be brought swiftly into being. We need management mechanisms 

 that will allow us to deal more effectively with our overall energy 

 and natural resource problems, and we need them now. NOAA 

 will be an essential element of the new Department. 



While the Committee's endorsement of the President's proposals 

 is basic and overriding, it is concerned with what it sees as the lack 

 of attention given to the role of the oceans in the proposal for the 

 DENR. I wish to assure the Committee and the Congress that the 

 Administration attaches great importance to oceanic and atmos- 

 pheric affairs. In recognition of this, President Nixon has proposed 

 that ocean, atmosphere and earth science and service activities be 

 organized into one of the five major elements of the new DENR. 



The Committee has also provided suggestions for possible organi- 

 zational alignments within the new DENR. Organizational struc- 

 tures and their functions lend themselves to an infinite variety of 

 permutations as pointed out by the Committee. The President's 

 proposal does not include transfer of such major organizations as 

 the Coast Guard from the Department of Transportation or the 

 Maritime Administration from the Department of Commerce, etc., 

 to the new DENR. While recognizing that these organizations are 

 involved in oceanic functions, the Administration believes that the 

 adverse impact on the Nation's transportation, safety, and commerce 

 functions would outweigh the benefits to be derived from their 

 consolidation within an "oceanic" organization. Similarly the ad- 

 vantages of the Committee's proposals to separate the Maritime 

 Administration from its research and development functions and to 

 split up both the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Bureau 

 of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife would be outweighed by the inability 

 of these organizations to provide responsive foci for their areas of 

 activity. 



It is the intention of the Administration to join NOAA and the 

 U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) within DENR. Enormous benefits 

 and new strength will be added to the oceanic and atmospheric 

 functions of NOAA and the earth functions of the USGS. At some 

 later date, additional functions can be considered. At that time, the 

 suggestions of NACOA will be given further consideration. 



The Committee has recommended the designation of an appro- 

 priate official of the Navy, such as the Oceanographer of the Navy, 

 as Federal Coordinator for marine technology development. I 

 strongly support the need for Federal coordination in all areas of 

 governmental activity where many agencies are involved. In the 



