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Chapter 5 

 VIEWS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE 

 SECTORS ON ROLES IN THE ESTUARINE ZONE 



SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION 



The Clean Water Restoration Act of 1966, in establishing the National 

 Estuarine Pollution Study, directed that the Study be conducted in 

 cooperation with various Federal, State, and interstate bodies, and, 

 in addition, with "... local public bodies and private organizations 

 institutions, and individuals ...", and that "recommendations [shall 

 be made] for a comprehensive national program for the preservation, 

 study, use, and development of estuaries of the Nation, and the re- 

 spective responsibilities which should be assumed by Federal, State, 

 and local governments and by public and private interests ." [Empha- 

 sis added.] 



Much was done through appointed representatives and many briefings, 

 consultations, and exchanges of correspondence. But, to meet the 

 requirement of bringing the Study to the local level and to private 

 individuals, and generally to reach all those who were not being 

 reached by other means, it was decided to hold a series of public 

 meetings — at least one in each coastal State — to obtain the views 

 of all those concerned about the condition of the estuaries. 



The decision was a fortunate one, in that the meetings proved to be 

 an excellent vehicle for obtaining a comprehensive cross-section of 

 public opinion regarding the needs of and dangers to the estuarine 



