917 



31 



urably through the efforts of Mr. Dingell of Michigan. By his amend- 

 ment, which as adopted, the Committee added specific dollar limits to 

 the bond guarantee program which makes it a more fiscally responsible 

 vehicle for aiding affected local and state governments. 



It is the judgment of the Committee that the program developed in 

 this bill — annual OCS payments, planning grants for all types of 

 energy facilities, impact grants for coastal-related energy activities 

 and federally guaranteed state and local bonds — is clearly in the na- 

 tional interest because it goes a long way to meeting legitimate state 

 and local government concerns. 



With the assistance provided in H.R. 3981, the country's effort to 

 develop the petroleum resources oft' our coasts should proceed more 

 smoothly. The Committee notes that law suits and restrictive state 

 permit controls on such necessary facilities as pipelines have been 

 threatened. The Committee views these threats in part as expressions 

 of frustration on the part of the state and local governments- — frustra- 

 tion over not having their views accorded what they regard as proper 

 attention. 



By providing the assistance which H.R. 3981 contains, the federal 

 government will be making the kind of response the states and local 

 communities have requested. In so doing, this legislation will be a 

 major aid in permitting an accelerated program of offshore oil and 

 gas resource development to move ahead cooperatively and responsibly. 



We view this as a significant contribution to the Administration's 

 overall energy program and hope that the Administration will 

 support this measure. 



We cannot insist too strongly our view that an energy impact 

 program dealing w^ith coastal areas must be tied to the coastal zone 

 management programs being prepared now by the states, together 

 with affected local governments. OCS impact planning, for example, 

 is already proceeding as a result of the initiative of the President to 

 provide special OCS planning grants. 



To undercut this most promising cooperative program among the 

 three basic levels of government by administering an energy impact 

 program in the coasts through another department or agency will be 

 inimical to the public interest. If we, working together, can see to it 

 that the coastal zone management program succeeds, we may w^ell be 

 setting the pattern for how this country manages its resources in the 

 future. 



In the Committee's view, that is what is at stake in the consideration 

 of H.R. 3981. 



II. OTHER PROVISIONS OF H.R. 39 81 



The Committee has concluded, based on the exte;isive hearings and 

 consultations conducted by the Oceanography Subcommittee, that the 

 time is appropriate for major changes and additions to the basic 

 Coastal Zone Management Act passed in 1972. 



We have been aided in this work by the hearings held around the 

 country by the Ad Hoc Select Committee on (the) Outer Continental 

 Shelf. The focus of many of the presentations made to that group by 

 public officials and various interest groups was on the importance of 

 state coastal zone management efforts. Since many of the members 

 of that select body serve on the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Com- 



