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to abate pollution and other public nuisances, (3) should include 

 the power to disallow action that is inconsistent with established 

 policies, (4) should include authority to perform functions of a 

 State or local agency if made necessary by the inaction of one 

 of Its signatories, and (5) should be supported by adequate finan- 

 cial and staff resources. 



Likewise, if the agency's mission does not include either the 

 setting or implementation of policy and is limited to that of 

 regional service, then too its authority must be designed and 

 supported so that the staff of the agency in fact can perform that 

 service effectively and usefully. 



The second condition is that the compact cannot be allowed to 

 supersede or diminish Federal responsibility and authority for 

 sound management of the Nation's estuaries. With or without 

 Federal membership in the compact agency, a compact cannot 

 abrograte the Federal Government's obligation to view the problems 

 and needs of each estuary from a national perspective and to act 

 accordingly within the limits of its authority. 



Given adherence to these conditions, the compact instrument should 

 prove to be a constructive way of achieving improved management 

 in interstate estuaries. It also could achieve the decentraliza- 

 tion of policy-making and administration that is essential, if a 

 major enlargement of Federal management responsibility is to be avoided. 



