121 
I would also request that you give this committee the benefit of 
appropriate amendatory language to bring H.R. 17603 into conform- 
ity with the language of your suggestions. 
Mr. Everett. No further questions. 
Mr. Dincetu. Mr. Secretary, in spite of the differences that you and 
I oceasionally have of a professional character, 1 want you to know it 
is always a privilege for me to have you before the committee and to 
renew the friendship of which I am very proud. 
Dr. Guascow. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 
If I could, I would like to have one other discussion put into the 
record here this morning. 
Mr. Dincett. Certainly, Mr. Secretary. 
Dr. Guascow. I have brought with me Dr. Ray Johnson and he has 
hardly earned his keep this morning because he has said very little, 
so I am going to ask him to comment on a question that was raised 
earlier in relation to diseased fish, about sewer ontfalls, and the New 
York Bight. I would like for him to comment on that. 
Mr. Dincett. I think that would be very, very helpful. 
Doctor, if you please. 
Dr. Jounson. In very few words, Mr. Chairman, the presence of 
finless fishes that have corroded scales and are showing erosion of 
their gills and other symptoms of unhappy conditions is often associ- 
ated with deteriorating environment. The only problem is that we 
are not quite sure which elements of the deterioration are responsible 
for the reactions we are seeing in many of these fish species. 
It is possible, in the case of pulp wastes, for example, to know what 
effects they will have on fish species, possible in the case of some heavy- 
weight metal wastes. But in the New York Bight situation, we have a 
mixture of situations. We know something is wrong, but we have not 
quite put our finger on the exact culprit yet. 
Mr. Drncetu. Do yo have reason to identify any particular cause for 
the phenomenon that you observed with regard to fish? 
Dr. Jounson. No, sir, not yet. It is quite apparent that some general 
cause, such as reduced oxygen conditions over a long period of time, 
could be at fault. But then, what is causing the oxygen depletion ? 
There may be two or three things causing that which may be cor- 
rected to bring up the oxygen levels. That is just one example. 
Mr. Dincewu. Have there been any studies prepared with regard to 
these matters ? 
Dr. Jounson. Yes, sir. 
A study is underway and studies proposed. They can be related to 
you in greater detail, I am sure, when Dr. Jack Pierce arrives for your 
meetings tomorrow morning. He is the man in charge of those and can 
relate the progress of both the proposed ones and the present ones. 
Mr. DrnceE tt. I see. . 
The Chair will direct counsel, then, to review these matters with 
you in greater detail, I am sure, when Dr. Jack Pierce arrives for your 
lated to the studies and the information gleaned from these studies can 
be included in the hearing records as appropriate and at the appro- 
priate place. 
Doctor, the Chair does wish to thank you for your presence this 
morning and for your most helpful testimony. It is a privilege to have 
you with us. 
