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Mr. Karri. I would point out, Mr. Chairman, that there are other 
Members of Congress in addition to Mr. Mikva and Mr. Howard who_ 
hope to be heard and hope to run for reelection to this body. 
Mr. Drvceux. We intend to hear all of our colleagues. 
Mr. Orrrncer. In consideration of that problem, Dr. Pearce doesn’t 
have any direct testimony to give at all, but he is here available to an- 
swer your questions. . 
Mr. Kerrn. I don’t mean to give him any plugs, but I must admit 
that I never heard a more hopeful introduction. He is ready, willing, 
and able to answer any and all questions, and I suspect that it is a 
gross misstatement of the fact, because there are so many questions 
that can’t be answered that he shouldn’t be expected to have that com- 
etency. 
: Mr. Dineen. The Chair observes that Dr. Pearce is from Woods 
Hole. 
Mr. Kerru. I noticed that years ago. I just think it is too much to ex- 
pect to have all the answers. 
Mr. Orrineer. If I may proceed, Mr. Chairman. 
Mr. Dineertn. You may indeed. 
Mr. Orrrnerr. It is my conviction that the scientific data collected 
by Dr. Pearce more than justifies immediate action to halt further 
dumping operations in New York Bight, and I urge this committee 
to act as quickly as possible to accomplish this goal. In addition, I 
would point out that the problem of coastal pollution from dumping 
operations is by no means limited to the New York Bight. Since J] 
first described the conditions at the mouth of New York Harbor, I 
have learned that similar situations are being created throughout all 
of our coastal waters. 
There are 210 dumping sites being used in our coastal waters under 
the permit authority of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Of the 
total, 61 are located off the east coast, 26 in the Gulf of Mexico, 17 off 
the west coast, and 95 in the Great Lakes area. Insofar as I can de- 
termine, the total amount of dumping is not known. But we may get 
some indication of the damage that is being done to coastal waters 
from what we do know about the dumping in New York Harbor. 
Last year at the six sites in New York Bight, a total of 17.5 million 
cubic vards of dredge spoil, sewage sludge, cellar dirt, and industrial 
waste was dumped; and experts estimate that this is increasing at a 
rate of about 4 percent a year. 
Obviously the problem is national—and even international—in scope, 
and it demands immediate action. 
1 urge that this committee report favorably legislation forbidding 
the dumping of environmentally damaging material in the coastal 
waters of the United States. To give effective teeth, I suggest that fines 
of up to $10,000 be assessed for each violation. In addition, I urged 
that the responsibility for coastal waters be withdrawn from the Corps 
of Engineers and vested either in the Fish and Wildlife Service or, if 
the proposed reorganization goes into effect, the Environmental Protec- 
tion Agency. Having the Corps of Engineers do this job is very much 
_like setting the fox to mind the chickens, the Corps of Engineers be- 
ing one of the largest dredging outfits in the entire world. 
Mr. Chairman, before Dr. Pearce starts to answer questions you 
may have about the problem of the Bight, I would like to clear up two 
final points. 
a a ee 
