55 



Massachusetts which we call the coastal wetlands program, but I sup- 

 pose that it could also be considered a coastal zone management pro- 

 gram. This is a program w^hich we carry out pursuant to an act of the 

 Massachusetts Legislature which was passed in 1965. 



The purpose of the act is to allow the Department of Natural Re- 

 sources to restrict the use of coastal wetlands in Massachusetts so as to 

 preserve them for their marine values and all of the other values that 

 we know they have. To date, hearings have been held and restrictions 

 promulgated for approximately 14,000 acres of coastal wetlands in 

 Massachusetts. 



This is not an acquisition program. It is a restriction program, al- 

 most a State zoning idea, and of the 14,000 acres that have been re- 

 stricted, we have had only one appeal to the courts which is still pend- 

 ing, and which we hope we can win. 



Now, if you have any questions or comments, if you would, please 

 use the microphone as you did this morning and identify yourself and 

 the organization which you represent and if it is a question, direct it 

 to one of the panelists. 



Mr. William L. Rutherford. My name is Rutherford from Illinois. 

 I am afraid that much of this is going over my head. 



Maybe I am just a country lawyer, but I am at a loss to understand, 

 in this theory of communication between us and our friends in the Con- 

 gress, how we are going to get the job done in the time we have got 

 considering the crisis that is before our country with more commissions 

 and appointments and inputs and outputs and reports and research, 

 when there is so little attention given to some practical action that we 

 need now. 



We can write books. We can wait another 3 years and come back and 

 liave more stacks of data which I am afraid this is leading toward. I 

 heard no comments about the Corps of Engineers that is spending 

 tremendous sums of our money. We talk about relationships between 

 the counties and the cities and the States and some of the Federal 

 agencies a little bit as though they were removed from the big expendi- 

 tures that I am familiar with for the alteration of our environment. 



As a very practical matter, I think we have to get some better under- 

 standing of the operations of the Corps of Engineers and maybe some 

 of their operations on the pollution matters. And I think there is 

 another element that has to come into this consideration sooner or later, 

 because as the population explodes and we try to find the room to take 

 care of the industries and the atomic engineering powerhouses and 

 recreation needs and all the rest, we are just treating symptoms. 



None of us seems to find courage enough to ask the question that 

 sooner or later is going to have to be asked and answered. I don't know 

 how, but we have to get it out into the open because with the popula- 

 tion explosion we have to have some population control. All the talk 

 about pollution and disappearance of wildlife and the sea and disap- 

 pearance of either replaceable or irreplaceable resources will mean 

 nothing unless we get right do\'sai to the problem for our economy 

 emanating from the complete explosion and mass of human beings, 



I hope we get that in the record too, 



Mr. Spraghe. Does any member of the panel wish to make a com- 

 ment? No comments. Are there any other statements from the 

 audience ? 



