V-160 



Strong economic pressures often v/ork against preservation of 

 estuaries. Heavily dependent on property taxes, local govern- 

 ments need the revenues brought in by "developed" land. Simi- 

 larly, heavily taxed private land owners find selling their 

 land to developers more profitable than retaining it in its 

 natural state. Because of these iimediate and tangible benefits 

 and the insistence of industrial, commercial, and residential 

 interests, it is very difficult for hard-pressed communities 

 to conserve such things as the habitat and recreational values 

 of the estuaries for long-range benefit. As a result of these 

 compelling needs for revenues and profits, estuaries are dredged, 

 filled, and developed. 



The picture presented here is not encouraging: multiple frag- 

 mented units of government, inadequately staffed, desperately 

 competing for use of the same tax base; permissive laws and 

 regulations; few comprehensive programs; few formal mechanisms 

 for State-local or interlocal cooperation; and little coordi- 

 nation of water and shoreline zoning and uses. Without local- 

 government direction, the decision-making initiative lies within 

 the area of private interests as more and more estuaries are 

 destroyed. 



