V-255 



Chapter 6 



THE ESTUARY STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS COMPARED WITH OTHER 

 PROPOSALS FOR MANAGING THE ESTUARINE AND COASTAL ZONE 



In addition to the present study, management of the coastal zone also 

 has been the subject of one other report at the Federal level during 

 the past year. This is Chapter 3 in the report by the Commission on 

 Marine Science, Engineering and Resources entitled Our Nation and the 

 Sea (hereafter referred to as Commission Report). 



This chapter reviews the Commission Report in summary fashion and com- 

 pares its policy recommendations with those advanced by the National 

 Estuarine Pollution Study. 



RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMISSION REPORT 



A major conclusion reached by the Commission is that, although. 

 Federal, State, and local governments share the responsibility for 

 managing estuarine and coastal zone resources, the States must be 

 the "focus for responsibility and action." It considers, however, 

 that effective management of these resources thus far has been 

 thwarted by the variety of government jurisdictions involved, the 

 low priority afforded marine matters by State governments, the 

 diffusion of responsibilities among State agencies, and the failure 

 of State agencies to develop and implement long-range plans. It 

 adds that, until recently, navigation— over which Federal authority 

 is preeminent--has tended to dominate the uses of the coastal zone, 

 and the Commission suggests that this perhaps is the reason why the 

 States have been slow to assume their management responsibilities. 



