921 

 35 



As is pointed out in the Key Provisions section, the National Ad- 

 visory Committee on Oceans and Atmosphere identified research needs 

 as critical to the formulation of sound coastal management programs. 

 The existing Act has no specific provision for the funding of needed 

 research which has forced state program managers to use their grants 

 and matching state funds as best as they have been able in this area. 



The Chairman of the Coastal States Organization, Texas State 

 Senator A. R. Schwartz, testified as follows : 



I support (section 310) and am familiar with Sea Grant, 

 the RANN (Research Applied to National Needs) program of 

 the National Science Foundation and the mission-oriented 

 research programs and various federal agencies. However, 

 none of this was developed for the purpose of providing 

 very quick turnaround applied coastal research. Such a pro- 

 gram is needed to complement and not compete with or at- 

 tempt to replace other existing research programs. 



Stated a representative of the Center for Law and Social Policy : 



The provisions of the proposed section 310 appear to be 

 altogether const iiictive. Federal research, study, and train- 

 ing to support the development and implementation of state 

 coastal zone management programs should enhance their 

 quality and maximize their effectiveness. Similarly, grants 

 to states to assist them in carrying out research, study, and 

 training would be valuable. 



The Committee has added a special feature to the research and 

 training authorization at the suggestion of Congressmen Robert Bau- 

 man and Thomas Downing. This section, 310(c), authorizes a review 

 of the shellfish industry. Included would be an evaluation of water 

 quality regulations, the elfectiveness of the existing shellfish sanitation 

 program, existing sanitation standards and ways of preserving and 

 upgrading shellfish harvesting areas. 



While this report is in preparation, with a deadline of June 30, 1977, 

 no federal regulations dealing with shellfish are permitted. The im- 

 pact of this provision is to forestall the Food and Drug Administra- 

 tion from promulgating proposed shellfish industry regulations which 

 it has under consideration. The Committee was persuaded that, because 

 of the potential impact of these proposed rules, a detailed study of the 

 shellfish industry and the impact of the new rules was in order. The 

 public is no way threatened in the meantime because the voluntary 

 sanitation program which has a successful record for many years in 

 protecting public heaUh remains in effect. 



c. Another new provision which the Committee has added to the 

 Coastal Zone Management Act provides incentive funding for inter- 

 state cooperation and advance approval by Congress for states or 

 regions to enter into compact arrangements to deal with coastal zone 

 issues. 



The basis for this provision, contained in new section 309, is found 

 in the experience to date witli tlie state programs. Because the problems 

 facing each state in developing its own comprehensive approach to its 

 coastal zone is such a formidable task, all the resources made avail- 

 able through the coastal zone program have been put to use within 



