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with this problem. Admittedly the public is much more alert than they 
had been, but I don’t yet know what the cost would be to implement 
the plan which you suggest. If you were the Governor from New 
York what would you do about it ? 
Mr. Orrincrr. We Democrats have learned from you Republicans, 
at long last, the importance of the balance of powers between Con- 
gress and the Executive. They have reached the conclusion which 
you once pronounced very strongly, and which I think, facetiousness 
aside, still do, that the Congress has a real responsibility in these 
areas. It isn’t just the Administration’s option to act or not act as 
catastrophe faces the Nation in any particular field. The Congress 
has a responsibility which I think in recent years it has failed ade- 
quately to exercise, and which I hope that we, working together, 
can exercise at least in this respect here today. 
Mr. Kerrn. This is a bipartisan bill and it has bipartisan support. 
Mr. Ortincer. It has a majority of the Members of Cengress from 
both the State of New York and the State of New Jersey on a 
bipartisan basis. 
Mr. Kerrx. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 
Mr. Diner. Mr. Karth. 
Mr Karr. Mr. Chairman, I have no questions. I just want to con- 
gratulate the gentleman, irrespective of whose fault it is and who is 
doing most of the polluting and where it started, for having focused 
attention on this problem, and as a result of his initiative and that of 
others causing these hearings to be held, hopefully we will be able 
to do something about it. 
Mr. Orrincer. Thank you very much. 
Mr. Drncett. Mr. Grover. 
Mr. Grover. Mr. Chairman. 
Mr. Ottinger, I notice here you say that we have in the past 6 
years dumped 17.5 million cubic yards of spoil and sludge and so 
forth. Probably even 1 cubic yard is too much, disturbing the 
ecology, soiling our beautiful Atlantic beaches and our Atlantic fish- 
ing grounds. But you would go beyond the thrust of the bill, which 
I have cosponsored, the bill which provides a crash study very badly 
needed. You go beyond that to say that we must stop immediately. 
Noting the time that it takes to put in, to construct sewage systems 
and incinerators and large public works projects, what is the alter- 
native method of disposition? It would seem to me that we are look- 
ing at a couple of years, even assuming the cost is tremendous and 
it must be done, to put in disposal facilities. What happens to the 
‘millions of tons of waste which will be piling up some place in 
the interim ? 
Mr. Orrincer. What we have suggested, with the advice of Dr. 
Pearce, who may want to comment on this, really are two things. One 
is a real crack down on industries that are pouring heavy metals 
and highly toxic chemicals into the public sewer system. We must 
require them to make the investment necessary. The customer is go- 
ing to pay for it. There is no sense kidding yourself, there is a price 
to pay as Mr. Keith pointed out but it seems to me this is so dangerous 
that we just have to make them extract from their dangerous mate- 
rials these substances. 
