agency regions, while adapting political units to 

 regional ecosystems units. 



Regional approaches to ecosystems research, planning, and manage- 

 ment are necessary because traditional political units are seldom 

 congruent with natural ecosystems. Often the boundaries of political 

 units were determined without regard to the natural systems of 

 landscape (e.g., they occur along Unes of latitude or longitude). Some 

 political boundaries are determined by streams, rivers, or estuaries. As 

 the need to manage watersheds or estuaries arises, so does the require- 

 ment for a regional grouping of political units. Regional ecosystems 

 studies allow transferability of data and findings within the region or 

 to similar regions and are the most useful units for ecological studies. 



Revise agency guidelines for environmental impact assess- Recommendation 5 

 ment in accordance with CEQ quidelines (Federal Register, 

 Aug. 2, 1973) to require that consideration of and research on 

 environmental effects of projects commence at the outset in 

 planning technological developments, resource utilization, 

 environmental modification, construction of human settle- 

 ments, and other human activities. 



Potential ecological consequences of Federal projects should be investi- 

 gated in the earliest planning stages to obviate costly delays resulting 

 under the present system of post facto adjudication of challenges. 

 Court decisions are as likely to be determined on technicalities as on 

 the merits of cases. Advance attention to the ecological consequences 

 of planned actions should result in sounder decisions and the conserva- 

 tion both of public funds and natural resources. 



Major technological developments, such as the breeder reactor or 

 fusion power, have lead times of over 20 years for development and 

 initial production. The time to begin considering potential ecological 

 impacts is during early development. If evaluation were done in the 

 early phases it could decrease the need for separate costly impact state- 

 ments about each power plant being installed. Ecological advice and 

 consultation is needed in long-range planning of major technological 

 developments, renewable and nonrenewable resource utilization, 

 major environmental modifications, agricultural developments, 

 human settlements, transportation facilities, and waste disposal 

 systems. 



As project plans are reviewed, the lessons learned from unfavorable 

 court actions could more readily be incorporated into similar projects in 

 the planning stage than they are under the present system. 

 Implementation of this strategy now should lessen court challenges in 

 the future. 



There is a need for planning for ultimate total resource use related to 

 projected total demand on the fixed amount of existent space and 

 useable natural resources. This will impinge on and require 

 compromises of environmental quality. Meaningful priorities should 

 be established to meet these requirements of man and whatever floral 

 and faunal species he needs to share this planet with him when 

 sustained survival is realistically threatened. 



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