V-189 

 plan for manaqing its water and related land resources. This 



limited role presumably reflects a decision to give priority 



to the river itself. 



Although the Delaware River Basin Commission clearly has the 

 potential to develop into a more significant force for a compre- 

 hensive approach to the management of the estuarine resources of 

 that basin, its role in this regard can be expected to emphasize 

 the management of estuarine water resources. This is because 

 its authority tc control land use appears to be primarily advisory 

 and recommendatory in nature. 



Compact agencies thus to date have not played an extensive or 

 significant role in managing the Nation's estuaries. With the 

 exception of the Delaware River Basin Commission, each agency 

 has been predominantly concerned with a single phase of estuarine 

 management problems. In most cases, the agency's concern with 

 estuaries also has been only an incidental part of a broader 

 mission. Finally, the role of most agencies -- in law or in fact -- 

 has been restricted primarily to service to the signatory States. 

 In other words, the States usually have stopped short of giving the 

 compact agency real decision-making and enforcement authority on 

 estuarine management questions and issues. 



POTENTIAL POLE IN ESTUARINE MANAGEMENT 



What about the role of the interstate compact in the comprehensive 

 national program to manage estuaries more effectively? Can, and 



