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MOBILIZING FOK POLLUTION ABATEMENT 



In order to provide an appropriate study of pollution in an area of 

 specific interest, a project should have certain definite objectives. These 

 should include, first of all, the establishment of environmental baselines 

 for the area with respect to the physical, chemical, and biological 

 processes going on in the area. This phase should relate information 

 about the distribution of fish, shellfish, and bottom dwelling organisms. 

 It should also determine the basic speed and direction of current move- 

 ment — a critical mechanism in the transport of pollutants. Second, the 

 project should note the changes induced in the system by the polluting 

 activity, and bo able to assess the consequences and implications of these 

 changes. Third, the project should have as a goal the improvement of 

 one's abilitv to predict the consequences of man's activities that pol- 

 lute the environment. This entails determining key parameters to be 

 monitored which would provide the necessary advance warning infor- 

 mation. In this respect, the expanding technology of environmental 

 monitoring through sensors on satellites, buoys, ships, and other plat- 

 forms will provide valuable assistance. Sensor technology can furnish 

 an indication of the presence and extent of pollutants as well as out- 

 line the processes that disperse and dilute these substances. With 

 knowledge of these processes, the oceans can be used more effectively 

 to dilute certain type of relatively harmless wastes while at the same 

 time broadening one's capability to cope with harmful substances 

 released by accident. 



RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEM OF OCEAN POLLUTION 



Federal Legislation. — Kecent Federal legislation such as the Clean 

 Air Amendments of 1970 (Public Law 91-604) may be expected to 

 reduce the atmospheric trans^wrt of pollutants which eventually reach 

 the ocean by exchange across the air/sea interface. Other legislation, 

 namely the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 

 (Public Law 92-500), and the INIarine Protection, Eesearch, and 

 Sanctuaries Act of 1972 (Public Law 92-532), may be expected to sig- 

 nificantly reduce direct ocean pollution. The Federal Water Pollution 

 Control Act Amendments ha^^e as their target the policing and eventual 

 elimination of the discharge of pollution substances; for example, in- 

 dustrial effluent, into navigable waters, and the oceans at large. The 

 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Environ- 

 mental Protection Agency, the Corps of Engineers, and the Coast 

 Guard in implementing the requirements of the Marine Protection, 

 Eesearch and Sanctuaries Act which is concerned with a major source 

 of pollution, ocean dumping. These regulatory agencies have begun to 

 carry out the permit provisions of this legislation. 



International Cooperation. — Cooperation among nations is an inte- 

 gral part of any program designed to deal with and eventually curb 

 marine pollution. No one country alone can make all the measurements 

 required nor hope to stem pollution by unilateral action. Intergovern- 

 mental cooperation is also necessary in order to integrate global marine 

 pollution control activities. 



The National Science Fomidation is supporting work related to 

 ocean pollution, a substantial portion of which is carried out under 



