to 



Government has an interest in supporting 

 these developments. 



The feasibility of construction of large- 

 scale underwater nuclear power facilities 

 should be in^^estigated with the aim of allow- 

 ing valuable shore land to be used for other 

 purposes, minimizing the effects of any pos- 

 sible accident, avoiding harmful thermal pol- 

 lution, and perhaps enriching coastal waters 

 by creating upwelling of nutrients A Na- 

 tional Project to construct an experimental 

 submerged nuclear plant for continental shelf 

 operations is outlined in Chapter 4. 



Opportunities for slufting transportation, 

 storage, and power generation functions off- 

 shore are sufficiently near at hand and com- 

 pelling to the national interest to warrant 

 specific attention. 



The Commission recommends that the 

 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agen- 

 cy, in collaboration with the Department 

 of Transportation, the U.S. Army Corps of 

 Engineers, and the Atomic Energy Com- 

 mission, support feasibility studies and 

 fundamental engineering relevant to the 

 development of offshore terminals, storage 

 facilities, and nuclear power plants. 



Special Attention to Recreation 



Outdoor recreation is becoming a massive 

 rush to the water; spearfishing and scuba 

 diving have introduced new forms of recrea- 

 tion into the sea, and the future may see 

 recreation diving from underwater habitats 

 and touring in glass bubbles and small sub- 

 marines. 



Establishment in 1962 of the Bureau of 

 Outdoor Kecreation in the Department of the 

 Interior stimulated the inventory and plan- 

 ning of the Nation's reci'eation resources. 

 Twenty-two national parks, seashores, lake- 

 shores, and monuments are managed by the 

 National Park Sendee, of which 14 have been 



acquired since 1958. Ten more are imder 

 study. Some States — for example, Oregon 

 and California — also have made good prog- 

 ress recently in providing marine recreation 

 opportunities. However, many States still lag 

 in acquiring access to shoreline. 



Identifying recreation potentials and re- 

 quirements necessitates qualitative judg- 

 ments which usually are exercised best at the 

 State or local level. However, recreation plan- 

 ning must accommodate more than simply 

 local interests; unique areas must be pre- 

 served as a national resource. 



The public demand for marine recreation 

 requires that governments be alert to new 

 recreation opportunities as a byproduct of 

 other projects. The Federal Govermnent can 

 assist through grants-in-aid for urban re- 

 newal, model cities, and land and water con- 

 servation. The standards for such grants and 

 for direct Federal programs should encour- 

 age development of recreation facilities as 

 an integral element of such activities. 



The Commission concludes that Federal, 

 State, and local governments should take 

 steps to require provision for public access 

 to the waters in many of the jDrivate devel- 

 opment projects along the shore. Land fills 

 which often provide the means for shoreline 

 construction may advereely affect a resource 

 that belongs to all of the people. Conse- 

 quently, approval for such private develop- 

 ment land fills can properly be conditioned 

 upon the requirement that the developer 

 compensate for filling in wetlands by pro- 

 viding access to the public for the use of ad- 

 jacent waters. The developer in certain cir- 

 cumstances might be required to build a road, 

 a dock, or a picnic area that would be open to 

 the general public. 



Added recreational shoreline near urban 

 areas may be provided by developing arti- 

 ficial islands and embayments to increase 

 ocean frontage. Vigorous programs to abate 



