118 



ESSA's activities Include observing and predicting the 

 state of the oceans, the state of the lower and upper at- 

 mosphere, and the size and shape of the earth. It main- 

 tains the nation's warning systems for such natural 

 hazards as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, earthquakes and 

 seismic sea waves. It provides Information for national 

 defense, agriculture, transportation and Industry. 



ESSEIA monitors atmospheric, oceanic and geophysical 

 phenomena on a global basis, through an unparalleled 

 complex of air, ocean, earth and space facilities. It also 

 prepares aeronautical and marine maps and charts. 



Bureau of Commercial Fisheries and Marine Sport 

 Fish AcrivrnES — Those fishery activities of the Depart- 

 ment of the Interior's U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

 which are ocean related and those which are directed 

 toward commercial fl&hing would be transferred. TTie 

 Fish and Wildlife Service's Bureau of Commercial Fish- 

 eries has the dual function of strengthening the flshing 

 Industry and promoting conservation of fishery stocks. It 

 conducts research on Important marine species and on 

 fundamental oceanography, and operates a fleet of ocean- 

 ographlc vessels and a number of laboratories. Most of Its 

 activities would be transferred From the Fish and Wild- 

 life Service's Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, the 

 marine sport fishing program would be transferred. This 

 Involves five supporting laboratories and three ships en- 

 gaged In activities to enhance marine sport flshing 

 opportunities 



The Marine Minerals Technology Center Is concerned 

 with the development of marine mining technology. 



Office of Sea Grant Programs — The Sea Grant Pro- 

 gram was authorized In 1966 to permit the Federal 

 Government to assist the academic and Industrial com- 

 munities In developing marine resources and technology. 

 It alms at strengthening education and training of marine 

 specialists, supporting applied research in the recovery 

 and use of marine resources, and developing extension 

 and advisory services The Office carries out these objec- 

 tives by making grants to selected academic Institutions. 



The US. Lake Survey has two primary missions It 

 prepares and publishes navigation charts of the Great 

 Lakes and tributary waters and conducts research on a 

 variety of hydraulic and hydrologlc phenomena of the 

 Great Lakes' waters. Its activities are very similar to those 

 conducted along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts by ESSA's 

 Coast and Geodetic Survey 



The National Oceanographic Data Center Is respon- 

 sible for the collection and dissemination of oceanographic 

 data accumulated by all Federal agencies 



The National Oceanographic Instrumentation Center 

 provides a central Federal service for the calibration and 

 testing of oceanographic Instruments 



The National Data Buoy Development Project was 

 established to determine the feasibility of deploying a 

 system of automatic ocean buoys to obtain oceanic and 

 atmospheric data 



Role of NOAA 



Drawing these activities together Into a single agency 

 would make possible a balanced Federal program to Im- 

 prove our understanding of the resources of the sea, and 

 permit their development and use while guarding against 

 the sort of thoughtless exploitation that In the past laid 

 waste to so many of our precious natural assets. It would 

 make possible a consolidated program for achieving a 

 more comprehensive understanding of oceanic and at- 

 mospheric phenomena, which so greatly affect our lives 

 and activities It would facilitate the cooperation be- 

 tween public and private Interests that can best serve the 

 Interests of all 



I expect that NOAA would exercise leadership in de- 

 veloping a national oceanic and atmospheric program of 

 research and development It would coordinate Its own 

 scientific and technical resources with the technical and 

 operational capabilities of other government agencies and 

 private Institutions As Important, NOAA would continue 

 to provide those services to other agencies of government. 

 Industry and private Individuals which have become es- 

 sential to the efllclent operation of our transportation 

 systems, our agriculture and our national security. I ex- 

 pect It to maintain continuing and close liaison with the 

 new Environmental Protection Agency and the Council on 

 Environmental Quality as part of an effort to ensure that 

 environmental questions are dealt -with In their totality 

 and they benefit from the full range of the government's 

 technical and human resources. 



Authorities who have studied this matter, Including the 

 Commission on Marine Science. Engineering and Re- 

 sources, strongly recommended the creation of a Natio" _. 

 Advisory Committee for the Oceans. I agree. Consequently, 

 I will request, upon approval of the plan, that 'v».c Secre- 

 tary of Commerce establish a National Advisory Com- 

 mittee for the Oceans and the Atmosphere to advise him 

 on the progress of governmental and private programs In 

 achieving the nation's oceanic and atmospheric objectives. 



An On-Going Process 



The reorganizations which I am here proposing afford 

 both the Congress and the Executive Branch an oppor- 

 tunity to re-evaluate the adequacy of existing program 

 authorities involved In these consolidations. As these two 

 new organizations come Into being, we may well find that 

 supplementary legislation to perfect their authorities 

 will be necessary. I look forward to working with the 

 Congress In this task 



In formulating these reorganization plans, I have been 

 greatly aided by the work of the President's Advisory 

 Council on Executive Organization (the Ash Council) , the 

 Commission on Marine Science, Engineering and Re- 

 sources (the Stratton Commission, appointed by Presi- 

 dent Johnson), my special task force on oceanography 

 headed by Dr James Wakelln, and by the information 

 developed during both House and Senate hearings on 

 proposed NOAA legislation. 



Many of those who have advised me have proposed 

 additional reorganizations, and It may well be that In the 

 future I shall recommend further changes. For the pres- 

 ent, however, I think the two reorganizations transmitted 

 today represent a sound and significant beginning. I also 

 think that In practical terms. In this sensitive and rapidly 

 developing area. It Is better to proceed a step at a time — 

 and thus to be sure that we are not caught up In a form 

 of organizational Indigestion from trying to rearrange too 

 much at once. As we see how these changes work out, we 

 will gain a better understanding of what further 

 changes — In addition to these — might be desirable. 



Ultimately, our objective should be to Insure that th« 

 nation's environmental and resource protection activities 

 are so organized as to maximize both the effective coordi- 

 nation of all and the effective functioning of each. 



The Congress, the Administration and the public all 

 share a profound commitment to the rescue of our natural 

 environment, and the preservation of the Earth as a place 

 both habitable by and hospitable to man. With Its accept- 

 ance of these reorganization plans, the Congress will help 

 us fulfill that commitment. 



Richard Nixon. 



The White House, 

 July 9, 1970. 



19. Environmental Quality Improvement Act 



Sec. 



4371. 



4372. 



42 U.S.C. 4371-4374 



Congressional findings, declarations, and purposes. 

 Office of Environmental Quality. 



(a) Establishment; Director; Deputy Director. 



(b) Compensation of Deputy Director. 



(c) Employment of persormel, experts, and con- 



4374. 



sultants; compensation. 



(d) Duties and functions of Director. 



(e) Authority of Director to contract. 

 Referral of Environmental Quality Reports 



standing committees having Jurisdiction. 

 Authorization of appropriations 



to 



