255 



The Department of the Interior conducted an exhaustive 3-year ex- 

 amination of this question. In 1969 it submitted its three- volume 

 report, "The National Estuarine Pollution Study," together with pro- 

 posed legislation. 



It was my honor in the 91st Congress to introduce S. 3183, which was 

 the recomm.ended legislation that grew out of that study. S. 3183 was 

 originally referred to the Committee on Public Works. In an efFort to 

 give the Committee on Commerce the opportunity to consider the 

 Interior Department's proposal in concert with the other important 

 coastal zone proposals, we recommended that S. 3183 bs re-referred to 

 the Committee on Commerce. 



S. 3183 contained important features to enable the coastal States to 

 give greater attention to the management of their coastal and estuarine 

 zones. 



S. 3183 sought to accomplish two goals. First, it declared that there 

 is a national interest in the effective management and protection of the 

 coastal and estuarine zones. The bill set out a "national policy to 

 encourage and assist the coastal States to exercise effectively their 

 responsibilities over the Nation's estuarine and coastal zones through 

 development and implementation of comprehensive management pro- 

 grams to achieve effective use of the coastal zone through a balance 

 between development and protection of the natural environment." 



Second, the bill sets up a system of matching grants to assist State 

 agencies in achieving more effective management of the coastal and 

 estuarine zone. The legislation authorizes development and operating 

 grants for coastal zone management programs. This would have fos- 

 tered rational and effective management of our precious coastal and 

 estuarine zone area, encouraging State permit authority in the estua- 

 rine areas and conformity between local zoning and the State man- 

 agement plan. 



^Vliile no Senate action was taken during the 91st Congress on this 

 legislation, the distinguished Senator from South Carolina (Mr. 

 Hollings), last year introduced new legislation incorporating many 

 of the provisions of S. 3183, as well as other coastal zone bills before 

 his subcommittee. The new legislation was S. 582. 



I was pleased and honored to cosponsor that bill, which also con- 

 tained many provisions similar to the legislation considered today. As 

 a sponsor of S. 3183, I would like to discuss these differences, which 

 are actually quite minor in view of the significance of the overall 

 legislation. 



This new legislation offers several changes from S. 3183, which I 

 introduced in the 91st Congress. First, it raises the Federal contribu- 

 tion to G2% percent in the form of a grant, instead of the 50 percent 

 in S. 3183. And the new bill sets no dollar limit on grants, other than 

 a maximum grant of 10 percent of the funds appropriated to any one 

 State. 



New features of this legislation, of course, are the creation of the 

 National Coastal Kesources Board, to be headed by the Vice Presi- 

 dent, and authority to purchase estuarine sanctuaries as national field 

 laboratories. 



Also, this bill requires review of any Federal permit that would be 

 undertaken in an area covered by an approved coastal zone manage- 

 nient plan so that the permit will be carried out "in a manner con- 

 sistent with the State's approved management program." 



