The Coastal Zone 



ducted on a regional basis by the Secretary of the Interior through the Office 

 of Estuarine Studies, in cooperation with other agencies. The report to the 

 Congress, now scheduled for November 1969, will contain analyses and 

 recommendations relating to estuaries. 



The Clean Water Restoration Act called for a study of the nature and 

 extent of pollution from vessels, including disposal of garbage and sewage in 

 navigable waters, and methods of control. The report, "Waste from Water- 

 craft," included numerous recommendations. These are embodied in bills 

 now before Congress to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act by 

 setting standards for the discharge of various wastes from watercraft, by 

 providing for the enforcement of these standards, and for certification of 

 devices to control waste discharge. 



Additional recent accomplishments from marine science activities related 

 to water quality include the following : 



— Interior is investigating and assessing the problems of the disposal 

 of raw sewage, kludge, and polluted spoil in coastal waters, par- 

 ticularly those of the Great Lakes and the Northeast. To support 

 this activity the research vessel Clean Water was purchased 

 to assay water quality. 

 — In cooperation with several States under the aegis of the Marine 

 Fisheries Commission, Interior is compiling an atlas of estuaries, 

 needed for development and preservation of these areas. 



Health 



The principal activities of the Department of Health, Education, and 

 Welfare which relate to health aspects of the water quality of the Coastal 

 Zone are concerned with insuring the healthfulness of shellfish and other 

 fish for human consumption, use of the Coastal Zone for recreational 

 and occupational purposes, and use as a disposal site for solid wastes. 

 These activities include (a) conducting and supporting research, develop- 

 ment, field investigations, demonstrations, and pilot operations; (b) provid- 

 ing financial and other assistance to State and local programs; and (c) man- 

 power training. Particular emphasis is given to assisting the States in 

 developing their shellfish sanitation programs. 



Marine health science facilities serving the coastal areas are now operating 

 in Alabama, Rhode Island, and Washington. Additional construction is 

 underway or planned in the latter two States. These laboratories provide a 

 multi-disciplinary approach to many of the public health problems associ- 

 ated with exploitation of the estuaries and with the production of shellfish 

 and other marine foods from the Continental Shelf. Better understanding of 



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