(4) Lessen the need for Federal intervention in coastal resource 

 • management decisions ; and 



(5) Provide greater integration of existing planning, conservation, 

 and development programs, many of which are federally assisted. 



The administration's proposed bill would authorize $2 million for the 

 Department of the Interior in fiscal year 1971 to begin the program. 



Approximately 23 Federal bureaus now interface with State coastal opera- 

 tions. The administration proposal would assign responsibility to the 

 Secretary of the Interior for administering the Federal program, and for 

 assisting in coordination of the activities of other Federal agencies. 



Coastal Zone Research 



Rational management decisions on use of the coastal zone should be 

 predicated on scientific information as to the unwanted and often un- 

 anticipated effects of man's activities on the coastal ecology. Such compre- 

 hension of the dynamics of coastal ecology is today largely absent. So are 

 assessments of the natural ecological baselines in terms both of the physical 

 properties and the biological content of coastal waters and interaction 

 with the land interface. Also, monitoring capabilities to detect the changes 

 already occuring in water quality are too limited to meet needs. 



The Federal Government already supports, through a variety of instru- 

 ments mentioned earlier, important research on coastal zone problems, and 

 funds for this program will be increased in fiscal year 1971 (See app. A). 

 In addition, planning is underway under the leadership of the Depart- 

 ment of the Interior to identify requirements for research related to coastal 

 zone problems, and to assess the adequacy of existing Federal, State, 

 and other institutions to provide the required research. This planning is 

 expected to provide information needed to determine how existing capabili- 

 ties can be better utilized and whether consolidation or discontinuance of 

 activities may be required, or if new activities may be desirable, how addi- 

 tional research could be used by States in improving their management of 

 coastal zone resources, what new activities are required, and how they 

 should be funded. 



Pilot Study of Lake Restoration 



Our Great Lakes, lesser lakes, and many estuaries are exhibiting losses 

 in water quality that destroy their value for various uses — unfortunately at 

 the same time use demand is sharply increasing. The prolific growth of ob- 

 noxious weeds and algae scums that induce eutrophication, then transforma- 

 tion into a marsh, eventually wipes out natural wildlife. Because early 

 signs of pollution are subtle, public reaction usually does not occur until the 

 pollution becomes advanced. By this time, it is difficult to slow down the 

 process, let alone reverse it. 



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