CRS-3 



2. Should section 404 be revised to authorize delegation of wetland man- 

 agement authority by States to local governments? 



3. Should State wetland programs be required to conform to a uniform 

 national definition of wetlands for regulatory purposes? 



4. Should the national wetlands inventory be used as the basis for deter- 

 mining wetland boundaries under the regulatory program? 



WETLAND SCIENCE 



Issue 1 



Should Federal funding for wetland research be increased? Many persons 

 contend that wetlands management efforts would be improved if there were 

 increased understanding of biological, chemical, and hydrological functions of 

 various types of wetlands, understanding that could best be provided as a 

 result of additional research activities. Other persons counter that we know 

 enough about wetlands now to make sound management decisions and that additional 

 research at this time is unlikely to provide a justifiable return, in terms of 

 improved management capability. 



Pro 



Many persons support the concept of additional wetlands research as a 

 means of improving wetlands management. In particular, these persons argue 

 that additional research can help to determine how to minimize adverse effects 

 of altering wetlands before pressures to convert these areas to other economic 

 uses actually result in loss of valued resources. For example, before about 

 1970, most wetland research was concentrated in coastal areas. As the Federal 

 and State coastal zone management programs developed during the 1970s, they 

 have been able to take advantage of the products from wetland research pro- 

 jects to place management of wetland resources within a broader context of 



96-073 0-82-2 



