863 
Dr. Wenx. In this regard because the task group isn’t enjoined to 
report to the committee for policy review by October 1, and their 
recommendations then going through the Council must first find their 
way to the President. 
Mr. Lennon. You mean you are not permitted to let us use them in 
conferring with these people who come here? What we are doing, 
Doctor, we are helping the administration. This is an innovation for 
the legislative branch of Government to do what we propose to do. 
We ought not to have to do it. It should have been done by the executive 
branch of the Government. But they haven’t done it, and we believe 
that action is necessary now. 
We consider the commission recommendation’s not a mandate, but 
a commission and they are not very explicit how we should move in 
the direction of implementing their recommendations with respect to 
the coastal zone authority. I agree with you, it is in a gray or twilight 
zone. 
But nevertheless it is in the Report and a number of the coastal zone 
States are seizing on this. When they come to Washington on October 
28 and 29, they are going to expect some leadership, and I am so happy 
that that panel will be able to provide it. But if I go to the forum 
and say, “Now this panel was created by the President, your Presi- 
dent,” a lot of them will be from Republican States, “but they won’t 
let. us see this recommendation. It has to go through all the channels 
up to the White House before it can be approved or disapproved and 
come back down the ladder for we ordinary Americans to know what 
Is going on.” sracsetee : 
Dr. Wenx. This is a form of gestation, Mr. Chairman, that takes 
place before any eggs hatch. And I don’t believe there is anyway to 
accelerate that process. However, I would be pleased to carry back 
your interest in having some message from the executive branch and. 
perhaps even from the President by the time of your meeting late in 
October, that would in some way reflect the findings of this task group. 
Mr. Lennon. I just don’t want to go before them and say, “We can’t 
get a thing out of the record on this subject.” 
Dr. Wenk. I hope I can make it unnecessary for you to make that 
statement, Mr, Chairman. 
Mr. Lennon. As a matter of fact, happily, I am reminded that you 
are going to be the moderator, and I will be there to ask you some ques- 
tions. You have so kindly consented to be the moderater at our hearings 
on the first panel. 
Dr. Stratton will be here, Sam Lawrence, the former chairman of 
the panel on ocean management is going to be there too. I imagine it 
will be very good. 
Dr. Wrenn. Well, Mr. Chairman, we want to be helpful in any way 
we can, and I believe the main problem I was sharing with you here 
was this question of the stage of development of these recommenda- 
tions. Despite the promptness with which I expect this task group to 
report, their recommendations would naturally have to find their way 
to the Council and the President in due course, and here is a case where 
I simply do not know at what time scale these would be made a matter 
of Presidential enunciation. 
