176 



Pollution of the Sea by Oil, as amended, and tlie new Convention for 

 the Prevention of Pollution From Ships to be developed at the October 

 conference. 



We also proposed that it administer the 1972 Convention on Ocean 

 Dumping, and indicated that we will urge that such an arrangement 

 be adopted when the contracting parties to that convention meet to 

 resolve the organizational issue. 



The United States will propose in October that the Marine Pollu- 

 tion Conference adopt measures authorizing the new committee to act 

 with respect to the regulations under the new vessel pollution conven- 

 tion. In essence, our proposal will be as follows : 



(1) With regard to marine pollution from vessels, the Marine En- 

 vironment Protection Committee would be empowered to consider, 

 develop, adopt, and communicate to governments, new regulations 

 under the Conventions for which it was responsible, or modifications 

 to existing regulations. 



(2) Such new or modified regulations would enter into force on a 

 date specified by the committee unless objections were received from 

 a substantial number of states party to the relevant Convention, in- 

 cluding a designated number or category of states to insure a balance 

 of maritime and coastal interests. 



(3) The committee would be empowered to adopt and bring into 

 immediate force, appendices to regulations, without further consider- 

 ation by contracting states, when the action received the unanimous 

 consent of those participating in the committee. 



In addition, the Marine Environment Protection Committee would, 

 under our proposal, consider, on a continuing basis all related matters 

 pertaining to the pollution of the seas by vessels and take appropriate 

 action, including cooperation on environmental matters with other 

 U.N. agencies, such as the U.N. Environmental Secretariat, and inter- 

 national organizations such as the new seabeds authority which we 

 expect to be established by the Law of the Sea Conference. 



It could disseminate scientific, technical, and economic information 

 concerning ocean pollution and its control. It could advise member 

 States, particularly developing countries, on technical matters, and 

 provide practical information, recommendations, and guidelines. 



The committee would, moreover, be in a position to cooperate with 

 various expert organizations throughout the world, and would facil- 

 itate the exchange among governments of information concerning 

 research and development activities in the field of vessel pollution 

 control. 



The committee should also consider the need for establishment of 

 regional subcommittees, which could study problems unique to a 

 geographic area and forward proposals to the committee for action. 



Finally, the committee would receive detailed information on ship 

 discharges under provisions in the proposed new convention, and 

 we might give thought to possible use of committee staff in inspection 

 and surveillance roles to aid enforcement of IMCO's marine pollu- 

 tion conventions. 



I am pleased to report that the reaction of IMCO's governing Coun- 

 cil to our proposal was enthusiastic. Many nations endorsed the idea 

 of a new committee, and the Council, at our request, unanimously 

 agreed to establish an ad hoc study group to consider the full implica- 

 tions of the proposal. 



