30 
COMMITTEE FINDINGS 
A. Summary -- Part I 
1. The New York Harbor Complex must rank as one of the largest 
grossly polluted areas in the United States. 
2. The major sources of pollution in the New York Bight (see 
page 24 for definition) are (1) sewer and industrial outfalls, (2) 
ocean disposal of sewage sludge and dredge spoil, (3) river dis- 
charge and land runoff, (4) wastes from vessels, (5) accidental 
spills, and (6) harbor debris. 
3. No significant improvement in the water quality in the New 
York Bight can be expected until the mid-70's. Complete secondary 
treatment is not scheduled for New York City and Passaic Valley 
Sanitation Commission until 1976. Additional pollution treatment 
facilities in up-river and shoreline communities will not be com- 
pleted until the mid-70's. Vessel pollution should be signifi- 
cantly reduced under the provisions of the Water Quality Improve- 
ment Act of 1970. 
4. Even with completion of all currently proposed pollution 
abatement programs, conditions in the New York Bight will fall short 
of what must be the ultimate goal of protecting coastal ocean envi- 
ronments from serious degradation. 
5. There will be increased pressure for more ocean disposal of 
sewage sludge and dredge materials in the New York Bight. This 
will raise to a potentially critical level the threat of pollution 
to land and surrounding ocean. 
6. The projected increase in pollution from ocean disposal 
practices calls for stricter control of future ocean disposal 
practices in the New York Bight. 
7. The major threat to full enjoyment of the proposed Gateway 
National Recreation Area and other beaches in the New York Bight is 
pollution. To date, however, there has not been demonstrated any 
connection between present ocean dumping practices and water pol- 
lution at any of the proposed Gateway sites. 
8. The present ocean disposal of sewage sludge and dredge fill 
may be a serious threat to the sanitary quality of local populations 
of ocean quahogs and surf clams (4-10 mile radius). 
9. Accumulation by fish and shellfish of heavy metals and other 
persistent toxic compounds is another potential health hazard in the 
New York Bight. This threat appears to be most serious from the 
sludge disposal areas. 
