481 



More specifically, this means that the national estuarine manage- 

 ment program should be directed toward five broad objectives : 



(1) The first is development and adoption of plans which will 

 result in balanced development, conservation, and preservation of 

 estuarine and coastal zone resources. Developed for specific estu- 

 arine and coastal areas, these plans should control the use of the 

 resources of these areas for as many beneficial purposes as possi- 

 ble. Where some uses are precluded, the plan should allow that 

 mix of uses which, based on both short- and long-range considera- 

 tions, is judged to be the most beneficial. Once adopted, it should 

 control the activities of all involved in managing the estuary or 

 coastal area included in the plan. 



(2) The second objective is the strengthening of governmental 

 regulatory programs and other activities directed toward imple- 

 menting and obtaining compliance with the use and management 

 plan adopted for a specific estuary or coastal area. Basically, this 

 requires improved management authority and organization. 



(3) A third objective is the initiation of studies, research, and 

 inventories in the estuarine and coastal zone to greatly increase 

 knowledge about these resources and understanding of their inter- 

 relationships and behavior. 



(4) The fourth objective is the adequate funding of all of the 

 essential governmental programs. 



(5) The fifth objective is the development of the public sup- 

 port on which achievement of the other objectives ultimately is 

 dependent. 



A second conclusion is that the sharing of responsibility and 

 authority which marks the present approach to the management of the 

 estuarine and coastal zone also must become an essential feature of 

 the national estuarine management program. In turn, this means that 

 the national program should create a Federal-State-local relationship 

 which makes maximum use of the particular and sometimes unique 

 capabilities which each level of government can bring to bear in a 

 coordinated and comprehensive effort to wisely manage the resources 

 of the estuarine and coastal zone. The outlines of such a relationship 

 are defined in the sections which follow. 



Role of State Governments 



SUMMARY 



The States today exercise the primary responsibility for the man- 

 agement of the resources of the estuarine and coastal zone. It is the 

 States which are primarily responsible for the prevention and control 

 of pollution in the estuaries and coastal waters. They hold title to the 

 submerged and tidal lands and are thus in a position to control their 

 use and modification. Although most States have delegated authority 

 to control land use to their local governmental units, they legally 

 retain the ultimate authority to control the use of shorelines and 

 related uplands in the estuarine and coastal zone and thus to decide 

 whether these lands are to be used for industry and commerce, parks 

 and recreation, fish and wildlife habitat, residential housing, or other 



