Legislative historyEstuary protection was then and currently remains inadequate.
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The concerns along the coast that led to estuary protection had their origins in the suburban sprawl of Nassau County, Long Island, New York and a citizen led fight against filling of Great South Bay, between 1963-1965.1955 USDA had declared the "year of wetlands" raised awareness about need to buy fish and bird habitat, pursuant to federal treaties and laws (Lacey Act)1966 a bill was introduced in Congress to expand comprehensive planning in coastal areas
Massachusetts interests entered the array of supporters as the 1966 bill was defeated
In 1965, Governor John Volpe of Mass. expanded DNR permitting to protect 45,000 acres of coastal marshes in that state.
Takings issue explained. the use of private land for public purposes and reasonable compensation based on the the fifth amendment.
Northern California citizen pressure
Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1934
amended in 1946
Congressional action for water quality
1948 and 1956 precedents in assisting local governments in making water purity a national matter
Water Quality Act of 1965, water pollution was accepted as a federal problem to be dealt with nationally
By 1960 NY State provided grants to Long Island to purchase wetlands.
Federal support for regional and comprehensive planning in 1962
NOAA, 1970 and the Intergovernmental Coordination Act of 1968
Land and Water Conservation Fund, 1964, was a novel means of funding recreation purchases
Federal desire to balance development and coordinate the bureaucracy
Congressional intent appeared to be moving in the direction of coastal conservation
1965 Rep. Tenzer introduced Long Island Wetland Protection billJoint federal-state systems of Estuarine Management areas was also envisioned.1966 version of the bill favored by the Administration and Chairman Dingell would have given the Secretary of the Interior control over Dredge and Fill Permits, instead of Army Corps of Engineers.
Dingell-Kennedy Bill was defeated in the House by three votes on 10-3-1966.
Alabama, Mississippi, & Virginia Congressional delegations were opposed.
Absenteeism was a factor as was Republican opposition which spearheaded the defeat.
1967 the bill was re-introduced in the House.
1968 A Senate version of the bill was accepted by the House.
Opposition was from The Army Corps of Engineers over the dual permitting system envisioned by the legislation
Great Lakes were included to build support for the bill.
Summer 1967 Stewart Udall and ACE signed an MOU on the permit issuance controversy.
New version of the Bill in 1968 had support of House and Warren Magnuson in the Senate.
August 3, 1968 a weaker bill emerged as law, mandating a national estuarine sanctuary program
The terms you need to know and use in essays.
J. Siry, Marshes of the Ocean Shore.