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PtJHPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION 



The purpose of the legisktion is to encourage the various coastal 

 States to exercise their full authority over the lands and waters in the 

 coastal zone by assisting the States, in cooperation with Federal and 

 local governments and other vitally affected interests, in developing 

 land and water use programs for the zone, including unilied policies, 

 criteria, standards, methods, and processes for dealing with land- and 

 water-use decisions of more than local significance. 



In accomplishing this purpose, the Federal Government would pro- 

 vide funding to assist tlie States in developing their programs, and 

 once the programs are approved, as meeting certain specihed criteria, 

 additional Federal funding would be provided to assist the States in 

 the administration of the approved programs. 



BACKGROrrND AND NeED FOR LEGISLATION 



The coast of the United States, together with the immediately 

 adjacent land and water areas, is in a general sense the Nation's most 

 valuable geographic asset. At the same time, it is probably the area 

 most threatened with deterioration and irreparable damage. 



The coasts and the coastal waters have played a major role in the 

 Nation's development, growth, and defense since its earliest days. In 

 recent years it has become increasingly apparent, however, that the 

 coastal area has been undergoing drastic changes which, unless 

 checked, will ultimately result in irreversible damage to many of the 

 area's features upon which its values largely depend. 



One of the first instances of serious consideration being given to the 

 problems of the coastal zone was contained in the report of the Com- 

 mission on Marine Science, Engineering, and Resources, entitled "Our 

 Nation and the Sea." Based on a detailed review by one of the inter- 

 agency committees established by the Marine Science Council and a 

 similar consideration by one of the panels established by the Commis- 

 sion, the Commission's report, dated January 1969, recommended 

 ''that a Coastal jManagement Act be enacted which will provide policy 

 objectives for the coastal zone and authorize Federal grants-in-aid to 

 facilitate the establishment of State coastal zone authorities em- 

 powered to manage the coastal waters and adjacent land. In addition 

 to the recommendation of the Marine Science Commission, the na- 

 tional estuarine pollution study of the Federal Water Pollution Con- 

 trol Administration and the national estuary study of the U.S. Fish 

 and Wildlife Service, both examined the coastal zone problem in spe- 

 cific areas. Each of these efforts resulted in recommendations urging 

 concerted attention to the problems of the coastal zone, citing both the 

 richness of its resources and the mounting threat to their continued 

 existence. 



The Subcommittee on Oceanography sponsored a Coastal Zone 

 Management Conference which was held on October 28 and 29, 1969. 

 Seven panels of that Conference considered various aspects of the 

 coastal zone problem, and statements, testimony, and ideas were sub- 

 mitted by various experts who attended the Conference from all over 

 the Nation. The overwhelming consensus of that Conference was in 

 complete agreement with the recommendation contained in the Marine 

 Science Commission report. 



