1104 



Mr. Du Pont. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 

 Alaska (Mr. Young). 



(Mr. Yomig of Alaska asked and was given permission to revise 

 and extend his remarks.) 



Mr. Young of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this 

 conference report and I compliment the two gentlemen that worked 

 very hard on it. It is the first time that Congress has recognized the 

 importance of the coastal States in providing energy for this Nation. 



Tliere is some reservation on my part about the amounts of the 

 grants and the rates with reference to the private sector. It is in the 

 bill, but regardless of that, I support the strong work of the House 

 conferees on this bill. 



Mr. Murphy of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the 

 gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Hughes) . 



(Mr. Hughes asked and was given permission to revise and extend 

 his remarks. ) 



Mr. Hughes. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the conference 

 report on S. 586, the Coastal Zone Management Act Amendments of 

 1976. I would like to commend the chairman, my colleague from New 

 York, for his work, both in the House and also in the conference. 



I am somewhat disappointed that the grant funds were not more 

 than came out of the conference ; but I look upon the overall conference 

 report as a step in the right direction. 



As my colleagues know, the administration's accelerated leasing pro- 

 gram will soon bring OCS energy operations to many areas of the 

 Nation which have never before had to cope with the problems of off- 

 shore oil and gas development. An oifshore lease sale has been sched- 

 uled for August off the coast of my congressional district, in southern 

 New Jersey, which includes approximately 90 miles of Atlantic 

 coastline. 



In my home area of south Jersey, we have a well developed tourist 

 economy, based primarily upon our ocean and coastal resources. Many 

 millions of visitors come to south Jersey each year to enjoy our sandy 

 beaches, clean waters, and beautiful surroundings. 



Needless to say, our recreational and environmental resources are 

 very valuable to us. Tourism in New Jersey is a multibillion-dollar 

 industry, much of which is generated in the southern part of the State. 

 Many thousands of our residents depend upon the tourist trade for 

 their employment and livelihood. 



The programs included in S. 586 will help preserve and protect our 

 coastal areas from the pressures brought on by new industrial devel- 

 opment and the influx of new population if oil and gas are discovered 

 off our shores. It will help assure the proper planning so that we can 

 avoid haphazard and destructive development. It will also help coastal 

 communities cope with the increased financial j^ressures which will 

 accompany oil and gas operations. 



The program contemplated by S. 586 would authorize a total of 

 $400 million between fiscal 1977 and 1984 for grants to coastal States. 

 These funds would be allocated automatically to States on the basis 

 of OCS acreage leased, the volume of oil and gas produced or landed, 

 and the number of new energy related employees entering the State. 



These automatic grant payments could be used by the States to retire 

 bonds issued in connection with energy facilities related to offshore 



