no 



so complex that I think there are very few areas where it is reason- 

 able to expect that you can sort of put them neatly into one admin- 

 istrative compartment that go ahead and deal with the problem with- 

 out some kind of very close coordination with other agencies. This 

 the quality of this Nation's environment. 



As you well know, our environment responsibilities within the 

 Federal Government extend to just about every single agency. I can- 

 not think of one, offhand, that does not have substantial impact on 

 the quality of this Nation's environment. 



Senator Stevexs. Yes; but I hope — and I hope the chairman and 

 Senator Spong would agree — we are looking not only to provide a 

 control mechanism to assist the States in proper land use planning 

 in the coastal zone particularly ; we are also looking for mechanisms 

 that would clear the way when they do get into the position where 

 action is necessary. I do not see that that is going to be possible if 

 we wait for S. 992; nor do I see that it would be possible, under the 

 plan that once a State land use plan is approved by the Secretan^ of 

 Interior and a grant is issued under S. 992 or S. 582, the State has to 

 file an environmental impact statement with EPA, and then file the 

 total concept of involving any further Federal activities, not taking 

 into account the time to approve the plan. 



I think that we might well be creating another roadblock in work- 

 ing toward proper protection of the estuaries, the coastal zones, if 

 we are not careful. It seems to me this has to be coordinated in the 

 beginning with the Council on Environmental Quality and EPA 

 and other agencies to insure that what Interior says is the proper 

 State land use plan is, in fact, going to be followed up by the Fed- 

 eral agencies that are involved. 



The Senator from Oregon and I share the same Adewpoint. We 

 would rather have the smaller bill this time and follow its progress. 

 That is a comment, not a question. 



ISIr. Teaix. Well, I have tried to answer the comment. 



Senator Hollings. Just to see where it goes, let me ask a specific 

 question. Last year the administration presented a coastal zone man- 

 agement bill and allocated that responsibility to the Department of 

 Interior. But that was prior to the administration's submission of 

 Reorganization Plan No. 4 establishing the National Oceanic and 

 Atmospheric Administration. 



You and I both talk in glowing terms of the development of in- 

 terests now in coastal zones. I like to think it came in large measure 

 from the bipartisan, very comprehensive study made by the Stratton 

 Commission. That very same Commission recommended, of course, 

 that once NOAA was instituted, that it have the administrative re- 

 sponsibility of the coastal zone. 



Now, do you recommend, if we cannot go forward with the whole 

 loaf, as Senator Hatfield was talking about, that we go along with 

 half a loaf? And if we do go along with the half a loaf, do we go 

 along with it in the Department of Interior or within NOAA? 



Mr. Traix. I think here again, we are having to sort of look into 

 a somewhat clouded crystal ball as to the future. As you know, the 

 President has proposed a major reorganization 



Senator Hollixgs. I believe it is too clear. We do not see the clouds 

 that you see. ' 



