53 
terior, pursuant to P.L. 89-753, to conduct an inventory and study of 
the Nation’s estuaries and their natural resources. The Senate Sub- 
committee on Oceanography held several days of hearings on these 
bills in the spring of 1970, and favorably reported S. 3183 to the 
Senate Commerce Committee after amending it to include concepts 
from Our Nation and the Sea and the National Estuarine Pollution 
Study. However, Congress adjourned before further action was taken 
on the bill. 
In the 92d Congress, Senator Ernest F. Hollings introduced S. 582 
which was the bill approved by the Senate Subcommittee on Oceans 
and Atmosphere (formerly the Subcommittee on Oceanography) 
during the previous Congress. Hearings were held on several related 
bills in May 1971, and S. 582 was reported out on December 1, 1971. 
Hlowever, several objections were raised, and Senator Hollings re- 
committed the bill to the Commerce Committee for amendments. 
Subsequently, a clean bill, S. 3507, was reported on April 11, 1972, 
which was passed unanimously by the Senate after approval of several 
floor amendments. 
On the House side, hearings were held on three similar bills by the 
Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, Subcommittee on 
Oceanography. Eventually, a clean bill, H.R. 14146, was reported out 
by the Goines on May. 5, 1972. On the floor of the House contro- 
versy centered around the agency’ designated to have administrative 
jurisdiction, the Department of the Interior or the Department. of 
Commerce (through the National Oceanic. and Atmospheric 
Administration, NOAA). Agreement was finally reached placing 
jurisdiction in the Department of the Interior. 
The conference report reflected several compromises. The Senate 
Conferees succeeded in retaining administrative jurisdiction of the 
coastal zone program in NOAA under the Secretary of Commerce, 
but the Secretary of the Interior must first concur on any land-use 
elements. S. 3507 was signed into law on October 27, 1972 (Public 
Law 92-583). . 
Briefly, the Coastal Zone Management Act declares that the land 
and water resources of the coastal zone should be preserved, protected, 
responsibly developed, and restored where possible. The Secretary of 
Commerce is given authority to provide planning and administrative 
grants to encourage state and local governments to establish coastal 
management programs. All Federal agencies engaged in programs 
affecting the coastal zones are required to cooperate and participate 
with state and local governments in implementing management 
programs. The Secretary of Commerce is further authorized to create 
a Coastal Zone Management Advisory Committee to assist him on 
policy matters relating to the coastal zone. Within the Department of 
Commerce, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
has administrative authority over the program. 
Ow Pollution Act Amendments of 1973 
In 1969 and 1971, the IMCO assembly adopted further amend- 
ments to the 1954 Oil Pollution Convention. These amendments 
tightened existing controls and regulated tanker compartment size 
and construction. In order to implement these amendments, Senator 
Warren G. Magnuson introduced S. 1067 on March 1, 1973. On 
June 12, 13, and 28, 1973, extensive hearings on ocean pollution were 
