it for the worse. Dirty water is incompatible with goals of recreation. While 

 in many of our lakes and rivers pollution has reached the crisis level, the 

 ocean has fortunately not yet arrived at this stage; we still have the oppor- 

 tunity to forestall future blunders. 



This situation challenges government and industry to take prompt and 

 wise action. The Federal Water Pollution Control Act calls for the enhance- 

 ment of the quality and value of the Nation's water resources and for the 

 prevention, control, and abatement of pollution by establishment of water 

 quality standards for interstate and coastal waters. The Secretary of the 

 Interior has given substantially complete approval to the standards developed 

 by the States. Primary responsibility for the enforcement of these standards 

 rests with the States; if they fail to act, however, the Federal Government 

 may bring suit against polluters. 



The Clean Water Restoration Act of 1966 (Public Law 89-753) provides 

 for grants to States, municipalities, or intergovernmental bodies for assistance 

 in developing projects to demonstrate advanced methods of waste treatment 

 and discharge control. The act also provides for a comprehensive study of 

 estuaries, including impact of population and economic development on 

 water quality. In response to these requirements the National Estuarine Pol- 

 lution Study has been completed by the Federal Water Pollution Control 

 Administration in collaboration with other Federal agencies. State and local 

 governments, and industry and scientific representatives. To make readily 

 usable the vast amount of information an automated storage and retrieval 

 system was developed which contains data on over 850 estuaries. Ninety 

 percent completed, this inventory will be finished in early 1970. 



The report discusses the present state of knowledge on the estuarine zone, 

 and proposes study and research programs to fill the identified gaps. It 

 analyzes the biophysical and socioeconomic aspects of the estuarine zone, 

 and presents recommendations for a comprehensive national program of 

 estuarine and coastal zone management, using multiple long-term use of the 

 estuarine environment as the common denominator. 



The vital roles of State, local, and regional groups, as well as public 

 and private interests, are recognized, and many responsibilities are suggested 

 for them. The primary Federal responsibility is identified as leadership in the 

 definition of policies and objectives, and support, both directly and by the 

 activities of its agencies, to others involved in estuarine work. Against that 

 backdrop, the Federal role was defined as — 



( 1 ) Providing impetus and progressive improvement of the national 

 program through appropriate legislation ; 



(2) Providing continuing support and guidance to the States through 

 grants, cooperative activities, technical advice and assistance, provision 

 of services, promotion of interstate cooperation, advice on manage- 

 ment policies, and public information programs ; 



(3) Completing and maintaining the broad national inventory of 

 estuaries and coastal areas; 



(4) Continuing broad estuarine and coastal studies not of a local 

 nature; 



(5) Participating in local and regional studies where appropriate; 



(6) Exercising regulatory authority in such areas as enforcement of 



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