393 



• To keep the record straight here, on page 2, at the start of the last 

 paragraph there, "An executive agency to formulate and direct many 

 of the more important marine operations," I am referring to NOAA 

 in that context. That would be the executive agency, sir. Perhaps I 

 should have spelled it out. 



Mr. Lennon. Will you yield to me? 



Mr. Karth. Yes. 



Mr. Lennon. That is exactly the point I was going to raise. It con- 

 fused me, too. 



Thank you. 



Mr. Clark. Does that clarify it? 



Mr. Karth. I am ^lad the witness clarified that. 



I was also associatnig that with the previous paragraph where you 

 talked of the executive agency. 



Mr. Clark. No; the first paragraph refers to the committee; the 

 second to NOAA. 



Mr. Karth. Thank you. 



Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Lennon. Thank you, Mr. Karth. 



Mr. Keith? 



Mr. Keith. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



I think that from two points of view this is a very worthwhile state- 

 ment you have made. 



I would gather that as one who is sort of an agent of the business 

 community that you know that you cannot get funds for a develop- 

 ment unless the title is clear. This is particularly true when you are 

 dealing with the matter of stocks and bonds and borrowing from 

 banks. So that part of your statement points up a problem that must 

 be recognized. 



The second contribution is one which I think this committee has 

 recognized and that is that you have to huve clearly defined lines of 

 communication and policymaking and responsibility for funding so 

 that your operations are not so open ended and fuzzy that you can't 

 proceed with some confidence that this won't be changed from day 

 to day. 



The implementing of the report and creation of the agency asked 

 for here will go a long way toward resolving many problems that have 

 confronted the Congress before in connection with oceanography and 

 related projects. This would be the case when there is a difference of 

 opinion between one agency of the Government and another. 



We should have a prestigious organization that could help to make 

 a decision. For example, in the case of operation Mohole, there was 

 no agency of the V.S. Government that said it was right in the first 

 place, no central agency. There was no central agency to come to us 

 when it ran into rough seas. The organization that did more or less 

 implement that act was an ad hoc one. 



I think this committee is moving forthrightly in its effort to resolve 

 the problems that it has seen and to enlist the public support "such as 

 yours that we need. We are hopeful that we can generate through this 

 series of hearings, leaders like yourself. Dr. Stratton and others. 



Now, just one little observation or question to get you on fin operat- 

 ing level. 



You say that the Coastal States and the Federal Government need 

 to settle offshore jurisdictional claims much more expeditiously than 



26-563 O— 69— pt. 1 26 



