103 



Marine pollution was one of the eleven subject areas enumerated in the 

 U.S./USSR Bilateral Agreement signed in Moscow by Presidents Nixon and 

 I'odgorny on May 23, 1972. It has now been broken up into three separate 

 projects, each with its own working group. The projects deal with marine 

 pollution from shipping (lead Agency: Coast Guard), marine pollution from oil 

 and gas drilling and production (lead Agency: U.8. Geological Survey), and 

 the effects of marine iK)llution on marine life (lead Agency : Environmental 

 Protection Agency). Meetings of joint U.S./Soviet working groups on all three 

 projects took place in the United States in May 1973. 



Under the project on marine pollution from shipping, the two sides will ex- 

 change information on technical means for avoiding accidental oil spills in ports 

 and harbors and the open sea, for cleaning oil-contaminated water intankers, 

 for washing cargo and fuel tanks on tankers and other vessels, on chemical 

 means for the collecting dispersing and sinking of oil in the marine environ- 

 ment, and on laws rules, and procedures for control of marine pollution from 

 .shipping. They will also work on collection and elimination of sewage and solid 

 wastes from vessels 



The Program of Work of the oil production working group includes methods 

 and techniques for prevention of marine pollution during drilling and develop- 

 ment of oil fields ; collection and treatment of oil field waste waters ; and pre- 

 vention of pollution from oil pipelines. 



The Joint Working Group on effects of pollutants on marine organisms drew-up 

 an ambitious 20-point program of cooperative research, including such topics as 

 effect of pollutants on stability of marine ecosystems ; synergistic effects of pol- 

 lutants on marine organisms ; effects of toxic organics, including biocides and 

 their degradation products, on marine organisms : global budgets of mai'ine pollu- 

 tion ; sources of plastic particles in the marine environment and their effects 

 on organisms ; and problems associated with ocean dumping of solid wastes. 



All of these projects will get underway with exchange of published information 

 and data will progress to exchanges of scientists and technicians for brief visits 

 and for extended stays, to seminars and symposia, and ultimately to research 

 projects designed and carried out according to a common plan. 



The first meetings of all three working groups were considered highly suc- 

 cessful by the United States project chairmen, who were encouraged by the 

 seriousness and professionalism of their Russian colleagues. They expect the 

 cooperation to provide solid practical benefits to the United States. 



Of more importance to our own waters is our cooperation with Canada. The 

 United States and Canada signed a "Joint T'nited States-Canada Oil and Haz- 

 ardous Materials Contingency Plan for the Great Lakes Region on June 10, 1971. 

 The purpose of the plan is to provide a coordinated and integrated response to 

 pollution incidents in the Great Lakes System by responsible federal, state/ 

 provincial, and local agencies. It supplements the national, regional and local 

 plans of the two sides. The contingency plan is administered by the Coast Guard 

 on the United States side. It has been incori^orated into the Great Lakes Water 

 Quality Agreement of April 15, 1972. 



Negotiations have been going on with Canada for some time to conclude a 

 comprehensive marine pollution contingency plan that would subsume the Great 

 Lakes plan and would apply to the Atlantic and Pacific coasts as well. Negotia- 

 tions have progressed well, but are now suspended while the United States side 

 studies the implications of the draft plan for the question of territorial and mari- 

 time jurisdiction, which will be dealt with at the Law of the Sea meetings. There 

 is no indication of when these negotiating problems might be resolved, though 

 de facto cooperation on oil spills is already going on in Puget Sound. Prospects 

 of greatly increased tanker traffic along both coasts over the next few years would 

 seem to make conclusion of an agreement a matter of priority. 



Mr. Chairman, I have very briefiy covered a number of activities in which the 

 Department is active concerning the subject of marine pollution control. Our 

 success in each of these areas depends very much on the technical capabilities and 

 participation of a number of technical agencies of our government. I believe the 

 team work that we all have enjoyed over the past years in working on these is- 

 sues has been excellent. We look forward to continuing this relationship in the 

 future. 



Thank you for your attention to my remarks and I will be pleased to answer any 

 questions you may have on this material. 



Senator Stevens. Mr. Nierenberg. 



Excuse me, Mr. Nierenberg, I do appreciate your appearance. Yours 

 is a short statement ; would you like to present it ? 



26-282—74 8 



