11 



Dr. WHrrE, The problem you raise is a real one, and we have estab- 

 lished an Office of Coast Environment, whose function in NOAA is 

 to deal with our responsibilities for implementation of the coastal 

 zone, the implementation of our responsibilities under the Ocean 

 Dumping Act, and making sure that all the elements of NOAA who 

 have somethmg and can't contribute to coastal environmental prob- 

 lems are brought together. 



So there is a single focus in NOAA that one can go to, to get action 

 in our organization. 



Senator Hollings. That is what I want to know, because we senators 

 have to answer these questions. When they come to us, we can go to 

 the coastal and environmental office in NOAA to determine whether 

 a refinery is generally, and I am not talking specifically, but whether 

 it is generally good or bad ? 



Dr. White. The Office will see that you get whatever information 

 we have available with regard to that kind of a question. 



Senator Hollings. I think this is some of the research, and obviously 

 it is very practical and very real, and yet generally at this particular 

 time I find a lack of that type of authoritative information as to what 

 the true impact is, what the cost factors are that are involved. Because 

 when we vote on these things, none of us ever knows the dollars and 

 cents figure put out there on the side by them. What is the practical 

 impact, where you have the emission levels on the automobile now 

 which have been lessened by the President, and we find that we enact 

 laws that are not realistic. 



Dr. White. I think. Mr. Chairman, we need a great deal more infor- 

 mation about the kind of problems that you are talking about than we 

 presently have. I think that is clear. 



As I indicate in my testimony, that is true. I tliink it is important to 

 emphasize the point which you are making — that the decisions that 

 are to be taken with regard to the use of that coastal zone, whether it 

 be for refineries or what have you, really ought to be based on the best 

 scientific and technical information that we can provide. These de- 

 cisions have got to be made in a rational way. 



There are value judgments that have to be made, but at least the 

 value judgment as to how we use the coastal zone ought to be based 

 upon good scientific and technical information, rather than emotional 

 reactions or speculation. 



Our organization is attempting to provide this kind of scientific and 

 technical information so that people who are responsible for making 

 those decisions about the use of our coastal zone can make them in the 

 light of that kind of data. 



Senator Hollings. Very good, sir. Thank you. You may proceed 



Dr. White. I would like to talk a bit about the major classes of 

 ocean pollutants, and perhaps this will add some additional informa- 

 tion on the tiling we have been talking about, and while we have de- 

 scribed a number of activities which can cause ocean pollution, par- 

 ticularly if not carefully regulated, we know that many of the con- 

 taminants stemming from these activities, such as sediment, organic 

 materials, pathogenic organisms, and waste heat, cause serious coastal 

 or estuarine pollution problems. 



However, serious as these problems are, I would like now to turn to 

 an issue which I regard as being of central concern. 



