588 



But still the fact is — and this is important because it reflects the 

 approach that we take at these international forums — there was a 

 great body of opinion at the LDC VII that low-level radioactive 

 waste did or might constitute a threat to the marine environment, 

 human health, et cetera, and that pending the outcome of a study 

 there should be a moratorium, and you considered that a prejudg- 

 ing of the case. Yet the overwhelming majority of delegates consid- 

 ered a moratorium to be a prudent way to proceed when there was 

 doubt. I wanted the record to show that. 



My 5 minutes has expired. 



Mr. SuNiA. On page 7 of the State Department testimony, it says, 

 "The delegation indicated that the United States was not disposing 

 of radioactive wastes in the ocean and had no future plans to 

 engage in such dumping in the South Pacific Ocean." 



Do I take that to mean we will never, never, never, ever have 

 plans to conduct such dumping as we now state, or is that our posi- 

 tion as far as this convention is concerned? I am reading from page 

 7 of the testimony. 



Ms. Hughes. If I understand your question, it is whether the 

 United States has stated definitively that we would never ever con- 

 sider dumping in the South Pacific. That is not what my statement 

 is meant to reflect. What we told the South Pacific countries last 

 January was that the United States was not dumping in the region 

 and had no current plans to dump. 



Mr. SuNiA. I see. The word current is not in here, so I guess 

 when that is introduced it means somewhat different. 



Ms. Hughes. We currently have no plans to dump. 



Mr. SuNiA. I wanted the record to be correct on that. 



Now, presumably then, if we are not dumping now somebody else 

 is doing it. Can we have for the record an indication of who might 

 be doing that now? 



Ms. Hughes. I believe EPA can answer that question. 



Mr. Sjoblom. I am not aware of any country in the world dump- 

 ing in the Pacific, let alone the South Pacific. 



Mr. SuNiA. As of now? 



Good. 



Now, I want to know how we are receiving the views of our terri- 

 tories in the Pacific with regards to developing our position. Are 

 we receiving it directly or are we receiving it through the Depart- 

 ment of the Interior. Are we consulting with the Governors of the 

 territories? 



Ms. Hughes. We are actively consulting directly through the 

 State Department with our Pacific territories. A number of them 

 were represented at the last negotiating round in January and we 

 are hopeful that we will see them in Noumea again next week. 



Mr. SuNiA. Thank you very much. 



It would add to my knowledge greatly if you can clarify a point 

 for me. Presumably, low-level waste dumping is not very bad, so 

 therefore, it may probably be acceptable. Now, at what point do 

 they accumulate to become not low level but high level? Does it 

 ever accumulate to the danger level or does it remain low regard- 

 less of the volume that we dump? 



Mr. Sjoblom. Let me attempt to answer that question. The defi- 

 nition of high level radioactive waste that was derived by the Inter- 



