265 



There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 

 the Kecord, as follows : 



Statement by Senatoe Kennedy 



I am introducing an amendment of the Coastal Zone Management bill S. 3507 

 reported by the Commerce Committee to provide for a year-long study by the Na- 

 tional Academy of Sciences of the environmental risks, the risk to fishing and the 

 risks to recreational areas of offshore oil drilling on the Atlantic outer continental 

 shelf. The $500,000 study also would explore alternatives to offshore oil drilling 

 in meeting the nation's energy needs. 



Mr. President, this is an amendment similar to the one I introduced in December 

 1971, to the earlier version of this same measure. 



The amendment would authorize the Administrator of the National Oceanic 

 and Atmospheric Administration of the Department of Commerce, after consulta- 

 tion with the Secretary of the Interior, to finance a detailed National Academy 

 of Sciences study of this subject. 



In this way, the Congress and the nation could be sure that any action taken 

 by the government with regard to offshore drilling in the Atlantic will follow an 

 independent analysis of the possible risks from such a venture. 



Currently, the Secretary of the Interior has indicated that internal studies of 

 environmental and other risks related to offshore drilling are underway within 

 the Department. And he notes that public hearings on the matter will be held. 



However, it seems clear that a fully independent study by competent scientists 

 will further the public knowledge on this matter. 



In that regard, let me repeat the statement of the U.S. representative at a recent 

 United Nations conference. His opening words were : "Subsea mineral exploita- 

 tion inevitably carries the potendal to create hazards to ther uses of the sea and 

 to damage other marine resources." 



The extent of that risk should be fully evaluated before the nation even con- 

 siders the possibility of extending the dangers of oil drilling to the Atlantic 

 Continental Shelf, adjacent to the heavily populated eastern seaboard of this 

 country. 



The potential dangers not only to the beaches of Atlantic coast states but to 

 the rich fishing grounds off our New England shores requires the utmost caution 

 in any endeavor of this nature. 



We already have seen the horror of a Santa Barbara oil blowout. "We cannot 

 afford a similar catastrophe off Boston or New York or Charleston. 



For that reason, I believe an independent inquiry by the National Academy, 

 which previously has indicated its competence and willingness to undertake such 

 a study, is essential. In addition, I would note that while SecretaiT of Interior 

 Morton has not requested funds for such a study he stated at a Congressional 

 briefing that he personally would favor such an inquiry. 



In addition, I would note that correspondence from several East Coast Gov- 

 ernors as well as from prestigious university and scientific institutes, indicates 

 virtually unanimous support for such a study. 



(I ask unanimous consent to attach at the conclusion of my remarks eon-e- 

 spondence on this matter). 



The need for an independent evaluation which would be available to the Con- 

 gress, to the NOAA administrator and to the Secretary of the Interior is made 

 even more evident by our recent experience with solely governmental studies. 



Too ofen, competent and relevant studies which could help the Congress to 

 draft intelligent public policies have been -withheld because the conclusions con- 

 flict with the official Administration posture. 



We have seen that occur with regard to studies on the SST. We have seen it 

 occur with the U.S. Geological Survey and Council of Environmental Quality 

 comments on the Amchitka underground nuclear test. And we have seen it occur 

 most recently in another area when the Labor Department buried a scathing 

 Indictment of its Rural Manpower Service. 



Even when the most capable government scientists and professional employees 

 are involved in a study, the Congress cannot be assured that it will benefit 

 because the conclusions of those investigations may never see the light of day. 



When this becomes a matter of routine, then we must obtain indeiiendent 

 analyses which will provide us with the necessary data for rational decision- 

 making. 



