Table 11-2 — Selected U. S. Milestones in Preserving the Marine 

 Environment — Continued 



Year Legislation and governmental initiatives 



1956 First permanent Federal Water Pollution Control Act. Extended and strength- 

 ened the 1948 law in areas of enforcement and research and initiated 

 grants for construction of wziste treatment works. 



1958 River and Harbor Act. Authorized a comprehensive project to provide for 



control and erradication of obnoxious aquatic plant growth in navigable 

 waters, their tributaries, and allied waters in 8 States. 

 Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act. Requires consultation with the U. S. 

 Fish and Wildlife Service and the responsible State agency whenever 

 the waters of any stream or body of water are controlled or modified. 



1961 Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amended. Further strengthened enforce- 

 ment authority and increased support for construction of municipal 

 waste treatment works and research; authorized storage of Corps of 

 Engineers and other Federal reservoirs for the regulation of stream flow 

 for the purpose of water quality control. 



1965 Water Quality Act, further amending the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. 



Established a Federal Water Pollution Control Administration in 

 Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Required establishment 

 of water qualty standards for all interstate and coastal waters. 



1966 Clean Water Restoration Act, further amended Federal Water Pollution Control 



Act. Gready increased authorizations for grants to help build sewage 

 treatment plants, for research, and for grants to State water pollution 

 control programs. Transferred administration of the Oil Pollution Act 

 from the Secretary of the Army to the Secretary of the Interior. 

 Reorganization Plan No. 2. Federal Water Pollution Control Administra- 

 tion transferred to Department of the Interior under President's Re- 

 organization Plan No 2. 

 Executive Order No. 11288. Required all Federal agencies to comply 

 with provisions and standards of Federal Water Pollution Control Act 

 and cooperate with the Department of the Interior and State govern- 

 ments in preventing or controlling water pollution. 



1969 National Environmental Policy Act. Enunciated policy to create and main- 

 tain conditions under which man and nature can exist in productive 

 harmony, established the Council on Environmental Quality in Executive 

 Office of the President, provided for annual Presidential environmental 

 quality report, and specified need for interagency cooperation. 



1970 Executive Order 11507. Strengthened requirement for all Federal 



agencies to comply with the Clean Water Act, the Federal Water 

 Pollution Control Act and the National Environmental Policy Act 

 in prevention, control and abatement of air and water pollution at 

 Federal facilities. 



Source: Federal Water Pollution Control Administration, U.S. Army, Corps of Engineers, Commission on 

 Marine Science, Engineering and Resources. 



The Federal Government has responsibility for national leadership in 

 preserving the marine environment, defining national policy and objec- 

 tives for managing the coastal areas and for assisting the States in develop- 

 ing and implementing planning. The Federal Government furnishes sup- 

 port and guidance for scientific research and training and services such as 

 flood control and beach restoration ; it also issues permits for uses and modi- 

 fications and monitors the development and physical conditions in the 

 coastal areas. 



In line with this role the Federal Government is acting to strengthen the 



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