9 



But Avhat in the next year or 2 years, what kind of studies or coordi- 

 nation with this energy crisis and the location of oil refineries at the 

 shoreline ? Is it bad for me to put one in South Carolina, or is it good, 

 and what are you doing to supply that answer for me? 



Dr. White, Well, it is clear, Senator, that each case has to be judged 

 by itself, because you are dealing with a particular locality, a par- 

 ticular siting, and a particular plant has waste products peculiar to it. 



It applies not only to oil refineries, but other industrial activities 

 that you might undertake on the shoreline. 



Senator Hollings. When we had the Suez crisis, they brought oil 

 from Venezuela into our ports in South Carolina, and to other ports. 

 They released all their purchases along that area, but assuming those 

 were areas that they still would want, and would want to relocate. 

 Now. what damage would there be ? You know of our marine science 

 center, and you have visited in that coastal area. A typical oil refinery 

 in that area would do what damage? That is what I would want to 

 know in general terms rather than a specific study, so that we in the 

 political arena will be able to respond properly. 



Dr. White. Well, what I am about to say will be totally speculative, 

 but the environmental impacts that we are concerned about can take 

 place at a niunber of points in the sequence of events that would lead 

 to refining of the oil. 



First, of course, should you have an accident in the transport of the 

 crude oil to a refinery, you have the kind of problem that we had with 

 the Torrey Canyon. Now, we know something about the effects of 

 crude oil. It has a rather devastating effect on recreational activities 

 in the area. 



Senator Hollingr. How likely is a Toi-^rey Canyon? If you use the 

 same on airplanes, some will crash 



Dr. White. I would have to know the nature of the ship involved, 

 the traffic, and the particular harbor. I would have to know what kind 

 of safety procedures are observed. There are large ports that deal 

 with the importation of oil from very, very large tankers that are 

 highly modern and have very little impact, like Milford Haven. 



Senator Hollings. Aren't there established refineries where you 

 could conduct research and find out what the experience was where 

 some are located ? There is the environment and the coastal zone, and 

 you can tell how much damage has occurred in this particular area, in 

 Galveston, or out in Santa Barbara. Of course, that was drilling. I was 

 speaking of a refinery. 



Dr. White. I will discuss later in my testimony some of the results 

 that ocpur from crude oil as far as its effects on living resources, but 

 we are also concerned about low levels of oil concentrations on fish. We 

 are concerned about spills of crude oil and the things that it can do 

 to the beaches and also to the area in general. Wiat we need in each case 

 is more environmental information than we presently have. 



One of the points I will be making later in my testimony is that 

 indeed there is a significant absence of Iniowledge on the full effects of 

 many of these things. I don't know I can get 



Senator Hotjjngs. ^Ylio is to make practical your research ? In other 

 words, I am not, of course, disparaging it, because I am a full sup- 

 porter of the progT-am. We got a bill through the Congress. But what 

 I am getting to is who is to find out whether or not oil refineries should 



