315 



establish incentives and assistance to help the coastal States prepare plans and 

 action. 



The ultimate success of a coastal management program will depend upon the 

 effective cooperation of Federal, State, regional, and local areas * * *. 



In 1970, the Intergovernmental Eelations Committee of the Na- 

 tional Legislative Conference included the following statements in 

 its final report : 



The need for coastal zone management legislation derives from the inestimable 

 importance of the estuarine and coastal environment to the Nation's economy, 

 environmental health and quality of life * * *. 



While Federal and local government involvement is essential to any effective 

 coastal management program. States must assume primary responsibility for 

 assuring that the public interest is served in the multiple use of the land and 

 waters of the coastal zone. 



The simple fact of the matter is that the coastal zone needs urgent 

 attention. Located within the zone is an interior and exterior shore- 

 line of approximately 100,000 statute miles, and residing within the 

 States bordering that shoreline is approximately 75 percent of the 

 Nation's population. At the shoreline itself, approxunately C5 mi J lion 

 of the Nation's population elbow for room, almost $100 billion worth 

 of imports and exports cross paths here, more than an annual $300 

 million worth of commercial fish landings depends upon the nourish- 

 ment of its coastal waters, and several billions of dollars are spent 

 here annually for recreational purposes. 



Large metropolitan areas with their suburban sprawl have blotted 

 out great stretches of the shoreline. Hea^^ industrial complexes and 

 their supporting industries have entered the zone, lured by available 

 land, labor, and water supplies. An affluent society has descended in 

 large numbers to enjoy the recreation available in the coastal waters 

 and the relaxation available on the coastal beaches. Housing develop- 

 ments in many places have covered the landscape in what were once 

 remote, relatively inaccessible areas, and massive landfill operations 

 have covered valuable areas of the estuarine marshlands. Each of 

 these activities has contributed to the pollution and attendant deteri- 

 oration of the coastal waters. 



As the demand for uses in the coastal zone has risen and continues 

 to rise, and as population crushes continue to increase, the conflicting 

 and competing use demands for this area will necessarily increase in 

 terms of greater pressures for industrial sites, powerplants, housing, 

 shipping facilities, harbors, and recreational needs. With these in- 

 creased pressures, we are in danger above all of the unfortunate de- 

 struction of the living resources of the coastal waters. Seventy percent 

 of the present U.S. commercial fishing effort takes place in coastal 

 waters. In addition, other species depend upon the estuarine areas and 

 marshlands as nursery areas and spawning grounds, and these areas 

 may become even more important as future uses develop, such as the 

 expansion of aquaculture activities. 



Hard choices must be made. If those choices are to be rational and 

 devised in such a way as to nrosorve future options, the program must 

 be established to provide the guidelines which will enable the selection 

 of those choices. That program must give attention not only to present 

 demands but also to future needs. Your committee believes that it is 

 of national importance thnt the Federal Government encourage the 

 States to arrange for the optimum utilization of coastal zone resources, 

 coupled with an adequate protection of the zone's natural environment. 



