522 



review be comprehensive and subject to an aggressive timetable 

 that will insure its completion on schedule. 



As part of this interagency process, the State Department has 

 participated in a series of policy level meetings aimed at directing 

 U.S. participation in the London Dumping Convention. Subgroups 

 have been established on radioactive waste matters, other scientific 

 matters, legal questions, and congressional liaison. 



Related to the general issue of the effects of radioactive waste 

 disposal on the marine environment, the Nuclear Energy Agency, 

 part of the OECD, monitors dumping operations in the Northeast 

 Atlantic dumpsite. The NEA is engaged in a study of the suitabil- 

 ity of that site for use beyond 1984 and will report to the London 

 Dumping Convention on the results of that study. This information 

 will improve our understanding of the effects of radioactive waste 

 dumping and will assist the parties in reaching a solution regard- 

 ing the proposed ban. 



On the separate question of seabed emplacement of high level ra- 

 dioactive waste, I should note immediately that we defer to the De- 

 partment of Energy for a discussion of the technical aspects of the 

 question. Department of State interest centers on the international 

 research coordinated by the NEA and on the important question as 

 to how the concept of seabed emplacement fits in with United 

 States obligations under the London Dumping Convention. The 

 NEA coordinated research is intended to determine the technical 

 feasibility of permanently disposing of high level radioactive waste 

 by placing it below the seabed. 



We are now participating in an interagency process in anticipa- 

 tion of a London Dumping Convention sponsored meeting of legal 

 experts, scheduled for December 12 to 14, 1983, which will focus on 

 the question of whether seabed emplacement is "dumping" as the 

 term is defined in the London Dumping Convention. The meeting 

 will also consider possible mechanisms under the convention to 

 control the seabed emplacement of high-level radioactive waste. 



As I have stated, there is a coordinated inter^ational effort to de- 

 termine the feasibility of disposal of high level radioactive wastes 

 by placing them under the seabed. It is our understanding that it 

 may be possible by 1990 to state whether sub-seabed emplacement 

 is technically feasible and to define the risk to the marine environ- 

 ment. The Department of State favors continuation of this research 

 and we expect the position of the United States at the December 

 meeting to advance this objective. 



It is our view that if the concept is determined to be technically 

 feasible and if it is environmentally acceptable in accordance with 

 our obligations under the London Dumping Convention to protect 

 the marine environment, then consideration should be given to 

 what changes, if any, may be required in the London Dumping 

 Convention to provide a framework for the environmentally safe 

 application of the concept. 



There is little more detail that I can add at this point. As I have 

 indicated, the technical expertise is outside the Department of 

 State and we are still in the process of developing position papers 

 for the December meeting. We will, however, be pleased to brief 

 the subcommittee as specific positions are finalized. 



