609 



-6- 



hearings in affected coastal states. Third , assuming that EPA 

 preliminarily approves a permit for disposal of low-level 

 radioactive wastes after the moratorium has ended, final approval 

 is conditioned upon Congressional passage of a joint resolution 

 within 90 legislative days after the EPA decision. 33 U.S.C. 

 §1414(1) (4). 



With respect to the domestic moratorium that is now in 

 force, its adoption reflects the view that a more deliberate pace 

 is needed for consideration of the ocean option. A principal 

 objective of the moratorium, as evidenced by your Subcommittee's 

 report on H.R. 6113, is to provide time for the completion of 

 more detailed research into the uncertainties and possible 

 impacts of radioactive waste disposal. That purpose was restated 

 in the recent letter sent by House members to Navy Secretary 

 Lehman. 



Presumably, EPA would be the lead agency in directing such 

 focused research efforts, with NOAA, DOE, the Navy, FDA and other 

 appropriate federal and state agencies participating. 

 Incorrectly, federal officials appear to view the moratorium as a 

 time for inaction on the research front. While there have been 

 several reports issued recently by EPA with respect to 1975-1978 

 field surveys and packaging performance criteria,_^ and one 



^ Development of a Working Set of Waste Package Performance 

 Criteria for the Disposal of Low-Level Radioactive Waste , ORP/EPA 

 520/1-82-007 (November 1982); Materials for Containment of Low- 

 Level Nuclear Waste in the Deep Ocean , ORP/EPA 520/1-82-005 

 (December 1982); Quantitative Mineral Assessment and Radionuclide 

 Retention Potential of Atlantic 3800-Meter Nuclear Waste Dumpsite 

 Sediments , ORP/EPA 520/1-83-003 (March 1983); 1978 Atlantic 3800- 

 Meter Radioactive Waste Disposal Site Survey: Sedimentary, 



