3024                                    JOINT RESOLUTIONS

A House Joint Resolution concerning

Ocean Dumping

FOR the purpose of requesting the Congress of the United
States to enact legislation which will prohibit
dumping of toxic industrial wastes and raw sewage.

WHEREAS, A public hearing was held in Dover,
Delaware, on January 28, 1974, on an application of the
E.I. DuPont de Nemours Company seeking permission to
continue its operation of ocean dumping of millions of
pounds of toxic industrial wastes only forty miles off
Maryland's Atlantic Coast; and

WHEREAS, It has been reported in the news media that
the Federal Environmental Protection Agency has approved
or may give serious consideration to approving this
application; and

WHEREAS, These materials are reported to contain
such a high percentage of toxic heavy metals that they
threaten potential harm to the environment to the extent
of endangering human health, marine life and the
ecological system, as well as our economic potential and
thereby creating serious damage to Maryland beaches; and

WHEREAS, The Congress of the United State has
demonstrated its intent to phase out the practice of
ocean dumping of industrial toxic wastes and untreated
raw sewage; and

WHEREAS, Practical experience has provided
indications that materials dumped in the ocean ten miles
off the coast of New York and New Jersey have created a
20 square mile area of dead sea and that the sludge has
oozed as close as one—half mile from Long Island's
beaches; and

WHEREAS, One of the distinguished United States
Senators from Maryland has filed a vigorous protest
against the issuance of any further permits for the
continuation of these dumping operations; now, therefore,
be it

RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That
this Body petition the Congress of the United States to
enact legislation prohibiting the continued dumping of
the industrial toxic wastes and raw sewage; and, be it
further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution be sent to:
Richard M. Nixon, President of the United States, 1600
Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C.; Gerald Ford,