vironmental needs. My view is that we must insure a balanced 

 approach to this problem. It is a topic on which the advice of 

 the Committee is most welcome. 



Similarly, the Committee has discussed the problem of siting new 

 major power plants. The Administration believes that this is also a 

 critical matter. It has proposed legislation (S-935, H.R. 4874, Elec- 

 tric Facilities Siting Act of 1973) which will provide long-range 

 regional planning for bulk power facilities within Federal guide- 

 lines. The purpose of the legislation is to meet national power 

 needs while reasonably protecting the environment, conserving 

 natural resources, and planning the proper use of available land. 

 This legislation will provide decision-making agencies with proce- 

 dures for achieving a publicly acceptable balance of these competing 

 objectives. 



The siting of nuclear power plants on bays and tidal rivers is a 

 special problem. There is a need to minimize thermal pollution. 

 Such thermal pollution is more readily accommodated in deeper 

 water than it is in the shallow and biologically sensitive estuarine 

 and near-shore area. I feel, therefore, that the Committee's recom- 

 mendation for new approaches to coastal siting, particularly the 

 possibility of offshore siting of nuclear plants, warrants serious 

 consideration. 



MANAGING THE COASTAL ZONE 



NAGOA expressed concern about the delay in funding the 

 Coastal Zone Management Act, passed by the last Congress, and 

 signed by the President into law as Public Law 92-583. Since the 

 delivery of the report to me, the Administration announced on 

 1 August that an amendment to the President's fiscal year 1974 

 budget would be submitted to fund the Coastal Zone Management 

 Act. This has been done. Five million dollars have been requested 

 to implement the provisions of the Act. 



The Administration has always regarded the management of the 

 coastal zone as being a matter of great importance. It had felt, 

 however, that a period of more extensive planning was required 

 before funding of the coastal zone management activities could take 

 place. It has started to work with all of the coastal states and has 

 now issued, in draft form, guidelines for the development of coastal 

 zone management programs. These were published in the Federal 

 Register on ]\inG. 13, 1973. 



