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THE STUDY DIRECTIVE 



The Congress, in passing the Clean Water Restoration Act of 

 1966 (Public Law 89-753), Section 5(g), directed the Secretary 

 of the Interior to study the problems surrounding pollution of 

 the estuarine zone, and to make recommendations to the Congress 

 for an effective national estuarine management program in which 

 the Federal, State, and local governments, as well as public and 

 private interests, will have clearly defined responsibilities. 



The recommended program was to be based on a careful evaluation 

 of existing relationships among the three estuarine environments; 

 the effects of pollution on uses, and also the effects of demo- 

 graphic and use trends on pollution of the natural environment 

 were to be considered. 



All existing pertinent information was to be assembled, coordina- 

 ted, and organized to serve as a factual base for the study, and 

 additional investigations and surveys were to be carried out to 

 supplement existing information. The study was to be conducted 

 in cooperation with other Federal agencies, State and local gov- 

 ernments, and other institutions and individuals. Everyone with 

 an interest in the estuarine zone was to be consulted. 



The report was to include not only the recommendations for a 

 national program, but also an analysis of the importance of 



