OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS US ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY WASHINGTON, D.C 20460 POSTAGE AND FEES PAID ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY EPA-335 L3 Q TECHNICAL NOTES FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Chris L. West (503) 752-4211, Ext. 300 December 8, 1973 EPA AWARDS $108,675 CONTRACT TO OREGON STATE GAME COMMISSION TO STUDY EFFECTS OF POLLUTANTS ON SALMON ADAPTATION TO SEAWATER The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded a $108,675 contract to the Oregon State Game Commission to study the effects of pollutants on the ability of young salmon to adapt to seawater. The Game Commission also will contribute $27,200 to the two-year project, making a total of $135,875 available for the study. There will be two phases to the project: — Game Commission scientists will expose young salmon to maximum "safe" levels of copper and zinc metals in freshwater. While such effects have been theorized, they have never been tested. — The same fish will then be placed in seawater for 20 days, simulating the normal transition in which young salmon leave freshwater and migrate to the ocean. ------- - 2 - The experiments will be conducted with a standardized test being developed for EPA under the contract. Because the Pacific Northwest has many industrial sources of waste with high concentrations of heavy metals, the new testing method is expected to be of great use in related studies. EPA's project officer for the study is Dr. Gary A. Chapman, an aquatic biologist at National Environmental Research Center in Corvallis, Managing the study for the Game Commission is Dr. Harry H. Wagner, a fishery research coordinator in the Agency's Department of Research on the Oregon State University campus. The principal scientist on the project is Dr. Harry Lorz. # ------- |