enhance the developing National Coastal Zone Management Program, and 
we recommend that NOAA and other Federal agencies with responsibilities 
in the area make a systematic effort toward better information synthesis. 
NACOA, however, concludes that present knowledge and technology 
base and existing facilities and systems for providing assistance to coastal 
zone planners and managers are inadequate. We have examined existing 
Federal and (to the extent possible) State programs concerned with R&D 
and advisory activities related to coastal areas and found them to require 
bolstering. As mentioned earlier, there is a wide variety, such as the Office 
of Sea Grant in NOAA, the RANN and other activities in the National 
Science Foundation, the research and engineering program of the Corps of 
Engineers, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the Environmental Protection 
Agency. Most have reasonably good programs, as far as their resources have 
allowed them to go. But more is needed, and we recommend that addi- 
tional coastal-related research and development effort be mounted by each. 
In the case of the Sea Grant Program, the single act of immediately raising 
the funding to its authorized level with the commitment that it be applied 
to coastal zone activities would be of considerable assistance. 
The most significant improvement along these lines can be made if the 
National Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 is revised to include a 
new section directed toward the support of relevant R&D and technical 
communications activities. Following the pattern established for develop- 
ment and administration in the rest of the Act, the States should be given 
the option of deciding, within appropriately established Federal guidelines, 
on the form and extent of their research, development, and advisory services 
programs. Federal monies, supplied on the existing matching basis (2:1) 
should be made available. The sum of $20 to $30 million (which would 
bring the total support for a complete National Coastal Zone Management 
Program to the approximate levels considered necessary before the Act was 
actually passed) would seem to allow a reasonable level of activity in de- 
velopment of appropriate research, technology development, and advisory 
services for the program. It is important to note here that NACOA is not 
recommending scientific and technology development programs for the sake 
of science but as a vital input to and an integral part of an effective coastal 
zone management system. This is a critical point which should not be over- 
looked. 
While the above recommendations for specific additions of relevant re- 
search, and technology development to the National Coastal Zone Manage- 
ment Act of-1972 relate primarily to added capabilities at the State level, 
the Federal effort, too, can be improved. Certain redefinition of objectives 
and focusing of programs within these same agencies would also help. 
It would seem possible for Federal agencies with laboratories and other 
in-house and out-of-house programs in coastally-related research, develop- 
34 
