317 



Mr. Hughes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I, too, want to welcome 

 the panel. Governor Castle, and my colleagues from New Jersey, 

 Mr. Arbesman and M^. Schmidt. 



Let me say to my colleagues from New Jersey, I am delighted 

 that Commissioner Hughey has attempted to come to grips with 

 what has been a major problem for a number of years and I think 

 New Jersey by and large has been a reluctant actor. Commissioner 

 Hughey has demonstrated a lot of courage and determination to 

 try to look at this problem comprehensively. I congratulate you. I 

 think that you have made some major strides already. 



Let me just, if I might. Governor Castle, indicate that I really am 

 sorry that it looks like it is going to come down to a New Jersey 

 versus Delaware-Maryland- Virginia situation at the 106-mile site. I 

 regret that because the site is as close to New Jersey as it is to 

 Delaware. I think we have been dumping at the 106-mile site for 

 probably over 20 years. I think 1961. It has been a chemical dump 

 site. 



As you know, we have managed mainly because of the pressure 

 put on by this committee to get the chemical dumpers down to a 

 handful. There were over 100 when I came here 9 years ago. I 

 think we are down to under 20 now. Among the major polluters, 

 some from your region, as you well know, I just — all the studies I 

 have seen would indicate that Delaware, like New Jersey and 

 Maryland, is more at risk with the 12-mile site than we are with 

 the 106-mile site. We have had experience and the suggestion I 

 think you make is well, we know what we have. We may not like 

 it, but we don't know what we may have in the deepwater site. 



I don't think that is accurate. 



We know that, first of all, we have had no impact from the deep- 

 water site from chemical dumping. 



Mr. Castle. That is correct, as far as I know, sir. 



Mr. Hughes. So the deep water and the currents that have dis- 

 seminated that material have borne out the original studies that at 

 least given the scope of the dumping up until now it has not pre- 

 sented a direct impact upon those coastal areas. 



However, the migratory species of seafood that are contaminated, 

 taking the PCB's and taking it up in their fatty tissues poses as 

 much risk to Delaware as it does to New Jersey. You have a very 

 substantial recreational fishery trade, you have very substantial 

 commercial fisheries as does New Jersey and Maryland, and frank- 

 ly, I question the statement really whether or not the deepwater 

 site will present more risk. 



I grant you that we are talking about a new type of dumping in 

 the deepwater site and a lot of us don't like the idea of any dump- 

 ing and nobody has fought harder on this question in trying to 

 phase out harmful dumping than this Member, but for the life of 

 me, I can't see it as a New Jersey versus Delaware-Maryland- Vir- 

 ginia issue. 



Mr. Castle. Let me say I appreciate your obvious knowledge in 

 questioning Mayor Koch and in terms of your questions here and I 

 defer to that. I don't want you to think we are opposing each other 

 because we have to stay together to get a lot of things done. But 

 our situation is different by the fact we don't have ocean dumping 



