CHAPTER 6. THE ESTUARY STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS 

 COMPARED WITH OTHER PROPOSALS FOR MANAGING 

 THE ESTUARINE AND COASTAL ZONE 



In addition to the present Study, maniagement of th'e coastal zone 

 also has been the subject of one other report at the Federal level during 

 the past year. This is chapter 3 in the report by the Commission on 

 Marine Science, Engineering, and Resources entitled "Our Nation 

 and the Sea" (hereafter referred to as Commission report) . 



This chapter reviews the Commission report in summary fashion 

 and compares its policy recommendations with those advanced by the 

 National Estuarine Pollution Study. 



Recommendations of the Com^mission Report 



A major conclusion reached by the Commission is that, although. 

 Federal, State, and local governments share the responsibility for 

 managing estuarine and coastal zone resources, the States must be the 

 "focus for responsibility and action." It considers, however, that effec- 

 tive management of these resources thus far has been thwarted by 

 the variety of government jurisdictions involved, the low priority af- 

 forded marine matters by State governments, the diffusion of responsi- 

 bilities among State agencies, and the failure of State agencies to de- 

 velop and implement long-range plans. It adds that, until recently, 

 navigation — over which Federal authority is preeminent — has tended 

 to dominate the uses of the coastal zone, and the Commission suggests 

 that this perhaps is the reason why the States have been slow to assume 

 their management responsibilities. Based on these conclusions, the 

 Commission's major recommendations are as follows: 



ESTABLISHMENT BY THE STATES OF COASTAIi ZONE AUTHORITIES 



Each coastal State should establish one or more coastal zone authori- 

 ties capable of developing and implementing management plans which 

 would "resolve problems of competing uses" in the coastal zone. The 

 number, form, and exact powers of these authorities would be left 

 to each State. In general, however, the Commission expects that these 

 authorities would be organized so as to "prevent domination by State 

 agencies charged with narrower responsibilities." Powers to be made 

 available to the typical coastal zone authority should include plan- 

 ning, reg:ulation, acquisition and eminent domain, and development. 



Planning is defined by the Commission as the making of compre- 

 hensive plans for coastal waters and adjacent lands and the conduct of 

 necessary studies and investigations. Regulation includes zoning, the 

 granting of easements, licenses, or permits, and the exercising of other 

 necessary controls to insure that use of waters and adjacent lands con- 

 forms to the plan for that area. Acquisition and eminent domain are 



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