description, prediction, and attempts to develop capabilities of modify- 
ing the environment (ocean, atmosphere, and solid earth) and those 
activities concerned with managing and developing resources of the 
ocean. The proposed reorganization emphasizes the unity of environ- 
mental science and observational technology.? This unity is one of the 
themes of this report and has been discussed at length in sections 2, 3, 4, 
6, and 9. For example, progress in description and prediction of the 
ocean environment can be made only with recognition that the ocean 
and atmosphere form a coupled system, each affecting the other in 
important ways. 
The second basic motivation for reorganization is the fact that the 
ability to work within the oceans, to develop the oceans’ resources and 
to use the oceans depends very heavily on our proficiency in describ- 
ing and predicting the environment. Exploration of mineral resources 
on the Continental Shelf requires the ability to work not only along the 
sea bottom, but in the water column above as well. Prediction of sea- 
bottom conditions and conditions in the water column will be as im- 
portant in the next 20 years as the prediction of weather and wave 
heights at the surface. 
In summary the reasons for the proposed reorganization are : 
1. Unity of environmental sciences and observational tech- 
nology. 
2. Dependence of oceanic development for industry and com- 
merce on our ability to predict the environment. 
3. Clearly establishing responsibilities for executing national 
objectives and nondefense missions for the oceans. 
In broad outline the reorganization would combine activities of the 
Environmental Science Services Administration, the Geological Sur- 
vey (both its land and ocean activities), oceanographic activities of 
the Bureaus of Commercial Fisheries and Mines, and a portion of the 
Coast Guard’s oceanographic activities. Such grouping would pro- 
vide an agency competent to deal with the four functions of govern- 
ment listed in section 1. The Panel does not make any recommenda- 
tions as to whether the new agency should be independent or part of an 
existing agency. 
With the creation of a new agency oceanographic activities of the 
Nation would be supported in five ways: 
1. By the NSF in its traditional role in support of fundamental 
studies through grants and fellowships with special emphasis on 
aspects that contribute to manpower education for ocean science 
and technology. 
See app. V for a note on the testimony of J. W. Powell who recognized the 
same unity and recommended roughly the same reorganization to Congress in 
1884. 
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