482 



purposes. They determine the forms and functions of local govern- 

 ment generally in managing water and related land resources, and the 

 same holds true for the interstate instrumentalities which, at their 

 option, they may create for management purposes. Fisheries and other 

 living estuarine resources are under their direct control. Each State 

 presides over the legal system which governs private relations and 

 resolves the conflicting rights, interests, and privileges of its citizens 

 in the development and use of estuarine and coastal resources. And, 

 finally, even in those areas in which the Federal Government exer- 

 cises exclusive or primary authority, the nature of this country's 

 political process gives State groups and officials substantial power to 

 influence the objectives and the exercise of Federal policies. 



CONCLUSIONS 



The powers which the States possess clearly are strategic ones in 

 achieving balanced development, conservation, and preservation of tlie 

 i^esources of the estuarine and coastal zone. The national estuarine 

 management program accordingly should continue to vest the primary 

 responsibility for the management of these resources in the States. 

 As this analysis has shown, the States have ample constitutional au- 

 thority and, in all instances, they already are administering ongoing 

 programs in the estuarine and coastal zone on which the national 

 program can be built. Through their authority over local governments, 

 the States also are able to delegate to the local level that authority 

 which can best l)e performed locally. As a corollary, they also can 

 oversee the exercise of local authority so as to insure that the larger 

 State and national interests in the development and use of locally 

 situated resources prevail over more limited or erroneous local per- 

 ceptions of the public's interest in these resources. They also are close 

 to the scene and thus l>etter able than the Federal Government to re- 

 spond to the unique needs and opportunities of each estuary and 

 coastal area. At the same time, however, they are in a better position 

 than local governments to resist pressures for unwise development. 



In order that the States will eff'ectively discharge this primary 

 responsibility, the tactics of the national estuarine management pro- 

 gram should seek to have each State develop, either directly or through 

 its local subdivisions, the plan (or plans) wliich will control future 

 use of the State's estuarine and coastal zone; and, further, take the 

 steps necessary to insure compliance with these plans by its own agen- 

 cies and its local governmental units. Two steps are especially essen- 

 tial in this regard. One is the better establishment of State-level 

 organization, not dominated by any particular interest, with the ca- 

 pability of administering or coordinating State-level management 

 activities in tlie estuarine and coastal zone. The other is the est^iblish- 

 ment by the State of more effective supervision and control over the 

 actions of local governments in that zone. In addition, the State organ- 

 ization created or designated for this purpose should have the capacity 

 to integrate Federal service programs into the State's management 

 activities in its estaurine und coastal areas and, even more important, 

 to play a strong advisory role with respect to Federal programs and 

 projects more directly managing the resources of these areas. 



