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work and history of a large segment of a continental borderland for potential 

 resources. Already the results are being used by oil and mining companies in 

 their exploration programs. The Atlantic Continental Shelf represents about 

 one-sixth of the Nation's total shelf area, and we now urge similar efforts oft our 

 other coasts to provide the framework of reference for the more detailed studies 

 that relate to specific objectives such as the search for heavy metals, the evalu- 

 ation of geologic hazards, and hidden resources. 



The program that we propose is a balanced National program with the 

 following four goals : 



(1) Completion in 5 years of 80 percent of the shelf area at a reconnais- 

 sance scale (1 :1,000,000) ; 



(2) Completion in 5 years of 10 percent of the shelf area at an intermedi- 

 ate scale (1:250,000) ; 



(3) Concurrent detailed mapping (1:62,500) and analysis in areas of 

 high economic potential or where National needs dictate ; 



(4) Expand our capacity to work in deep sea areas especially off Hawaii 

 and island territories. 



If this Nation in years ahead is to make effective use of the resources beneath 

 the sea, this geologic information must be acquired prior to the major thrust of 

 exploration and development of the shelves. The reconnaissance scale geologic 

 investigation of the continental shelves is the first step toward meeting this need. 



Geologic investigation at an intermediate scale of 1 :250,000 will provide a 

 more detailed analysis of promising areas that have been brought into focus by 

 the reconnaissance work, or of areas where our onland geologic knowledge indi- 

 cates a high resource potential offshore. 



Detailed geologic studies and mapping at scale of 1 :62,500 and larger will be 

 conducted concurrently with the reconnaissance and intermediate scale mapping, 

 specifically in selected areas of high economic potential, or where the need exists 

 for investigations of geologic hazards or use of submerged lands, or for the study 

 of critical geologic processes. 



Geologic exploration of the deep ocean floor and the areas off island territories 

 will provide fundamental information to assess the resource potential and to 

 provide guidelines for development of National policy in problems of ownership 

 and use. 



We will carry out our marine program in four ways : (1) by our own in -house 

 research capabilities utilizing data from our investigations and those provided 

 by institutions and by industry ; (2) through research contracts with universities 

 and institutes; (3) service contracts with industry; and (4) cooperative pro- 

 grams with other federal agencies such as those started this year with the Bureau 

 of Mines, Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, Naval Oceanographic Office, Naval 

 Electronics Laboratory, and ESSA. 



The funding and staffing required for such a program has been estimated by 

 the Geological Survey as progressively increasing from the present funding of 

 $1.2 million and professional staff representing 21 man years to a funding base 

 of $14.5 million and a staff of 120 professionals in 1973. 



Proposed Marine Resources Evaluation Program for Conservation and 

 Supervision of Development 



The Geological Survey also proposes to implement a strong, continuing geologic 

 and engineering evaluation program in support of oil and gas leasing and super- 

 vision on the Outer Continental Shelf. 



Data in the form of well logs and cores, which Federal lessees are required to 

 furnish, have accumulated since the beginning of OCS operations in 1953. These 

 data have been used to aid supervision but manpower limitations have prevented 

 their full evaluation and utilization. Systematic analysis of these data will (1) 

 provide a basis for identifying realistic minimum values to be used as the lowest 

 acceptable bid for leases offered for sale, (2) identify areas subject to drainage 

 of oil or gas and thus subject to lease for that reason, and (3) provide informa- 

 tion for evaluation of secondary recovery and unitization proposals. Information 

 obtained from this program will add significantly to basic knowledge of the 

 geology and mineral resources of the continental shelves. 



The OCS includes the largest unexplored domestic areas where significant 

 new discoveries of minerals and fuels are likely to occur. Adequate funding for 



