615 



-12- 



During 1981, EPA and NOAA officials devoted significant resources 

 towards development of that strategy. By September, 1981, a 

 revised draft Program Plan for Monitoring Radioactivity in the 

 Oceans was completed. As its "Purpose" stated, the monitoring 

 plan was intended to fulfill five objectives, i.e., 



1. To establish an interagency program for 

 systematically monitoring radioactive wastes and 

 conducting research on the long-term effects of 

 radioactive pollution in the oceans. 



2. To provide scientific data for developing 

 specific criteria to regulate any future disposal 

 of radioactive wastes. 



3. To acquire baseline data for areas not 

 affected by dumping of radioactive wastes to 

 serve as a reference for evaluating past or 

 future dumping. 



4. To conduct research for improving 

 radiation monitoring capabilities and to 

 understand the behavior of radioactive materials 

 in the marine environment. 



5. To test our present belief that previous 

 ocean dumping of radioactive wastes is not a 

 threat to health or the marine environment. 



Regrettably, this EPA/NOAA revised draft program plan was never 



published for outside comment, nor was it ever completed. 

 Instead, it is gathering dust somewhere in agency files. That 

 revised draft plan could serve as a significant base for the 

 development of a comprehensive research and monitoring program 

 which is as necessary now as it was in 1981. 



On a related m.atter, the environmental coalition also 

 believes that the Congress should provide EPA with guidance 

 concerning revisions to the existing Ocean Dumping Act 

 regulations for radioactive wastes. Since 1981, there have been 

 indications that EPA was planning to issue revised regulations. 



