NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM LEGISLATION 97 



thorized and directed to conduct, by contract or otherwise, a study of the legal 

 problems arising out of the management, use, and control of the natural resources 

 of the oceans and ocean beds. 



Sec. 2. There is authorized to be appropriated $50,000 for the purposes of this 

 Act. 



U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, 



Washington, D.C., May 4, 1966. 

 Hon. Herbert C. Bonner, 



Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, 

 House of Representatives. 



Dear Mr. Bonner: This is in reply to your request for the views 

 of the Atomic Energy Commission on H.R. 5175, a bill providing for a 

 study of the legal problems of management, use, and control of the 

 natural resources of the oceans and ocean beds. 



The Atomic Energy Commission has been long interested in the 

 management, use, and control of the marine resources of the United 

 States. If it is decided that a study of the legal problems connected 

 with our marine resources would be useful, the Commission would be 

 pleased to cooperate with whatever agency makes the study to the 

 maximum extent consistent with the Commission's responsibilities 

 under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended. 



The Bureau of the Budget has advised that there is no objection to 

 the presentation of this report from the standpoint of the administra- 

 tion's program. 



Sincerely yours, 



John V. Vinciguerra 

 (For General Manager) . 



General Counsel of the 

 Department of Commerce, 

 Washington, D.C., May 4, 1965. 

 Hon. Herbert C. Bonner, 



Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, 

 House oj Representatives, Washington, D.C. 



Dear Mr. Chairman: This letter is in further reply to your re- 

 quest for the views of this Department with respect to H.R, 5175, a 

 bill providing for a study of the legal problems of management, use, 

 and control of the natiu"al resources of the oceans and ocean beds. 



The bill would authorize and direct the U.S. Coast Guard to con- 

 duct a study, by contract or otherwise, of the legal problems arising out 

 of the management, use and control of the natural resoiu-ces of the 

 oceans and ocean beds, and would authorize the appropriation of 

 $50,000 for the study. We oppose the bUl in its present form. 



We do not believe that the Coast Guard is the appropriate agency 

 for conducting the study contemplated by H.K. 5175. The legal 

 problems that arise from management, use and control of ocean and 

 ocean bed resources will generally fall within the missions of the 

 Departments of State and Interior. The Department of the Interior 

 is the agency charged with managing the resources of oiu" outer Con- 

 tinental Shelf (Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act of 1953). Inter- 

 national law problems arising from oiu" use of the ocean and ocean 

 beds should be treated by the Department of State. 



