19 



(2) The current authorization level for the Sea Grant College Pro- 

 gram was established in 1973 based on administration projections, out- 

 lined in Committee hearings, for establishment of Sea Grant Programs 

 to serve the educational, applied research, and extension services needs 

 of each of the coastal and Great Lakes states. That objective has not 

 been met, primarily because of budgetary restraints. NOPS might 

 wish to consider how Sea Grant can be strengthened to meet those 

 needs in areas still lacking adequate marine education, research, and 

 extension services. 



(3) The relationship of Sea Grant sponsored research, conducted b3" 

 Sea Grant institutions, to the overall federal government ocean re- 

 search program. For example, the National Advisory Committee on 

 Oceans and Atmosphere (NACOA) recommended in its June, 1974 

 report full funding of the Sea Grant Program as one way of meeting 

 research needs in the coastal zone. 



The staff will conduct an analysis to provide inputs to the Commit- 

 tee for its determination of whether or not to hold oversight hearings 

 on the program. 



The International Decade of Ocean Exploration has been subject to 

 annual review as part of the Congress' consideration of authorizations 

 for the National Science Foundation. IDOE is designed to improve 

 understanding of the oceans' influence on man's activities and of man's 

 impact on the marine environment through a cooperative international 

 scientific effort. The Committee may wish to consider a review of this 

 program during the 94th Congress to determine how well it is fulfill- 

 ing its legislative mandate in the broad context of Federal ocean-re- 

 lated activities. The staff will work with the staff of the Special Sub- 

 committee on the National Science Foundation in providing informa- 

 tion to the Committee to be used in determining whether to hold over- 

 sight hearings on this program. 



4. EXAMINATION OF DEEP SEABED HARD MINERALS DEVELOPMENT 

 FOLLOWING THE 1975 LAW OF THE SEA CONFERENCE 



Legislation was introduced in the 93d Congress (S. 1134) and re- 

 ferred to the Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs and 

 the Committee on Commerce on the subject of deep seabed hard min- 

 erals development. Although no legislation was enacted during the 93d 

 Congress, the situation could change following the 1975 Law of the 

 Sea Conference in Geneva, scheduled for March through May 1975, 

 since the development of deep seabed resources is currently one of the 

 injijor aspects of international ocean relations. 



The Committee and NOPS, in cooperation with the Committees on 

 Interior and Insular Affairs and Foreign Relations, may wish to evalu- 

 ate the outcome of the Law of the Sea Conference in regard to deep 

 seabed hard minerals to assist the Committees in determining whether 

 to hold hearings on the development of these deep seabed resources. 



5. EXAMINATION OF THE ISSUES INVOLVED IN FEDERAL ATMOSPHERIC 

 SCIENCE AND WEATHER PROGRAMS 



A major area of ocean-related concern that has not received a great 

 deal of attention from the National Ocean Policy Study to date is Fed- 



