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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency, the primary mission of which could 
be to establish a comprehensive and long-range national program of research 
development, technical services, exploration and utilization with respect to the 
marine and atmospheric environment. To this agency would be transferred from 
the Department of Transportation, the United States Coast Guard. In essence, 
the Coast Guard would become the major component upon which the new agency 
would be grounded. 
As an association of vessel companies engaged in the transportation of bulk 
commodities upon the Great Lakes, we certainly are not opposed to any scientific 
endeayor which will bring about greater utilization of our marine and atmos- 
pheric environment. We do seriously question, however, the advisability of diffus- 
ing the present-day functions of the Coast Guard by transferring it from the 
Department of Transportation to a new Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency. H.R. 
13247 makes the assumption that all marine endeavors can or should be con- 
centrated in a single agency irrespective of the nature of those endeavors. This 
we do not believe to be true, and the Coast Guard is a case in point. 
Lake Carriers’ Association is an organization comprised of 19 vessel com- 
panies owning and operating 198 bulk cargo vessels, all of which are of United 
States flag. The vessels of Association members transport nearly all of the bulk 
commodity commerce on the Great Lakes which moves by American flag vessels. 
In order to appreciate the magnitude of bulk commodity transportation on the 
Great Lakes, it is only necessary to point out that last year the Great Lakes 
bulk commodity movement totaled 204.8 million tons, comprised mainly of the 
commodities iron ore, coal, grain, limestone, sand, gravel, cement and petroleum 
products. 
The bulk commodity movement, so essential to the industry of the Great Lakes 
region, could not be accomplished without the services of the Coast Guard. That 
service contributes immeasurably to the rapid turn-around of the vessels, not 
only because of the excellent way in which they maintain aids to navigation and 
assist our vessels through ice in fall and spring, but also because of the cooper- 
ative manner in which they exercise their regulatory powers. The United States 
Coast Guard has always indicated a willingness to coordinate their activities 
and responsibilities in such a way as to maintain vessel opertions, thus assuring 
the continued movement of bulk cargoes without unnecessary delay. 
As indicated by the Act of August 4, 1949 (14 U.S.C.A. § 2) as amended by the 
Act of October 5, 1961, the primary duties of the Coast Guard are: 
1. To enforce or assist in the enforcement of all applicable Federal laws upon 
the high seas and waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States: 
2. To administer laws and promulgate and enforce regulations for the promo- 
tion of safety of life and property on the high seas and waters subject to the jur- 
isdiction of the United States; 
3. To develop, establish, maintain and operate, with due regard to the require- 
ments of national defense, aids to maritime navigation, ice-breaking facilities, 
and rescue facilities for the promotion of safety on and over the high seas and 
waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States; 
4. To engage in oceanographic research on the high seas and in waters subject 
to the jurisdiction of the United States ; and 
5. To maintain a state of readiness to function as a specialized service in the 
Navy in time of war. 
Since its inception, the multiple missions of the Coast Guard have been pri- 
marily transportation-oriented. Basically, the Coast Guard’s responsibilities are 
enforcement of all federal laws on waters to which they have application, safety 
of life and property at sea, aiding navigation and readiness to function with the 
Navy. These various interdependent functions all relate to ships and shipping in 
one way or another. It was not until the Act of October 5, 1961 that the Coast 
Guard was given any responsibility in connection with oceanographic research. 
The legislative history of that Act (Conference Report No. 1194: U.S. Code Cong. 
and Adm. News, Page 3339) indicates that the Coast Guard was to conduct 
oceanographic research using necessary equipment or instruments and analyzing 
oceanographic data in cooperation with other agencies of the-government, or not, 
as the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating deter- 
mines to be in the national interest. Thus, the Congress at that time was conscious 
of the need for safeguards to prevent a dilution of the traditional missions of 
the Coast Guard, and it achieved this by requiring that the Secretary of the 
department in which the Coast Guard is operating make the final determination 
as to public interest. 
