OCEAN POLLUTION RESEARCH

MONDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1977

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

COMMITTEE ON MERCHANT MARINE AND FISHERIES,

SUBCOMMITTEE ON OCEANOGRAPHY,

Washington, D.C.

The subcommittee met at 9:33 a.m., in Room 1334, Longworth House Office Building, Hon. John B. Breaux (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding.

Present: Representatives Breaux, AuCoin, and Pritichard.

Staff Present: Judy A. Townsend, professional staff; Grant Wayne Smith, professional staff; Thomas R. Kitsos, professional staff; Curits L. Marshall, professional staff, minority; and Donna Kay Firkin, subcommittee clerk.

Mr. BREAUX. The subcommittee will please come to order.

Today the Subcommittee on Oceanograph of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee convenes hearings on Federal ocean pollution research and monitoring. In particular, we will be considering the need for additional legislation providing for the coordination of Federal programs relating to such research.

On September 26, 1977, the House Committee on Science and Technology reported amendments to S. 1617, a bill to establish a program of ocean pollution research and monitoring. Our committee has subsequently been referred the bill for a period of time ending not later than Octobler 17, 1977.

[The bill follows:]

(127)

Reported with amendment (s), referred to the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries for a period ending not later than October 17, 1977 for consideration of such provisions of the bill as fall within the jurisdiction of that committee under clause 1(n), Rule X, and ordered to be printed [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]

AN ACT

To establish a program of ocean pollution research and monitoring, and for other purposes.

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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa

2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 That this Act may be eited as the "Ocean Pollution Research 4 Program Act".

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(a) FINDINGS. The Congress finds and declares the

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(1) Man's activities in the ocean and the coastal zone can have profound short-term and long-term im pacts on the marine environment.

(2) There is need to establish a comprehensive Fed

eral program of ocean pollution research and monitor

ing, particularly in regard to the inputs, fates, and effects of pollutants, including petroleum, in the marine environment.

(3) Numerous agencies, departments, and instrumentalities of the Federal Government sponsor, support, or fund activities relating to ocean pollution research and monitoring. However, such programs are often uneoordinated and can result in unnecessary duplication.

(4) Better planning and more effective and efficient use of available funds, facilities, vessels, and personnel is the key to an effective Federal program of ocean pollu

tion research and monitoring.

14 (b) PURPOSES. It is therefore the purpose of the

15 Congress in this Aet

(1) to establish a comprehensive Federal program

of ocean pollution research and monitoring;

(2) to designate the National Oceanic and Atmospherie Administration as the lead Federal agency for

ocean pollution research and monitoring; and

(3) to provide for the assistance of the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, through the Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and Technology, in coordinating, on a continuing

basis, the Federal program of ocean pollution research

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and monitoring.

3 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

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As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise

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The term "Administrator" means the Admin istrator of the National Oceanie and Atmospherie Administration.

(2) The term "Council" means the Federal Co ordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and Technology.

(3) The term "Director" means the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Execu tive Office of the President.

(4) The term "marine environment" means the coastal zone, defined in section 304(1) of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1453(1));

the seabed, subsoil, natural resources, and waters of the territorial sea of the United States; the waters of the contiguous zone; the waters and fishery resources of any

zone over which the United States asserts exclusive

22 fishery management authority; the waters of the high

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seas; and the seabed and subsoil of the Outer Continental Shelf of the United States.

(5) The term "ocean pollution" means any short

or long-term change in the marine environment.

(6) The term "research plan" means the Federal

plan to be prepared pursuant to section 204.

5 SEC. 4. FEDERAL PROGRAM AND PLAN:

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(a) LEAD AGENCY FOR PLAN. The Administrator

7 with the assistance of the Director and the Council, shall 8 prepare a comprehensive, three-year research plan for ocean 9 pollution research and monitoring which shall be submitted 10 to the Congress and the President within one year after 11 the date of the enactment of this Act and every third year 12 thereafter, in accordance with section 5.

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(b) CONTENT OF PLANS. Each research plan shall 14 contain, but need not be limited to

(H) a detailed listing of all Federal programs relating to ocean pollution research and monitoring, ineluding general research on ocean ecosystems and

research into the inputs, fates, and effects of pollutants,

including petroleum, in the marine environment;

(2) a listing and explanation of the research priori

ties identified by the Administrator in accordance with subsection (d);

(3) a description of actions taken by the Adminis

trator and the Director to coordinate the budget review