215 



306 (i), page 12, a grant of an amount up to 15 percent of the total 

 amount appropriated may be made to one coastal State. We believe 

 that these grants should take into account the populations of such 

 States, the size of the coastal or estuarine areas, and the respective 

 financial needs of such States. 



Section 307, page 12, authorizes the Secretary to enter into agree- 

 ments with coastal States to underwrite, by guarantee thereof, bond 

 issues or loans for the purpose of land acquisition or land and water 

 development and restoration projects. We believe that the bill should 

 prescribe the terms and conditions of the bond issues or loans that may 

 be guaranteed by the Secretaiy and the rights of the Federal Govern- 

 ment in the case of default. Section 307 also states that the aggregate 

 principal amount of guaranteed bonds and loans outstanding at any 

 time may not exceed $140 million. We believe that the bill should 

 further specify an aggregate amount of such guaranteed bond issues 

 or loans available to each State. We also note that the bill does not 

 identify the source of the Federal funds that would be needed in the 

 event of any defaults. 



Section 311, page 14, authorizes the Secretary to establish a costal 

 and estuarine zone management advisory committee composed of not 

 more than 15 persons designated by the Secretary. This section does 

 not (1) specify the term of service of the members, and (2) provide 

 for the designation of a chairman. The connnittee may wish to provide 

 for (1) the term or terms of service and (2) the selection of a chair- 

 man. 



Section 313(a), page 15, should be clarified as it is now unclear 

 whether it provides that States must adequately consider the views of 

 principally affected Federal agencies prior to submitting their plans 

 to the Secretary or whether the Secretaiy must adequately consider 

 the views of principally affected Federal agencies prior to his approval 

 of the States plans. In either case, the committee may wish to set a 

 specific time limit within which principally affected Federal agencies 

 must submit their views. 



Tlie bill does not require a finding by the Secretary that the State's 

 coastal and estuarine zone management plan and program be consistent 

 with an applicable implementation plan under the Clean Air Act, as 

 amended, the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended, and 

 the Solid Waste Disposal Act of 1965, as amended. The committee may 

 wish to add a section to the proposed bill to require such a finding. 

 Sincerely yours. 



Egbert F. Keller, 

 Acting Com'ptroller General of the United States. 



Comptroller General of the United States, 



Washington, D.C., April 20, 1971. 

 Hon. Warren G. Magnuson, 

 Chmrmnan, Committee on Commerce, 

 U.S. Senate. 



Dear Mr. Chairman : This is in reference to your letter of Febru- 

 ary 26, 1971, requesting our views on S. 638 which would amend the 

 Marine Resources and Engineering Development Act of 1966, as 



65-319 — 76 15 



