906 

 20 



IV. RESEARCH AND TRAINING ASSISTANCE 



In its 1974 annual report submitted to the Congress and to the 

 President, the National Advisory Committee on Oceans and Atmo- 

 sphere recommended that : 



The National Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 be 

 amended to include the encouragement and support of the 

 research, development, and advisory services by the States 

 needed to provide a basis for careful, long-enduring decisions 

 on coastal zone matters. 



To make the rational decisions required in the formulation of com- 

 prehensive coastal zone management programs, a certain amount of 

 research is essential. There is no specific provision for research grants 

 in tlie present coastal zone Act, and the Committee believes this over- 

 sight should be remedied. 



The need for these additional research funds is particularly critical 

 now that coastal States are being called upon to accelerate develop- 

 ment of their programs in preparation for increased Federal energy 

 activities in the coastal zone. 



H.R. 3981 contains the necessary provisions which would permit 

 the Office of Coastal Zone Management to allocate research grants to 

 States for purposes of assisting in the development and implementa- 

 tion of coastal zone management programs. 



There are also funds authorized in the bill which would permit 

 OCZM to conduct research at the Federal level and, thereby, com- 

 plement State efforts. The Committee expects that NOAA will make 

 every effort to avoid any duplicative researcli efforts and to coordi- 

 nate this research program with other relevant Federal, State, and 

 local programs. 



Research grants to States would involve a Federal contribution not 

 to exceed 80 percent of the costs of such study. The bill would author- 

 ize $5 million for Federal research and $5 million for State and local 

 research programs for a period of five fiscal years. 



Included in the research section 310 is a provision which would au- 

 thorize the Secretary to undei-take a comprehensive review of the 

 shellfish industiy with a report due June 30, 1977. Prior to the time 

 which such report is submitted to the Congress, no Federal agency 

 would be permitted to promulgate any additional regulations af- 

 fecting the harvesting, processing, or transportation of shellfish in 

 interstate commerce. 



Background of the Coastal Zone Management Program 



Major impetus for the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 came 

 from a two-year study of ocean issues conducted by a Presidential 

 Commission and published in 1969. 



The Commission on Marine Science, Engineering and Resources in 

 its report. Our Nation and the Sea, gave prominence to the value of 

 coastal resources. The report states that the coasts were endangered 

 from excessive uses, some of which were incompatible with the con- 



