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STATEMENT OF VICKIE ALLIN 



CHIEF, POLICY COORDINATION DIVISION 



OFFICE OF OCEAN AND COASTAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 



NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION 



U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 



BEFORE THE 



SUBCOMMITTEE ON OCEANOGRAPHY, GULF OF MEXICO, 



AND THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF 



AND THE 



SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES 



COMMITTEE ON MERCHANT MARINE AND FISHERIES 



U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 



July 15, 1993 



Messrs. Chairmen and Members of the Subcommittees: 



Good afternoon. I am Vickie Allin, Chief of the Policy 

 Coordination Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource 

 Management in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

 (NCAA), U.S. Department of Commerce. With me is Dr. Thomas 

 O'Connor, Chief of the Coastal Monitoring Branch, Office of Ocean 

 Resources, Coordination and Assessment, also in NCAA's National 

 Ocean Service. I am pleased to appear before you to discuss 

 H.R. 31, The Beaches Environmental Assessment, Closure and Health 

 Act of 1993. 



NCAA recognizes the serious problems of coastal pollution and 

 beach and marine debris that threaten the Nation's beaches and 

 coastal waters. We believe that uniform standards and procedures 

 for beach testing and monitoring, as called for in H.R. 31, are 

 needed to protect public safety and improve the quality of 



