 low carbon areas, and more fin rot inside the Apex than outside 

 the Apex. Thus, portions of the Apex near the sewage dumpsite 

 fail this second test and so they should be placed into Impact 

 Category I . 



The fifth test asks whether toxic materials are present in 

 toxic concentrations more than four hours after disposal. The 

 average concentration of PCBs in the Bight is 7 or 17 parts 

 per trillion (3, 4). Either of these levels is in excess of 

 the 1976 EPA water quality criteria of 1 ppt, and in excess 

 of the even lower recommendations of the American Fisheries 



