666 



Additional Questions of Mr. Forsythe and Answered by NOAA 



Question 



Please detail for the Subcommittee the NOAA budget for FY 1983 

 through 1985, for personnel and support activities related to 

 the ocean disposal of radioactive waste. 



a. What is the level of resources now committed to 

 studying effects of ocean radioactive waste disposal? 



b. What is the present level of effort that NOAA has 

 currently detailed to interagency coordination? 

 What is the direction and substance of this effort? 



Answer 



NOAA has no budgetary items associated specifically with one 

 type of material disposed in the oceans or another. However, 

 an attempt is made below to estimate and/or pro-rate resources 

 in regard to radioactive waste disposal as requested. It also 

 should be understood that forthcoming research proposals in 

 FY 1984 — particularly to NOAA's National Ocean Service and 

 Sea Grant programs — could include projects dealing with ocean 

 disposal of radioactive wastes directly or indirectly. The 

 total resources committed to activities related to the ocean 

 disposal of radioactive waste are estimated to be 398,000 in. 

 FY 1983, $142,000 in FY 1984 (FY 85 budget still under review). 



a. The level of resources committed to research related to 

 ocean disposal is estimated to be $60,000 in FY 1983 and 

 $60,000 in FY 1984, (plus additional project matching 

 funds). The project is a study effort on the "Advanced 

 Deep Ocean Remotely Operable Work Vehicle." This is a Sea 

 Grant project being conducted at Scripps Institute of 

 Oceanography. 



b. The present level of effort for interagency coordination 

 will be $30,000 in FY 1984. The direction and substance of 

 this effort is to coordinate Federal marine pollution 

 research and monitoring activities as part of NOAA's respon- 

 sibilities under the National Ocean Pollution Planning Act. 

 This effort involves development of a coordinated national 

 plan for research involves developme.nt of a coordinated 

 national plan for research and monitoring to evaluate the 

 marine option for disposal of low-level radioactive wastes. 

 The plan will be developed by NOAA's National Marine 

 Pollution Program Office (NMPPO), through the auspices of 

 the Interagency Committee on Pollution Research, Development 

 and Monitoring (COPRDM). 



