144 



Incidentally, we can submit for the record a slight revision of this 

 table which will give somewhat more accurate figures than these, if 

 you would like that. We will do that later. The new table, instead of 

 saying figures are to the 6th or 9th or 15th, will say millions or billions 

 or trillions, or something like that, so they are more legible. 



I pick up, then, on page 5 with the last paragraph, where we proceed 

 into some argument for the development of marine resources. 



National needs for resources in future years and at present will be 

 met by a variety of sources, all of which will have to be competitive in 

 the marketplace. Where possible, greater quantities of fish will be 

 harvested from the oceans, lower grade ore tailings and metal scrap 

 will be reworked, agricultural productivity will be further increased, 

 and large new water desalination plants will be built, among other 

 things. 



In addition to measures to use the untapped resources remaining on 

 land, it is the Department's belief that it will be in the Nation's best 

 interest to discover and develop all aspects of marine resources to 

 provide what is possibly one of the last remaining alternatives for 

 new sources of raw materials available in the territories under U.S. 

 control. As presently visualized, the resources consist of minerals in 

 the sea water solution, those deposited on the ocean floor, and those, 

 including energy resources, in geological formations under the ocean 

 bed. They consist also of living resources for food, water for de- 

 salination to supplement supplies of naturally occurring fresh water, 

 and lands and water of the coastal zone which are used for recrea- 

 tional purposes. 



We believe, in summary, to stress the point, that it is a most logical 

 step for this country to develop its marine resources for present and 

 future use as a guarantee against growth in future demand and against 

 changes in world situations which could threaten the supply of re- 

 sources now available to the United States from foreign sources. 



We believe further that this is one of the major objectives of the 

 Marine Kesources and Engineering Development Act of 1966. It states 

 specifically, among other things, that "there be accelerated develop- 

 ment of marine resources of the marine environment." 



As the principal conservation agency for the Federal Government, 

 the Department of the Interior is responsible for the development and 

 effective use, in the public interest, of natural resources in both ter- 

 restrial and marine environments. The Marine Resources and En- 

 gineering Development Act, in addition to the Outer Continental 

 Shelf Lands Act, has broadened the scope of departmental responsi- 

 bilities for the marine environment by requiring additional attention 

 to resources of the Continental Shelves, an area of at least 1 million 

 square miles of the ocean. 



In addition, the Water Quality Act of 1965 and the Clean Waters 

 Restoration Act of 1966 have greatly expanded the Department's au- 

 thority and responsibility for improving the quality of our water re- 

 sources in marine environments. Thus, through the combination of 

 water and other resource development and responsibilities for plan- 

 ning, coordination, and support of outdoor recreation, the Department 

 has an extensive involvement in marine scientific and technological 

 affairs. 



