526 NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM LEGISLATION 



gress. At first sight it would reduce problems of coordination but it 

 would undoubtedly introduce a quite different set of similar problems 

 of this nature. 



The various Government departments and agencies engaged in 

 oceanographic activities directly related to their missions must con- 

 tinue to discharge those missions and hence must be concerned with 

 oceanography. For example, fisheries and other resource aspects of 

 oceanography are undertaken by the Department of the Interior, pol- 

 lution and other studies by the Department of Health, Education, 

 and Welfare, and the Atomic Energy Commission, defense aspects by 

 the U.S. Navy, et cetera. If oceanography were were divorced from 

 these departments it would seriously impair their capabilities for car- 

 rying out their missions. In most instances, research, development, 

 and exploration are so inextricably entwined with the responsibilities 

 the individual agencies must discharge that their effectiveness would 

 be seriously impaired. 



Tlie need for coordination between the proposed oceanographic 

 agency and the users of the information it developed would to my 

 mind "be even more difficult than the present problems of coordination 

 between the agencies in the different aspects of oceanography. For 

 these and other reasons, I recommend against the passage of H.K. 921. 



Finally, I should mention H.R. 5175 by Mr. Lennon wliich would 

 require that a legal study be undertaken by the Coast Guard. Al- 

 though I am poorly qualified to comment on this bill, I should like to 

 say that I am in favor of the proposition that such a study should be 

 undertaken. Whether the Coast Guard is the appropriate agency, 

 I do not know. 



In conclusion, I wish to reiterate that the accomplishments in ocean- 

 ographic research over the past few years have been quite gratifying ; 

 the science has shown steady progress and our facilities are markedly 

 improved. Yet we must do more if we are to attain the desired goals. 

 We are now considering further expansion of our effort in exploiting 

 the resources of the sea. This will require study, financial support 

 and time. Given these and the opportunity to conduct realistic in- 

 vestigations into the potentials of the sea, we will attain the answers 

 necessary to devise and carry out an evermore meaningful program. 



Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Casey. Thank you. Doctor. 



The results of the tests off the Florida coast, you mentioned that 

 you have that available to put in the record, and I believe we would 

 like to have those, if you will furnish that for the record. 



(Documents referred to follow:) 



JOIDES Drilling Project Summary 



One of the most significant recent accomplishments in oceanography was the 

 completion of an ocean drilling and coring program on the Continental Shelf, 

 continental slope, and the Blake Plateau off the eastern coast of Florida. The 

 drilling took place on six sites along a transect beginning about 22 miles ofE 

 Jacksonville in 81 feet of water and extended 250 miles offshore where the ocean 

 depth reaches 3,500 feet. The deepest hole drilled was 1,050 feet below the 

 ocean bottom. 



The drilling program began on April 17, about 1 month after a grant was 

 made by the National Science Foundation to the Lamont Geological Observa/- 

 tory, and was completed on May 17. The entire operation was under the 

 supervision of JOIDES (Joint Oceanographic Institutions' Deep Earth Sam- 



