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ies people are at this time developing a deep water program. 

 Whether or not monitoring of one of the Shell wells is an element 

 of this program, I am not certain. 



Mr. D' Amours. I thought you told me earlier there was some 

 planning going on. 



Mr. Danenberger. There is planning for deep water monitoring. 



Mr. D' Amours. But not at the Shell site? 



Mr. Danenberger. I think that is being considered, but I am not 

 certain as to whether or not 



Mr. D' Amours. Mr. Beller seems to think that would be a good 

 idea. 



Mr. Danenberger. I agree. 



Mr. D'Amours. You think it would be a good idea? Has anyone 

 proposed that good idea to Interior? 



Mr. Danenberger. It has been discussed and is being considered. 



Mr. D'Amours. Do you know if the Secretary has seen it? 



Mr. Danenberger. I don't know. 



Mr. D'Amours. You don't know if any action has been taken as 

 to whether or not that plan should be implemented? 



Mr. Danenberger. No, I don't. I do know there is going to be a 

 deep water program discussed in the near future. There is a possi- 

 bility that that would be an element of it. 



Mr. D'Amours. All right. 



Mr. Beller, you noted there was an increase in the levels of 

 barium, but obviously, or apparently from your statement, not any- 

 thing that we should be at this point concerned about. At what 

 levels should we become concerned? 



Do you have any knowledge of that? 



Mr. Beller. Yes. I would say we should be concerned when the 

 levels — and if the levels of barium do have effects on the communi- 

 ty structure of the organisms on the seabed. Now tests, laboratory 

 tests have shown that even elevated amounts of barium, and only a 

 limited number of tests, seemingly do not have too much of an 

 effect. There has been some abrasions, physical effects of the gut I 

 believe in some shrimp. But we don't have really a large amount of 

 data that would indicate that barium is a serious concern. 



Mr. D'Amours. Do you mean in the Georges Bank area, you have 

 detected these effects? 



Mr. Beller. These effects I am speaking of were laboratory tests, 

 not in the Georges Bank area. 



Mr. D'Amours. You said there was something about shrimp. 



Mr. Beller. Yes, but that was a laboratory test. 



Mr. D'Amours. Not noted in the bank area? 



Mr. Beller. That is correct. 



Mr. D'Amours. And even at increased levels of barium, you say? 



Mr. Beller. Yes. 



Mr. D'Amours. Is not barium highly toxic? 



Mr. Beller. No. It is not very toxic at all. It is what we use when 

 we take internal examinations, I understand. I would not advise 

 you making a diet of it; rather untasty. 



Mr. D'Amours. I was under the impression it is toxic. It is not 

 terribly toxic? 



Mr. Beller. I think what you may be referring to is chromium, 

 which can be quite toxic, which we do use in drilling fluids. 



