1 and other submissions as the Administrator may require. 2 The Administrator is authorized to enter into contracts under 3 this subsection without regard to section 3709 of the Revised 4 Statutes of the United States (41 U.S.C. 5).

5 (c) EXISTING PROGRAMS.-The activities supported 6 by grants or contracts made or entered into under this sec7 tion shall, to the maximum extent practicable, be adminis8 tered through existing Administration programs. The total 9 amount paid pursuant to any such grant or contract may, in 10 the discretion of the Administrator, be up to 100 percent of 11 the total cost of the program, project, or activity involved. (d) ACTION BY ADMINISTRATOR.-The Administrator

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13 shall act upon each application for a grant or contract re14 ceived by him under this section within six months after the 15 date on which all required information is received.

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(c) RECORDS.-Each recipient of financial assistance 17 under this section shall keep such records as the Adminis18 trator shall prescribe, including records which fully disclose 19 the amount and disposition by such recipient of the proceeds 20 of such assistance, the total cost of the project or undertaking 21 in connection with which such assistance was given or used, 22 the amount of that portion of the cost of the project which 23 was supplied by other sources, and such other records as will 24 facilitate an effective audit. Such records shall be maintained 25 for three years after the completion of such a project or un

1 dertaking. The Administrator and the Comptroller General 2 of the United States, or any of their duly authorized repre3 sentatives, shall have access, for the purpose of audit and 4 examination, to any books, documents, papers, and records 5 of receipts which, in the opinion of the Administrator or of 6 the Comptroller General, may be related or pertinent to such 7 financial assistance.

8 SEC. 6. ANNUAL REPORT.

9

The Administrator, with the assistance of the Chairman 10 and the Director, shall submit to the Congress and the Presi11 dent, not later than February 15 of each year, a report on 12 the status of marine pollution environmental research and de13 velopment. Each such report shall include—

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15

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19

20

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(1) the comprehensive plan prepared under section 4 as currently revised;

(2) an evaluation of the Federal Government's research capabilities, including the status of personnel, vessels, facilities, and equipment;

(3) a summary of the efforts undertaken and planned to coordinate the Federal program of marine pollution environmental research and development; and

(4) an estimate of the adverse environmental im23 pact caused by increased shipments of foreign oil into

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the United States during the preceding year.

1 SEC. 7. DISCLAIMER.

2

Nothing in this Act shall be construed to amend, re

3 strict, or otherwise alter the authority of any Federal agency

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or department, under any law, to undertake research related

5 to environmental pollution.

6 SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

7

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Adminis

8 trator, for the purposes of carrying out his responsibilities 9 under this Act, not to exceed $10,000,000 for the fiscal year 10 ending September 30, 1979.

Amend the title so as to read: "A bill to establish a program of environmental research and development related to marine pollution, and for other purposes.".

Passed the Senate August 3 (legislative day, July 19),

1977.

Attest:

J. S. KIMMITT,

Secretary.

Mr. BREAUX. Briefly, S. 1617 would designate the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as the lead agency to carry our a Federal ocean pollution research program with the assistance of the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. The bill requires NOAA to closely coordinate this program with the Environmental Protection Agency. NOAA would prepare and revise annually a 5-year plan for ocean pollution research and monitoring. In addition, an annual report would be required including a description of the plan and the status of Federal capabilities to conduct ocean pollution research and monitoring.

The act would authorize NOAA, in consultation with other Federal agencies, to idenfity specific national research needs and to provide financial assistance in the form of grants or contracts to the Government and private sector.

Today we will hear testimony from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency, two Federal agencies directly involved in ocean pollution research and monitoring.

I feel that, when discussing an issue like ocean pollution research, it should more appropriately be thought of in the context of an overall national ocean policy plan. The Oceanography Subcommittee has taken the lead role in the House in helping to formulate a comprehensive and coherent national ocean policy.

Last September, this subcommittee had the Secretaries of the Departments of Commerce, Interior, Transportation, Navy, and the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy testifying on the need for a national ocean policy. I have established in the House of Representatives HOPAC, the House Ocean Policy Advisory Committee, which meets periodically to discuss issues of primary importance relating to national ocean policy. Continuing in this role, the Oceanography Subcommittee will convene, in the beginning of the next session, extensive hearings on the formulation of a national policy for the oceans. In the course of our work we will be looking closely at the need for a coordinated Federal effort to conduct ocean pollution reseach and monitoring.

