Ill 



About $20 million out of a budget this year whicli will be in excess 

 of $267 million or $168 million. I just can't imagine that we as a 

 Congress could not recognize that need. I think the problem in Cali- 

 fornia is worse than in most other areas. Perhaps Florida is as bad, 

 but California certainly is critical. 



At any rate, I am deeply appreciative that j'ou show such personal 

 concern to come back at considerable sacrifice to yourself and make 

 your statement. 



Dr. NiEREXBERG. Mr. Chairman, in the face of your gracious re- 

 marks, I should cease and desist, but you lead me to a line of thinking 

 that I think is important. My remarks with regard to this are critical 

 of the administration, or rather the OMB. They were intended to be, 

 frank]}', but there is a deeper problem here. I don't think the motiva- 

 tion — and I think I have every reason to underetand what is going 

 on — that the motivation in this particular case was a saving of money. 

 I think ever^'body is concerned about the beaches. The problem, I 

 think, is unfortunately more serious, and it has to do with organiza- 

 tional questions in the Government, conflicts between bureaus, the 

 lack of centralization, and in this particular instance, I think there 

 is reflected a struggle that went on last year before the passage of the 

 Magnuson bill. 



If I can put it in its best lights, and that is the way I would like 

 to do it, a difference of opinion between those who feel they want a 

 global package of water, land management, and air and everything, 

 and others who feel we should get on with what we can do, and not 

 get the beaches tangled in the very complex problem of land man- 

 agement. 



Xot having the strong central focus as we should in the Govern- 

 ment for managing our oceanic and atmospheric resources, or oceanic 

 resources at least, results in the kind of problem wo face today. 



I don't think it was a matter of saving tlie $0 million last year, or 

 $20 million this year, but I think it was the more serious problem of 

 veiy deep divisions in the Government as to administration, man- 

 agement, and agency conflict. I think these are the questions that also 

 must be resolved fairly soon to get on with these important jobs. 



Thank you, ]\Ir. Chairman. 



Senator Tunney. Let me ask you one A^ery parochial question. Do 

 vou think the coastal commission in California is going to save the 

 Tiajuana Estuary? 



Dr. NiEREXBERG. I think it has been done. When people stop talk- 

 ing about it, you know it is done. I would say in the last 3 months, 

 ir is no lon.<^>'er a problem. They are lookin.*.^ at solutions other than 

 concreting the channel. It may have raised problems with Mexico, 

 because there is a treaty, after all, but apparently, the sloug'h is now 

 saved as a result of these publ ic activities. 



That is an example of the ^ngorous cr)mmission, because- It is n 

 signal, and a very strong signal, to the power structure as to the way 

 people want things to go. and that has been a wonderful achievement. 



Senator Tuxxey. Tliank you very much. 



Dr. NiEREXBERG. Thank you. 



Senator Tuxxey. Our next Avitness is Dr. Ennan Peai-son, sanitary 

 engineering, Univereity of California, Berkeley. 



