OCEAN POLLUTION 



THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 1973 



U.S. Senate, 

 Committee on Commerce, 

 Subcommittee on Oceans and Atmosphere, 



Washington^ D.G. 



The subcommittee met at 10 :05 a.m. in room 5110, Dirksen Senate 

 Office Building, Hon. Ernest F. Rollings (chairman of the subcom- 

 mittee) presiding. 



OPENING STATEMENT BY SENATOR HOLLINGS 



Senator Hollings. Good morning. The committee will please come 

 to order. 



Two weeks ago this subcommittee heard from a number of distin- 

 guished scientists on the environmental conditions in the world oceans. 

 They have collectively made a case showing clearly that pollution of 

 the oceans is a serious problem of national and international signif- 

 icance. 



This morning witnesses will be discussing two pieces of legislation 

 which seek to eliminate or reduce the total amount of polluting matter 

 reaching the ocean. 



S. 1067 and S. 1070 Avould implement international agreements 

 drawn to minimize contamination by oil discharged either accidentally 

 or intentionally from ships. 



S. 1067 would bring domestic law into line with the 1969 and 1971 

 amendments to the 1954 IMCO Convention on the Prevention of Pol- 

 lution of the Sea by Oil. The changes made in 1969 tighten existing 

 control measures with respect to the deliberate discharge of oily wastes 

 into the sea. 



In 1971 IMCO recommended two additional amendments. The first 

 would treat the Great Barrier Reef as land for the purpose of drawing 

 lines for prohibited discharge zones. The second amendment estab- 

 lishes a limitation for tank sizes in new vessels so as to minimize the 

 outflow of oil in the event of a collision or grounding. S. 1067 would 

 implement both of those amendments. 



S. 1070 provides for the domestic implementation of the intervention 

 convention. Under this act, the Coast Guard is given the authority to 

 take action on the high seas in the event of a maritime accident in- 

 volving oil. 



IMCO has just recently completed the draft of a totally new com- 

 prehensive treaty of marine pollution from ships. That draft will be 

 the subject of a month-long conference in London during October 

 of this year. 



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