I might add that this subcommittee is aware that there is a wide disperion of ocean pollution research programs in the Federal Government. I feel that there is a need to provide for the proper coordination and coherent focus of the Federal effort. Whether this would be better accomplished through existing laws, such as the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972, or through new legislation will be the main topic of discussion today and in future hearings on ocean policy before this subcommittee. I would like to welcome Mr. Stephen Gage, Assistant Administrator for Research and Development with the Environmental Protection Agency, and I see that you are accompanied by a colleague. Would you please identify him for the record.

We welcome you here today and we have the copy of your testimony and will ask you to proceed as you see fit.

STATEMENT OF DR. STEPHEN J. GAGE, ACTING ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, ACCOMPANIED BY DELBERT S. BARTH, DAA FOR HEALTH AND ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS, OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Dr. GAGE. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I would like to introduce my colleague, Dr. Delbert Barth, DAA for Health and Ecological Effects within ORD. Dr. Barth and I will handle together any questions that you may have at the conclusion of my statement. You do have a written version of the statement, as you indicated, and I would like that submitted for the record. Mr. BREAUX. Without objection, the entire statement will be made to matter of the record.

[The following was received for the record.:]

STATEMENT OF DR. STEPHEN Gage, Acting Assistant AdmINISTRATOR FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, OFFICE of Research and DeveloPMENT, U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Mr. Chairman, it is a pleasure to appear before this committee to testify on the proposed bill dealing with marine pollution research and development.

The bill recognizes that there is need to establish a comprehensive Federal program of marine environmental research and development, particularly with regard to the introduction, fate, and effects of petroleum, sewage sludge, and other pollutants. The proposed legislation also acknowledges that pollution in the marine environment is expected to increase in the future, largely due to the need to import large quantities of petroleum and petroleum products from abroad. The Legislation would designate the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as the lead Federal agency for oil and marine pollution environmental research and development to be carried out through close coordination among NOAA, EPA and the Department of the Interior (DOI). The bill calls for a 5-year plan which would include a detailed inventory of on-going Federal programs in this area including monitoring and general research on marine ecosystems. Such a plan will also enumerate the goals and estimated costs of each Federal program, and provide a list of actions taken to fully coordinate interagency efforts.

The intent of the bill is to eliminate duplication. We recognize this need and strongly support those efforts which are aimed at providing a cohesive, coordinated Federal program of marine protection and research.

Through formal agreements as well as through informal cooperative efforts, EPA has worked with NOAA in a number of research areas. For example, the baseline research being managed by NOAA for the Bureau of Land Management provided data which helped form the basis for our objection (under section 309 of the Clean Air Act) to specific lease-sales inthe Northeast Gulf of Alaska. In this instance, NOAA studies identified concerns (active fault areas, unconsolidated sediments, fish nursery and spawning areas, etc.) which were helpful in making our case that such lease-sales should be considered by DOI only after NOAA's studies were completed and a sufficiency of baseline data acquired.

We work closely with NOAA in other areas. We are currently, under our energy pass-through program, funding a number of NOAA studies including an actual study of a Gulf of Mexico oil field where the effects of energy development are being examined. The NOAA studies will aid us specifically with information needed for criteria development and will give us some idea of what to expect from increased outer continential shelf development. NOAA's offshore capability is this instance has helped supply our specific need for regulatory data.

We recognize that NOAA has built a solid base of scientific capability, especially in the offshore marine area, and we have often been the beneficiary of such expertise and competence. These capabilities have been developed, for the most part, in response to NOAA's increasing legislative responsibilities.

Catastrophies like the Argo-Merchant spill tend to dramatize marine pollution from oil tanker accidents. While it is generally agreed that oil pollution in the marine environment will increase, it is a fact that the largest fraction of oil contamination reaching the marine environment comes from land sources through our rivers. In general, most marine pollution derives from sources onshore. A wide