924 

 38 



zone as beaches, plus areas of environmental, historic, esthetic, ecolog- 

 ical or cultural value. 



This authorization complements the new requirement the Committee 

 has added to section 305 for a beach protection and access planning 

 process. Because time is of the essence in acquiring access, particularly 

 in urban coastal areas, it was felt advisable at this time to accompany 

 the planning requirement with the funds to carry out the plans. 



The Committee does not intend to authorize purchase of lands for 

 beaxihes or other public uses. The concern is that there are areas already 

 in public ownership on the short which, for one reason or another, are 

 not readily accessible to the public. 



The Committee's further concern is that in providing the means of 

 opening up this access, we do not overburden the resource. That is why 

 the authorization for funds is tied to the planning requirement of sec- 

 tion 305 — the intent is to see to it that this expanded means of access 

 fits into an overall recreational plan and that due care is given to pro- 

 tect areas susceptible of damage from excess use. The Committee be- 

 lieves that incorporating the expanded access authorization with a 

 comprehensive program that includes designation of areas of critical 

 concern offers this assurance. 



The second change involving this section is an extension of the 

 authorization for funding for the estuarine sanctuary program at 

 $6 million per year, the present level, through fiscal year 1980. This 

 program, administered by the Office of Coastal Zone Management, has 

 begun slowly — with just two designations of sanctuaries in two years — 

 but hopefully will expand more rapidly in the coming months. In fact, 

 NOAA reports that as of earlv winter, 1976, five additional applica- 

 tions for sanctuaries were pending and five additional proposals were 

 anticipated. To date, just $4 million has been appropriated for this 

 program; the first two sanctuary grants have involved in excess of 

 $2.7 million, with an additional sum requested for the sanctuary in 

 Oregon in the amount of $610,000. 



g. The Committee has added two requirements to the annual report 

 on the conduct of the coastal zone program now required of the Secre- 

 tary of Commerce. The new coverage would include a discussion of the 

 impacts, social, economic and environmental, as a consequence of 

 energy activity in the coasts and a description of the Interstate and 

 regional mechanisms developed under section 309. 



The Committee takes this occasion to express its dismay at the in- 

 ability of the Department of Commerce and the White House to com- 

 ply with the November 1 deadline for issuing its annual report. The 

 first two such reports were not cleared by the White House until the 

 spring following the November deadline. The same pattern is holding 

 true for the fiscal year 1975 report. 



The Committee and Congress are not interested in ancient history. 

 A timely discussion of the coastal zone management program, issued 

 on November 1, 1975, on schedule, would have helped this Committee 

 in its deliberations this fall and winter on the coastal zone program. 

 It is our understanding that the report has been ready since Septem- 

 ber but has failed to gain the necessary clearance. 



h. The final major provision of H.R. 3981 provides an authoriza- 

 tion of $5 million instead of the current $3 million for the adminis- 

 tration of the Act. With the added responsibility given the program 



