982 
The data center serves as a central repository for the Nation’s un- 
classified oceanographic data. In addition to its chartered mission, the 
data center is also designated as an oceanographic information and 
analysis center for the Department of Defense to provide services to 
users within the Department of Defense. 
The importance of the data center as an adjunct to the military 
mission is evidenced by the major role Navy has played to support the 
center, and by the fact that Navy and Navy contractors are the major 
users. The Department of Defense would not object to the transfer of 
the data center if the new organizational arrangement was supportive 
of its national charter. 
We believe the data center would be expected to continue to pro- 
vide data services to all users, Government, and private, civilian and 
military, in keeping with its basic mandate as a national data 
repository. 
With regard to the National Advisory Committee for Oceans and 
Atmosphere proposed by the bill, there are two features concerning 
which the Department of Defense has serious reservations. 
The first is that the mechanism suggested for the advisory commit- 
tee would appear to put the proposed operating agency, the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency and its advisory group, the Ad- 
visory Committee for Oceans and Atmosphere, in an effectively con- 
trolling position over other operating agencies with their own special 
mission requirements. 
This appears likely to generate conflicts that would tend to give 
the advisory committee an unwarranted amount of bias toward the Na- 
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency as opposed to the equally vital 
interests of other Federal agencies. 
Second, the bill provides for participation by Federal agency repre- 
sentatives on the advisory committee only by relegating them to ob- 
server status. The Department of Defense believes that such an ar- 
rangement could severely jeopardize the advisory committtee’s effec- 
tiveness as the principal governmental advisory group for the 
Nation’s marine and atmospheric activities. 
It is noted that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency 
would function in the conduct of mapping and charging, encom- 
passing the world oceans. The Department of the Navy has statutory 
responsibility for the provision of accurate charts, sailing directions 
and manuals for the use of all vessels of the United States and for the 
benefit and use of all navigators generally, although its primary con- 
ee 2 with defense requirements and in the deep oceans around the 
world. 
The U.S. Army Engineer District, Lake Survey, has a generally 
similar role on the Great Lakes. The Environmental Science Services 
Administration, a proposed component of the new National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Agency, would be concerned primarily with civil 
mapping and charting activities which are confined largely to the U.S. 
territorial waters and the continental shelf areas. Care should be exer- 
cised to insure that mapping and charting responsibilities are clear in 
order to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort. 
Also, care should be exercised to insure that the lines of respon- 
sibility or function between the proposed National Oceanic and Atmos- 
