1077 

 27 



(5) a new provision for research and training to support 

 coastal zone management programs ; 



(6) an authorization for new matching grants to enable coastal 

 states to acquire access to public beaches and other public coastal 

 areas of value and to preserve islands, to help meet the growing 

 need for more recreational outlets in coastal areas ; and 



(7) authorization of appropriations for the next 4 years of the 

 Nation's coastal zone management eti'ort. 



The bill, in addition — 



(1) creates the new Office of Associate Administrator for 

 Coastal Zone Management within the National Oceanic and 

 Atmospheric Administration who shall administer the provisions 

 of the 1972 Act, including amendments of this conference sub- 

 stitute ; 



(2) authorizes four special positions to the extent necessary 

 for administration of the amendments made by this legislation; 

 and 



(3) directs the Secretary of Commerce to review all aspects of 

 the molluscan shellfish industry and to evaluate the impact on 

 that industry of Federal law concerning water quality, and to 

 report thereon to the Congress by April 30, 1977. 



Sectiox-by- Section Discussion 



The first section of the conference substitute follows the Senate bill 

 and the House amendment in providing that the short title of this 

 legislation is the "Coastal Zone Management Act Amendments of 

 1976." 



Section 2. Findings 



Section 2 follows the Senate bill and the House amendment in ex- 

 panding the finding in section 302(b) of the Coastal Zone Manage- 

 ment Act of 1972 which declares that the coastal zone is rich in "a 

 variety of natural, commercial, recreational, industrial, and esthetic 

 resources"; the amendment finds that the coastal zone is also rich in 

 ecological resources. The section also makes changes in punctuation 

 between the subsections and adds an additional subsection which con- 

 forms section 302's findings to the major new provision added to the 

 existing law by the conference substitute (new section 308 with respect 

 to financial assistance to meet state and local needs resulting from 

 new or expanded energy activity in or affecting the coastal zone). 



Section 3. Definitions 



Section 3 follows the Senate bill or the House amendment, or both, in 

 modifying certain definitions in section 304 of the Coastal Zone Man- 

 agement Act of 1972 and in adding certain additional definitions there- 

 to. The changes are as follows : 



The definition of "coastal zone" is expanded to include "islands." 



The definition of "estuarine sanctuary" is amended to include any 

 islaiuls within the area in, adjoining, or adjacent to an estuary. 



The section adds a definition of the term "coastal energy activity". 

 The term means (1) any OCS energy activity ; (2) any ti-aiispoi+ation, 

 conversion, treatment, transfei', or storage" of ]i(]nefied natui'al gas; 

 and (3) any transportation, transfer, or storage of oil, natural gas, or 



