Bristol Bay, Alaska, has been suggested as a habitat preserve because of the importance of protecting a number of species of fish. Study is being conducted by the State on how a marine sanctuary in this area would integrate with its coastal zone management planning effort.

V. PROBLEMS AND PROPOSED LEGISLATIVE SOLUTIONS

In accordance with the requirement of the Coastal Zone Management Act that this annual report include a discussion of the problems which have been encountered in administering the program and such legislation as the Secretary has found necessary to propose to enhance operation of the Act, the following six topics are submitted.

Significant increases in offshore activity are anticipated in almost all areas of the country. Offshore petroleum resources are being

investigated off the New England, mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Gulf of

Mexico, California and Alaskan coasts, for instance.

Deepwater ports have been proposed for the East, Gulf of Mexico and West coasts. Expanded petroleum shipping facilities and refineries in coastal locations are seen necessary to meet the nation's energy requirements.

The problem is how to facilitate the provision of needed energy-related actions in coastal areas in the national interest and at the same time to

alleviate the impact of such actions in the States and also to see that the facilities are integrated into State coastal zone management programs.

In legislation which has been discussed dealing with energy

facility siting in the coastal zone, two basic approaches have emerged.

One would tend to emphasize the Federal responsibility in this area and the other would amend the Coastal Zone Management Act to allow latitude to the affected States.

It is clear that for many of the coastal States, the major problem in coming years will be how to cope with and provide the necessary landside support for increased activities offshore. The increased offshore

activities will require States to plan effectively to minimize adverse impacts of such usage and to blend the additional activities with other necessary coastal uses.

One of the positive aspects of the Coastal Zone Management Act is that State management programs, when implemented, will permit early identification of sites for energy facilities. This will permit private investments to proceed with more assurance than is now the case. The designation of energy facility sites is to reflect the national interest in such areas and promises an earlier resolution of siting conflicts than now is the case.

The Office of Coastal Zone Management is working with other interested Federal agencies, and with State representatives, to perfect a means of dealing with the problem of the landside impact of offshore facilities.

• Estuarine Sanctuary Extension

The section of the Act authorizing the establishment of estuarine sanctuaries provided for the appropriation of $6 million in Fiscal Year 1974 only. Four million dollars was actually appropriated and has been judged by the Coastal Zone Management Advisory Committee and the National Advisory Committee on Oceans and Atmosphere to be inadequate. The estuarine sanctuary program has evoked considerable positive response from at least 20 coastal

States.

Legislation to authorize funding for three additional fiscal years has been introduced. The Office of Coastal Zone Management and the Department are now studying alternative overall national plans for the Nation's estuarine sanctuary needs to provide the basis for decisions on the scope of the Federal program. When those studies are completed and evaluated, we will then be in a position to propose specific legislative changes, if any.

Meanwhile, it would be premature to extend the current authorization level

for three years.

Percentage Limitations

The presence in the Act of a limitation of 10% on the amount any State may receive for the administration of its approved coastal zone management program under Section 306 of the Coastal Zone Management Act poses a problem during the current fiscal year.

This limitation, built into the present Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, prevents adequate funding under Section 306 which will occur in the first and last years of that program when less than ten States will apply for management program administrative grants. Thus, in fiscal year 1975, it is conceivable that three or four times as much money as would be required would have to be appropriated in order that the size of individual grants to the several States be large enough to cover administration of the management programs envisaged under Section 306. Moreover, the 10% limitation prevents expenditure of the entire appropriation for that

fiscal year when less than ten States apply. Legislation to remove the 10%

limitation has been introduced.

Likewise, the provision in the Act that no State or territory shall receive less than 1% of the funds available for program development will be a problem to one or more of the smaller eligible States or territories. Recipients are statutorily required to accept more money than they may need, and at the same time, required to raise a higher matching sum which may be burdensome. sideration is being given to recommending removal of this provision.

Con

• Short-term Research Needs

A problem that States are finding as they go about development of comprehensive coastal management programs is that short-term research requirements are difficult to fill. Research activity in coastal processes appears to be centered on long-term factors, as in, for example, examination of the impact of oil ingested by marine organisms.

Research

in this area would need to examine possible effects in reproduction and would necessarily extend over a long period. Persons charged with developing State coastal zone programs, however, have need for quick turnaround in gathering certain types of data. Consideration should be given to utilizing resources from foundations and other sources for expanded coastal zone research activity in general and for more applied research in particular. The Secretary of Commerce has asked that the National Advisory Committee on Oceans and Atmosphere study this area and make recommendations, particularly to provide justification for any modifications of the Coastal Zone Management Act that might be recommended. NACOA's third report to Congress did call for action in this area, but additional study and more specific definition of how individual programs such as the Sea Grant Program will interact have been requested before a final decision is made.