1093 



a State participant in coastal zone management in order to be eligible 

 for energy impact assistance and to then turn arovind and see the pro- 

 grams administered in dili'erent offices. 



The clear intent of Congress in 8. 586 is to improve the ability of the 

 State coastal zone management etiorts to meet today's challenges rep- 

 resented by the need to use additional areas of the coasts for our energy 

 needs. We in no way intend to see our real ad greatenergyneeds dis- 

 place or supplant coastal zone management. Quite the contrary. We 

 intend to fit our short-term energy needs into the context of long-range 

 coastal zone management programs, thereby assuring preservation and 

 sound development of this Nation's coastal areas. I urge the support of 

 my colleagues on this important legislation. 



Mr. Murphy of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself sluch time as 

 I may consume. 



(Mr. Murphy of New York asked and was given permission to re- 

 vise and extend his remarks. ) 



Mr. Murphy of New York. Mr. Speaker, before us today is one of 

 the most significant pieces of legislation which the House has — or will 

 consider — in the 94th Congress. The Coastal Zone Management Act 

 Amendments of 1976 was overwhelmingly supported by this body 

 when it was considered after coming from the Merchant Marine and 

 Fisheries Committee. On March 11, we approved the bill by a 370 to 

 14 margin. 



After nearly 4 months of work in conference with the Senate, I am 

 pleased to be able to report to the House that we have fashioned a bill 

 which maintains the integrity of the House position on practically all 

 of the issues. 



S. 586 was unanimously approved by the Senate yesterday. Today, I 

 urge your support for this bill so that we may get a Presidential sig- 

 nature as soon as possible and thus allow the Department of Com- 

 merce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to begin 

 the important work of implementation. The Office of ^lanagement and 

 Budget and the Department of Commerce have indicated their inten- 

 tions to recommend to the President that he sign this legislation. 



The bill which is before you now will greatly assist in expediting 

 the exploration and devlopment of our Nation's offshore oil and gas 

 resources. It will do this by providing coastal States with a strength- 

 ened coastal zone management program and the necessary financial 

 assistance to plan for and ameliorate any diverse impacts which occur 

 as a result of energy activity in or affecting their coastal areas. 



The basic premise on which this legislation was developed is that 

 energy development and environmental protection are not mutually 

 exclusive categories. 



Rather, through strong planning efforts and sound principles of 

 management, this Nation can, and will, achieve greater jn'oduction of 

 domestic sources of energy while, at the same time, pi-otect the A'aluable 

 environmental resources which are also vital to our well-being. 



This takes a delicate balance between the pursuit of energy inde- 

 pendence and the pi-otection of ecological resources. Tt is such a balance 

 which the Congress sought in 197'2 when it passed the l)asic Coastal 

 Zone Management Act. Although not funded until well into 1973. this 

 voluntary fedei-ally assisted State-administered pi-ogi^ani enioys full 

 participation among all eligible States. Right now, 29 of the 30 coastal 



