Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-08-11
OIL POLLUTION
WORK PRAISED
]. Spencer Smith Speaker at
Meeting of Seaboard
municipalities.

Oil pollution of navigable waters
was the topic of the address given
by j. Spencer Smith. president OF
the Board of Commerce and Navi-
cation of New Jersey. and vice
chairman Of the Port of New York
Authority. at the conference of the
League of Atlantic Seaboard Munic-
qualities against oil pollution of nav
igable waters, in Atlantic City to-
day. or some time the league has
been working to have some action
taken against the pollution of the
waters by oil, which make them un-
fit for bathing and destroy the at
t~ractiveness of the beaches which
are the main drawing card of the
seaboard cities.
Mr.. Smith spoke as follows:
THE word pollution covers a null
titude of sins. There is oil pollu-
tior from fuel oil. and there is the
refuse from industriW of various
kinds that is permitted to find its
way into tidal streams which yen
tually reaches the ocean. ThiS lat
ter phase of pollution is one that
can be COPIED with by the state itself If
il will. The other form OF pollu-
ton il that which is caused by the
pumping out of slop oil by ships
when approaching the harbor, fire.
quently within the three-mile limit.
ard by ships plying up and down our
coast. Even though they be outside
the three-mile limit, yet they are
| close enough to shore for the Stop
| OF. which they pump out to float in.
1T is this slop oil phase of 2he
| problem which cannot he acted
upor by the state alone or nv the
United States. but If it is to be
a~nieliorated or eliminated IT can
only be done through international
agreements entered into by the diff
ferent maritime nations of the
world.
There ia no reason why agree
ments covering this subject between
the various countries should not be
made a part of the law of the sea.
Practically every maritime nation
has the same interest in this prob
lem that we have and their people
are crying for relief, the same as
we are.
LAS one of the officers of the
American Association of Port Au-
thcrities, which includes in its mem
bership port authorities from all
parts of the world, 1 can assure you OF
tn. active cooperation and support
Of the association in the combating
of this menace to our waterways.
Every new development in the
world of science usually brings With
it its own liabilities as well as its
compensating assets. II fuel oil is
highly desirable from the operating
point of view of the ship owner,
then he should be willing to U.S. it in
such a way that it will not, cause
annoyance or injury to others. On
the other hand communities n
port authorities have an obligation
placed upon them because OF this
new development in ship propulsion,
and that is to provide means for the
ship owner to dispose of the Stop
oil when he reaches port.
Il am told that the oil interests
are working very hard to fiId a
method of separating the water
from the oil so that the residue
awaiting disposal upon arrival of the
shir would be comparatively very
small.
ship operators and shop owners
are only human and if the facilities
are not furnished them for comply
ing with the law. there Will be a
very grave temptation to evade 1t.
We know only too well that slop
fuel oil virtually never disintegrates
| but floats on the water until such
thine as it has gathered unto Itself
a weight great enough to sink it.
'In endeavoring to find a way of
solving the question of the control of
the disposal of the slop oil from
| ships, we must not overlook another
possible source Of oil pollution which
may emanate from our own coastal
shores. Practically every commune
ity bordering on a navigable stream
or on the coast permits its sewage
to be emptied into the stream with
little or no treatment.
while oil and greases which are
to be found in garages and in in
dustrial plants are not in the same
category as fuel oil, yet nevertheless
when first entering the water they
retain their natural characteristics
for some little time. In other words,
this kind of oil and grease will break
up and disintegrate and finally dis
appear. 1t is conceivable that the
sewage from our coastal commun-
tiles may contain a large proper
tior of oils and greases and such
oils and greases finding their way
into the sea would certainly be like
~ to appear floating on the surface
of the water close by the shore to
the annoyance OF the bathera and
detriment Of the beach. This Is
som ething worth looking into be-
CO use IL it Is found to be true. we
can very easily pass Legislation
which will prevent 1t.
at is hard TO realize the tremend'
Gus value to the state of New Jer-
sey of the coast line from Sandy
Hook to Cape May. This little
fringe OF land has a greater assessed
value than all the agricultural 'landi
of our state. When you realize thai
Monmouth county ranks as one 81
the wealthiest agricultural coun.ie.
in America, you may have some ap'
probation of tho great value of oui
beach fronts. 1t behooves the stat
of New Jersey to do all it possl,l!
car TO protect them. | am glad Il
say that the legislature is conscious
of this fact and Is willing to do 1T
duty in this respect.
81 feel that our state is under 1
debt of gratitude to you gentlemen
assembled as you have to discus
this great question of oil pollution
and 1 a assure you the state great
ly appreciates the generous help ant
support which you are giving tn
question.