2S5 



nology to environmental and marine re- 

 sources problems. 



However, going down to the'sea in ships is 

 not enough. The United States must be able 

 to operate in the ocean's third dimension. The 

 very impressi\-e surface fleet must be comple- 

 mented with the new undersea capability that 

 is being developed. 



Combining the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. 

 Lake Survey, and ESSA aircraft will pro- 

 vide air capability to measure oceanographic 

 changes and conduct large-scale weather 

 modification experiments. It will also result 

 in more efficient operational employment of 

 aircraft. 



Environmental monitoring activities of 

 ESSA, the Coast Guard, and BCF can be 

 merged into a imified system. ESSA's na- 

 tional weather records, geophysical data, and 

 aeronomy data centers, and the National 

 Oceanographic Data Center will be consoli- 

 dated in one network of environmental data, 

 storage and retrieval facilities. 



All XOAA marine and atmospheric activi- 

 ties will benefit from the Coast Guard's logis- 

 tic capabilities and its worldwide network 

 of supply depots, shipyards, marine inspec- 

 tion, and LORAX facilities. 



NOAA's research arm will be a major 

 scientific establishment comprising BCF's 15 

 marine biology laboratories and 6 technology 

 laboratories, BSFW's 5 coastal laboratories, 

 and ESSA's 12 pliysical environmental sci- 

 ence laboratories. NOAA's resulting research 

 capabilities and facilities will be global and 

 applicable to any environment alx)ve, on, and 

 below the planet's oceans. The potential qual- 

 ity of its research will lie enhanced by the 

 improved communications between the pro- 

 fessionals trained in the marine and atmos- 

 pheric s<'ieiice disciplines. 



The new agency will Ije equipped to pro- 

 vide a broad range of important environ- 

 mental, technological, safety, and other 



services to marine industry. It will draw on 

 industry by contracting with industry for 

 the development of technology. The contract 

 system has proved to be a most effective way 

 to bring new technology into practical use. 

 The new agency will have a base on which to 

 build sufficient in-house capability to give 

 proper guidance to teclinological develop- 

 ment. It will be in a position to utilize 

 eft'ectively the NASA, AEC, and Navy 

 laboratories through various cooj^erative 

 arrangements. 



Transfer of the National Sea Grant Pro- 

 gram to NOAA will bring the new agency 

 into immediate touch with a variety of multi- 

 disciplinary marine j-esearch programs and 

 educational activities, several of which in- 

 volve partnerships between industry and aca- 

 demic institutions. This transfer will facili- 

 tate NOAA's task in helping to build the 

 needed Coastal Zone Laboratories. It will 

 give NOAA access to the academic 

 community. 



NOAA will be in a strong position to as- 

 sist the States in managing their coastal 

 waters. It will be able to provide scientific 

 and technical sujjport for this purpose as 

 well as financial assistance to State Coastal 

 Zone Authorities. Additionally. NOAA will 

 be a focal point for marshaling all the re- 

 sources of the Federal Government in aid of 

 coastal zone objectives. 



NOAA will have the ability to participate 

 in planning U.S. participation in interna- 

 tional marine and atmospheric affairs. It 

 will be a central point on which the Depart- 

 ment of State can draw for the scientific and 

 technical advice it needs in this international 



area. 



In sum, NOAA will have the competence, 

 the facilities, and the size to carry out and 

 develop further the national ocean program. 



The Commission has not suggested how the 

 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency 



