CHAPTER 3. ROLE AND ACTIVITIES OF LOCAL 

 GOVERNMENTS 



Section 1. Introduction 



The most crucial decisions on destruction and/or conservation of 

 estuaries are made at the local government level. Yet the record of 

 local government in estuarine management is disappointing. As Dr. 

 Stanley A. Cain remarked : 



The authority for zoned use of the coastal zone — that is, its allocation to de- 

 termined uses in specified places — lies with local government. And local govern- 

 ment finds itself weak in the face of massive private economic power and the 

 public resistance to increased taxes ( V-S-1) . 



Local governments' present activities, problems, and effectiveness 

 in the estuaries are discussed in this chapter and ways in which local 

 direction and programs can share in the total national effort to pre- 

 serve and develop our estuaries are recommended. Particular attention 

 is given to imaginative land- and water-use management techniques 

 by local agencies. 



This discussion of local governments' role is made with full recogni- 

 tion that our American federal system is one of shared responsibilities 

 between local, State, and Federal governments. Today there are no 

 autonomous estuarine areas. Our functioning governmental system 

 does not resemble a layer cake, as a common simile has it, but, more 

 closely approximates a marble cake of joint powers and activities. 

 Thus, rather than allocating specific functions exclusively to local 

 agencies, their programs can be fitted into a cooperative, intergovern- 

 mental pattern of balanced estuarine uses. 



An extensive survey and numeration of the activities of all local 

 governments in estuaries is beyond the scope of this report. Rather, 

 some functions of local governments relating to estuaries are briefly 

 indicated, and their programs, problems, and regulatory tools dis- 

 cussed in general terms. For purposes of this report, "local govern- 

 ment" includes not only cities and town but also, when applicable, 

 counties and intrastate, multicounty, and regional agencies. 



Estuaries are affected by a wide variety of local government activi- 

 ties and programs, including water resources (pollution control, waste 

 disposal, and water supply) ; transportation (especially port and 

 marina facilities) ; conservation and recreation (parks, fisheries, and 

 wildlife) ; and commercial and economic development and public and 

 private land use (planning, zoning, and housing) . All of these must be 

 considered in organizing a comprehensive estuarine management 

 program. 



Section 2. Management Tools 



In developing and conserving estuarine resources, the following man- 

 agement and regulatory tools have been used by local governments: 



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