231 



Pollution Control Act to provide for the establishment of a national 

 policy and comprehensive national program for the management, 

 beneficial use, protection, and development of the land and water 

 resources of the Nation's estuarine and coastal zone." 



A draft of S. 3183 was transmitted to the Congress with our report 

 of the national estuarine pollution study. S. 3183 is consistent with 

 the findings of that study and would establish a national policy for 

 the effective management and protection of the estuarine and coastal 

 zone. We strongly urge the enactment of S. 3183 as a first step toward 

 reform of land and water use in the areas of our countr}^ where con- 

 vergence of population and technology are causing pollution and 

 destruction of our coastal resources. 



S. 3183, the proposed National Estuarine and Coastal Zone Man- 

 agement Act of 1976, would add a new section 19 to the Federal 

 Water Pollution Coastal Act, as amended, to provide for a cooperative 

 program between the Federal and coastal State governments. Federal 

 grants would be made to the coastal States on up to a 50-percent 

 matching basis for developing a comprehensive management program 

 for the State's coastal zone. Operational grants could also be made to 

 the coastal State on a matching basis for implementation of the pro- 

 gram. A requirement for the awarding of grants under S. 3183 would 

 be that the State be organized to implement the management plan 

 and that all necessary regulatory authorities are vested in the imple- 

 menting agency or agencies. This new section would provide for a 

 continuing review by the Secretary of the coastal State's performance 

 under its program and provides for the power to terminate or with- 

 draw financial assistance in case of partial compliance or a failure ta 

 comply. A summary of the specific provisions is attached. 



S. 2802 and S. 3460 which are also pending before j^our committee 

 have similar objectives with respect to the estuarine and coastal zone, 

 and the Department generally supports the objectives of those bills. 

 However, there are significant differences between the provisions of 

 S. 2802 and S. 3460 with respect to such provisions as : Federal agency 

 responsibility for administration of the proposed grant program; 

 method of financing the program; requirements with respect to re- 

 sponsibility and organization within the States for implementing the 

 estuarine and coastal zone management program; interagency coor- 

 dination at the Federal level; and definition of tlie estuarine and 

 coastal zone. In all cases, we believe the provisions of the administra- 

 tion's bill are superior to those of the other bills being considered. In 

 particular, we believe that a grant program such as the one proposed 

 should be administered by an operating agency rather than an Execu- 

 tive Office organization. The proposed program is closely related to 

 many activities of the Department of the Interior and, we believe the 

 Department is in the best position to administer tlie program and 

 achieve the necessary interagency coordination at the Federal level. 



The Department of the Interior is broadly concerned with the whole 

 area of natural resources and their most effective management. No- 

 where is the need for effective management more noticeable tlian in the 

 estuarine and coastal zone. To meet the critical need for a soundly 

 based national program to encourage and assist the coastal States in 

 the effective management of the land, water, and other resources of 

 the estuarine and coastal zone, we urge enactment of S. 3183. 



65-319—76 16 



