162 
Dr. Aron. That is correct. 
Mr. Dinceiy. What agency is there that can say the dumping of 
several tons an hour in such an area is safe ? 
Dr. Aron. Hopefully, sir, in the new environmental protection ad- 
ministration we will see the creation of such an agency. I think for 
now a large part of the responsibility falls between the boards. I think 
some of the responsibility is clearly tied into the Federal Water Qual- 
ity Administration and other parts of the Department of Interior, but 
I think one would be hard pressed to examine the situation in the open 
ocean as opposed to the near-shore regions, which also involve State 
agencies. 
Mr. Murreny. Mr. Chairman, I would like to address a question 
back to the Corps of Engineers and find out what the cost of one 
oceangoing dredge is. 
As we get into this tremendous cost program of how much can we 
pay and how much is available for the control of the environment, we 
would like to get that, just to get into the cost of some plans that some 
people propose for cleaning up the environment. 
Mr. Dineett. The Chair will explore that with counsel. 
Dr. Aron. I would comment also, for certain materials such as 
radioactive wastes, clearly the Atomic Energy Commission has au- 
thority and responsibility. 
I would like to provide an example of a kind of waste product that 
has received a great deal of public attention in the past and to show 
you a little bit about how the ocean operates. 
Strontium-90 is regarded as a severe hazard, particularly when it 
ends up in the terrestrial environment, where, because of its similarity 
to calcium, and because of the great shortage of calcium on land, is 
incorporated by animals as part of their skeletal] structure. Terrestrial 
animals are calcium-hungry and, as a result, they will pick up ele- 
ments which look lke calcium, and Strontium-90 looks like calcium. 
Therefore you end up, with a source of radiation in the bones which 
could indeed be a hazard. 
On the other hand, the sea has a rich supply of calcium. Strontium- 
90 can be released into the sea where it undergoes the phenomenon of 
isotope dilution and is basically rendered harmless in the sea in 
quantities which would be very dangerous if they returned to the land. 
I think this kind of question and many questions like this have to 
be critically reviewed, recognizing that what may be very hazardous 
on land may be safe for disposal at sea, and vice versa. 
Mr. Drxcerx. Doctor, we are grateful to you for your very helpful 
testimony. The committee wishes to express its thanks to you for your 
presence and the time and thought that you put into your presenta- 
tion this morning. 
Dr. Aron. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 
Mr. Dincetu. If there is no further business to be conducted by the 
committee this morning, the subcommittee will stand adjourned until 
10:00 a.m., tomorrow morning. 
(Whereupon, at 12:40 p.m., the subcommittee adjourned, to recon- 
vene at 10a.m., Tuesday, July 28, 1970.) 
