18 
would be counterproductive. It would not solve any problems, but 
rather create additional ones. And I think that is one of the important 
points of my testimony today. 
In November, 1967, the Coastal Engineering Reasearch Center of 
the Corps of Engineers was directed to undertake a comprehensive 
study to monitor the offshore waste disposal areas to determine the 
immediate and residual effects on water quality and water chemistry. 
Effects on water quality, safety, use, ecology, and fish and wildlife 
conservation, and recreation in the dump area and contiguous waters 
would be weighed. 
The Smithsonian Institution was asked to propose the outline for 
study, which was awarded to the Sandy Hook Marine Laboratory of 
the Department of the Interior for 214 years at a cost of $280,000. 
The laboratory began work in the gall of 1968. 
In late 1969, the laboratory submitted an interim report of the 
progress of the study which confirmed that severe ecological damage 
existed in the New York Bight. At this point in the record I would 
like to include the introduction and discussion portions of the Sandy 
Hook report, which are also attached to my written testimony as 
appendix 3. 
Mr. Dincextu. Without objection, the document referred to will be 
inserted at this point in the record. 
(App. 3 follows :) 
APPENDIX III 
REPRESENTATIVE JOHN M. MURPHY ON THE EFFECTS OF WASTE DISPOSAL IN THE 
New YorK BigHt—INTERIM ReEporT For January 1, 1970 
(Prepared by The Sandy Hook Marine Laboratory, U.S. Bureau of Sport Fish- 
eries and Wildlife, Sandy Hook, Highlands, N.J., December 3, 1969) 
INTRODUCTION 
In March, 1968, a working committee comprised of invited scientists, staff 
members of the Corps of Engineers, and representatives of the Smithsonian In- 
stitution met to delineate the problem areas and to design studies which would 
elucidate the effects of waste disposal practices in the New York Bight. 
The committee suggested that a two-year program of study could be developed 
which would answer at least some of the questions posed (Gross and Wallen, 
1968, p. 4) it was also recognized that many questions could not be answered 
except through a much longer period of study, perhaps up to five years. An 
interim report was to be made available on or before 1 January 1970 with a 
final report due in September 1970. 
The areas deemed to require investigation included: 1) biological character- 
istics of the New York Bight, 2) physical and chemical properties of bottom 
sediments and water-borne particles, 3) physical and chemical properties of the 
marine environment, New York Bight, and 4) sources, dispersal, and movement 
of waste materials (Gross and Wallen, 1968, pp. 6-17). Each of the subject areas 
to be investigated was further broken down into subheadings including appro- 
priate literature surveys, field activities, and laboratory studies. Those items of 
research which were considered essential for the basic (two-year) study were 
indicated by an asterisk. 
In response to the recommendations made by the Smithsonian Institution, 
Sandy Hook Marine Laboratory prepared and submitted to the Smithsonian In- 
stitution a proposal, “The effects of waste disposal in the coastal waters of New 
York Harbor.” Based on this proposal the Laboratory was awarded a contract 
by the Corps of Engineers (CERC) to conduct a study within the guidelines set 
by the Smithsonian Institution’s recommendations and our proposal. As was 
suggested in page 6, paragraph 3 of the recommendations (Gross and Wallen, 
1968), we initially concentrated our biological studies on the benthic communities 
of the New York Bight. Following these recommendations (item C, p. 17) we 
