251 



that we will soon have a law to provide the necessary Federal leader- 

 ship in this area. 



Yet, even though we have been without a congressionally niandated 

 program, the needs of our coastal zones have not been unnoticed. The 

 1969 Report of the Commission on Marine Science, Engineering, and 

 Resources, entitled "Our National and the Sea" — the so-called "Strat- 

 ton Commission Report" — discussed at length the special values of our 

 coastal areas and the need for a proper program of coastal zone man- 

 agement : 



In that report is the following comment : 



Rapidly intensifying use of coastal areas already has outrim the capabilities of 

 local governments to plan their orderly development and to resolve conflicts. 

 The division of responsibilities among the several levels of government is unclear 

 and the knowledge and procedures for formulating sound decisions are lacking. 



The key to more effective use of our coastland is the introduction of a manage- 

 ment system permitting conscious and informed choices among development al- 

 ternatives, providing for proper planning, and encouraging recognition of the 

 long-term importance of maintaining the quality of this productive region in 

 order to ensure its enjoyment and the sound utilization of its resources. 

 The benefits and the problems of achieving rational management are apparent. 

 The present Federal, State, and local machinery is inadequate. Something must 

 be done. 



It was in response to this void in adequate machinery that the Com- 

 mittee on Commerce began, during the 91st Congress, to consider 

 legislation which would help to protect and manage our biologically 

 productive and commercially invaluable coastal aretis. I am pleased to 

 recognize the contributions of the present administration in this area, 

 and note that much of the bill we consider here today is patterned after 

 the bill, S. 3183, introduced at the request of the administration during 

 the 91st Congress. This administration proposal was developed as a re- 

 sult of the National Estuarine Study by the Department of the In- 

 terior, performed pursuant to Public Law 90-454, also reported by 

 the Committee on Commerce. 



Despite the administration's prior recommendations in this area, 

 however, I shall note, in fairness, that it does not support separate 

 legislation for the coastal zone such as that contained in the bill, S. 

 3507. However, this does not reflect any change in the administration's 

 position over the need for effective programs. Rather, it has chosen a 

 broader approach with its proposal for a national land use policy as 

 contained in the bill, S. 992. In this connection, on May 5, 1.971, the 

 Honorable Russell Train, Chairman of the Council on Environmental 

 Quality — and former Under Secretary of the Interior — appeared be- 

 fore the subcommittee and stated in part the following : 



Since the development of the coastal zone legislation the administration has 

 moved forward to consider the broader realm of land use generally, including 

 the coastal zone. And the legislation which the President submitted to the Con- 

 gress on the 8th of February as part of his environmental message calls for a 

 new, very innovative national land use policy which includes and embraces the 

 coastal zone as part of a broader approach to what the administi'ation sees as a 

 very high priority national need ; namely, more effective land use as it affects 

 environmental quality all across the country, both in the coastal zone and within 

 the interior portions of the United States. 



Notwithstanding this valid observation concerning the needs of the 

 interior portions of our coimtry, the needs of our coastal zones are 

 such that to delay passage of the National Coastal Zone Management 

 Act of 1972 to await enactment of a more inclusive bill would be unwise 



