65 



Senator Hollings. You may proceed ; yes, sir. 



Secretary Hickel. Senator Hollings and members of the Subcom- 

 mittee on Oceanography : 



I am pleased to have this opportunity to testify on America's vital 

 need for coastal zone legislation. I will be brief as the committee lias 

 already heard many capable witnesses in its comprehensive hearings 

 on this important subject. 



The legislation before you— S. 3183. S. 2802, and S. 3460— was intro- 

 duced by a tot^l sponsoisliip of 16 Senators, a fact which strongly 

 suggests that the Congress recognizes our need for coastal zone legis- 

 lation. For example, all three bills begin with a strong assei-iion 

 that our coastal zones present unique problems, desiring special atten- 

 tion. This attention should take the form of a national policy and 

 program. 



These bills followed an even earlier congressional awareness of our 

 many misolved coastal zone problems. And last year, in response to 

 the directive of Public Law 89-753, the Department of the Interior 

 conducted an estuarine pollution stud)\ A second study of our estuaries 

 and coastal zone resources was authorized, in conjunction with the 

 first, by Public Law 90^54. 



In passing the Estuary Protection Act of 1968 the Congress declared 

 that "many estuaries are rich in a variety of natural conunercial and 

 other resources, including environmental natural beauty, and are of 

 immediate and potential value to the present and future generations 

 of Americans.'' 



The Congress also noted our need to balance conservation with 

 developmeait. And I believe the Congres firmly endorsed the defini- 

 tion of "conservative" we find in "Webster: "Wise use of natural re- 

 soui-ces — without abuse." 



The Secretary of the Interioi- was directed to conduct a study and 

 inventory not only of our estuaries, but also our coastal marshlands, 

 bays, sounds, seaward areas and lagoons, plus the land and waters of 

 the Great Lakes. The study itself was broadened in scope upon rec- 

 ognition that the resources of these areas could not be distinguished — 

 for the purpose of management — from those of the entire coastal 

 zone. Both investigations concluded that no Avhere is the need for effec- 

 tive environmental management moi-e noticeable than in the estuarine 

 and coastal zone. They also concluded that the national interest in the 

 effective management of our estuaries can be promoted most effectively 

 by reinforcing the ability of the States to l>etter protect and manage 

 their coastal zone resources. 



This need for a national coastal zone policy was recognized and 

 affirmed by the Xixon administration in the fonn of S. 3183. We saw 

 hundreds of thousands of Americans participating in the recent Earth 

 Day activities. And these citizens expj-essed legitimate concern for 

 environmental problems. It is appropriate and important to di-aw 

 attention to the fact that many, many of the problems which drew 

 attention during Eaith Day may be seen in regrettable abundance in 

 our coastal areas. 



"WTiat is happening in our coastal zones represents a basic — and 

 frequently ignored — conservation issue through the United States. 

 The lack of this Avise use, without abuse, of our land and water. 



