562 



to prepare for the increased energy development pressures on the 

 coastal zone; and to extend the estuarine sanctuary authority for an, 

 additional three years. 



First, the bill would increase the authorization for section 305 pro- 

 gram development grants to $12 million, $3 million more than the 

 present $9 million ceiling imposed by clause (1) of subsection (a) of 

 section 315. Second, the bill would remove from subsection (b) of sec- 

 tion 306 the 10 percent limitation on the amount an individual coastal 

 State can receive for program management assistance, and would re- 

 place it with specific graduated dollar limitations for each year in 

 which the section applies. Individual coastal States would be limited 

 to not in excess of $2 million in fiscal year 1975, $2.5 million in fiscal 

 year 1976 and $3 million in the fiscal years 1977 through 1979. The 

 1 percent per State minimum that presently exists in subsection (b) 

 of section 306 of the Act would be modified to make it discretionary 

 on the part of the State. Third, S. 3922 would amend clause (3) of 

 subsection (b) to reinstate, at the level of $6 million per year, the 

 authorization for section 312 estuarine sanctuary grants, which expired 

 on June 30, 1974. In addition, the availability of section 312 grants 

 would be extended for an additional three years, until the end of fiscal 

 year 1977. Finally, the bill would extend the availability of grants un- 

 der section 305 (program development) and section 306 (administra- 

 tive) of the Act for an additional two years by changing the expiration 

 date of the two sections from fiscal year 1977 to fiscal year 1979. 



Background and Need 



The Coastal Zone Management Act passed the Congress overwhelm- 

 ingly on October 12, 1972, and was signed into law by President Nixon 

 on October 28. The Act provides assistance, both financial and techni- 

 cal, to coastal States in their efforts to develop planning and manage- 

 ment programs for the Nation's coastal zone. In addition, the Act pro- 

 vides grants for the acquisition, development, and operation of 

 estuarine sanctuaries, which the State would utilize as natural field 

 laboratories to study the ecological relationships that exist in the 

 various types of estuarine areas along the coast. Congress envisioned 

 that a system of representative types of estuarine sanctuaries would 

 eventually be established. 



Section 305 of the Act established a system of management program 

 development grants, to be administered to the States on a 66% percent 

 matching fund basis. Grants would remain available for five years, 

 until June 30, 1977, with a total authorization of $9 million per year. 

 No State could receive more than three consecutive grants under this 

 section, nor more than 10 percent or less than 1 percent of the total 

 amount appropriated per fiscal year. When the State's coastal zone 

 management program has been completed, it must be approved by the 

 Secretary before the State can receive management grants under sec- 

 tion 306. 



The administrative grants, established pursuant to section 306 of the 

 Act, are also administered on a 66% percent matching fund basis and 

 will remain available for five years. There is no limit on the number of 

 management grants a state can receive. As in section 305, grants would 



