CRS-29 



program under certain circumstances. Based on experience with coastal zone 

 management and other Federal programs, it may be most efficient to delegate 

 authority to States and let them determine how that delegated authority will 

 be allocated among the State and local levels. 



Con 



Other persons cite reasons why delegation to local government should not 

 occur. Local government represents local interests. But most wetlands, even 

 small ones, are of greater than local value. These persons contend that one 

 result of local management would be that State and even national interests 

 may not be properly represented. Political influences are strong at the local 

 level, and States would have to retain a major capacity to deal with local 

 governments and project proposals. One result might be considerable duplica- 

 tion between State and local efforts, just as Federal and State efforts are 

 often duplicative, yet inconsistent, at present (see Chapter IV). 



The coastal zone management experience offers some negative examples, 

 where communities have been unwilling to participate. The result is a check- 

 ered pattern of State administration and local administration, as some commun- 

 ities take the initiative while others neglect this responsibility, requiring 

 States to impose controls. Reasons to oppose this approach can be summarized 

 as follows: local governments are subject to political influence, local gov- 

 ernments lack technical capability, and there may be institutional or other 

 barriers perventing the Federal government from dealing directly with local 

 governments. Experience with other Federal resource management programs in 

 which local governments have major roles generally indicates that this approach 

 is no panacea. 



