617 



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on historical data; Phase II (1976-1988) is the determination of 

 scientific and environmental feasibility drawn from newly 

 acquired oceanographic and effects data; Phase III (1988-1993/95) 

 would determine engineering feasibility and legal and political 

 feasibility; and Phase IV (1993/95 to 2003+) would be dedicated 

 to demonstration of disposal facilities. The overall technnical 

 system includes consideration of waste form, land transport to 

 port facilities, possible container modifications at the port of 

 departure, vessel loading, transport to deep ocean areas over- 

 laying stable, uniform clay sediments, the subsequent dropping or 

 lowering of canisters that would be embedded in the seafloor, and 

 isolation of the canisters in the sediments. To date the 

 preferred method for disposing of canisters in the sediment would 

 involve free-falling penetrators that would be released from a 

 ship, fall through the water and, by force of their momentum, 

 bury themselves in the clay sediment. 



The consensus view of legal scholars is that seabed disposal 

 of high-level radioactive wastes is prohibited under the current 

 wording of the Ocean Dumping Act. If the ongoing R&D were to 

 conclude that high-level wastes could be buried safely in the 

 deep ocean sediments without harm to the marine environment. 

 Congress could then be asked to amend existing law to allow such 

 disposal. As the phased program approach indicates, however, 

 such an cimendment is premature at this time, since there are 

 significant technical, environmental and engineering questions 

 that need to be addressed and/or answered. 



28-914 O— 84 40 



