532 



Purpose of the Legislation 



The purpose of H.R. 16215 is to amend the Coastal Zone Manage- 

 ment Act of 1972, in order to provide more flexibility in the allocation 

 of administrative grants to coastal States, to increase the authoriza- 

 tion for State management program development grants, and to ex- 

 tend the authorization for estuarine sanctuaries grants. 



Background of the Legislation 



The Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 established national 

 policy (a) to preserve, protect, develop, and where possible, to restore 

 or enhance, the resources of the Nation's coastal zone for this and suc- 

 ceeding generations, (b) to encourage and assist the States to exercise 

 effectively their responsibilities in the coastal zone through the devel- 

 opment and implementation of management programs to achieve wise 

 use of the land and water resources of the coastal zone, giving full 

 consideration to ecological, cultural, historical, and esthetic values, as 

 well as needs for economic development, (c) for all Federal agencies 

 engaged in programs affecting the coastal zone to cooperate and partic- 

 ipate with State and local governments and regional agencies in effec- 

 tuating the purposes of this title, and (d) to encourage the participa- 

 tion of the public, of Federal, State and local governments, and of 

 regional agencies in the development of coastal zone management 

 programs. 



In order to implement the declared policj' , the Act provides for three- 

 types of grants. First, there are the management program development 

 grants, authorized on an annual basis for the development of State 

 management programs, the grants to be made on a matching basis, the 

 Federal grant not to exceed two-thirds of the annual cost. The second 

 type of grants authorized are administrative grants, to be made on the 

 same matching basis, after the State program has been developed and 

 approved by the Secretary of Commerce. The third type of grant au- 

 thorized is for assistance to States of up to one-half of the costs of 

 acquiring, developing, and operating estuarine sanctuaries for the pur- 

 pose of creating natural field laboratories to gather data and make 

 studies of processes to assist the States in arriving at national manage- 

 ment decisions. 



As to the first two types of grants, the Act places a maximum limi- 

 tation on any individual State grant of no more than 10 per centum, 

 and a minimum limitation of no less than 1 per centum of the total 

 amount appropriated for the respective grants. As to the third type 

 of grant, a maximum Federal contribution of $2 million for any single 

 sanctuary is imposed. As to the funding authorization under the Act, 

 the sum of $9 million is authorized for each of the fiscal years 1973- 

 through 1977 for management development grants, necessary sums not 

 to exceed $30 million are authorized for the fiscal years 1974 through 

 1977 for administrative grants, and necessary sums not to exceed $6 

 million are authorized for fiscal year 1974 for estuarine sanctuaries 

 grants. 



Although the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 became effective 

 in October 1972, funding under the Act was not appropriated until 

 December 1973, and therefore, the iinplementation of the Act began. 



