861 
I guess what I am saying in a nutshell is that the test for this first 
lies in what is important to the Nation and on this my position is clear. 
Mr. Crinean. Of course I don’t need to remind you that it is also 
the Council’s statutory responsibility to advise the President on 
priorities. 
Dr. Wen. That is right. 
Mr. Crincan. Thank you. 
CONGRESSIONAL INTEREST IN MARINE AFFAIRS ORGANIZATION 
Mr. Lennon. Doctor, how long would you say that we have been 
trying to organize the so-called marine sciences at the national level? 
Dr. WENK. Well, the initiative of the Congress that I am acquainted 
with dates back to about 1959 or 1960. In fact, the report of the Na- 
tional Academy of Sciences that was released in J anuary of 1960 
found instant response in the legislative branch, and my recollection 
is that there were some bills introduced by some of your colleagues 
about that time and interest by this particular committee very shortly 
thereafter. There has been continued interest since that time, so L 
would date this back to about 10 years. 
Mr. Lennon. And yet it is suggested that to reorganize hastily 
would be counterproductive 10 years later. I agree to reorganize hastily 
would be counterproductive, but we will have to admit we spent 10 
years trying to reach some area of agreement as to how you can orga- 
nize at the Federal level the vast spectrum of marine sciences.. 
THE COASTAL ZONE 
Now, you talked quite a bit about our coastal zone. That has received 
considerable attention from many of our coastal States; and they are 
greatly interested in it, but who 1s going to provide the leadership in 
this area of coastal zones unless it is at the Federal level? How can 
interstate compacts be worked out on coastal zones where they both 
extent beyond the State boundaries and State lnes or in political 
subdivisions as in New York State, where even the new municipalities 
own the so-called high water level ‘mark down to the low water. How 
else can it be done except through a Federal agency and won’t you 
have to have a Government structure such as you talked about in 
NOAA to implement this proposal. Everybody agrees when you move 
in the direction of coastal zones and regional “laboratoriés and so 
forth—won’t we have to have a Government structure other than what 
we have got now ? 
Dr. Wek. Let me say I am in complete accord with your view that 
leadership in dealing with coastal zone matters has to come from the 
Federal Government. We recognize that the coastal lands and waters 
are held in trust for the citizes by the States, but insofar as guidance 
is concerned, encouraging the States themselves to organize better 
within their own State “governments and to develop the political 
courage that is going to be necessary to face some of these zoning 
issues, may have to come from the Federal Government. 
So let me say first, I agree with that point completely. The second 
is where in the Federal Government do we do this? This is a question 
