Secretary Richardson, distinguished Members of the House and the Senate, Frank Zarb, and guests:
It's a great privilege and pleasure to have you all here this morning. And I especially wish to thank the Members of the Congress for working on this legislation and cooperating with the administration in putting together what I think is very excellent legislation.
I am here this morning with all of you to sign into law the Coastal Zone Management Act Amendments of 1976. These amendments include many of the principal elements of the proposal that I sent to the Congress in February, which were designed to assist communities significantly affected by the development of federally owned energy resources.
These amendments will provide a basis for long-term planning by the coastal States, so that they can better balance the needs for energy development, urban growth, of resource conservation, and recreational use. These amendments also include a good balance between Federal, State, and local interests in the very sensitive areas of coastal land and water uses and energy development.
By creating a coastal energy impact program with funds of $1.2 billion over the next 10 years, we recognize a national responsibility to. help coastal States and communities that are affected as we speed up exploration and production of oil and gas from the Outer Continental Shelf. At the same time, these amendments rightly limit the extent to which the Federal Government will become involved in decisions that should be made at State and local levels.
I see this bill as a very encouraging sign for the future, first, because it represents the kinds of progress that can be made when the Congress and the administration work together--and I repeat what I said at the outset, I am very grateful for the cooperation of both the House and the Senate--and second, because it shows that two issues high on our national agenda--the need for energy and the need for environmental protection-can indeed be reconciled.
So, it's with pleasure that I have the opportunity of signing this bill this morning and thank all of you for coming on this fine day for a rather historic occasion.
Thank you all very, very much.
Note: The President spoke at 11:15 a.m. at a ceremony in the East Garden at the White House. In his opening remarks, he referred to Elliot L. Richardson, Secretary of Commerce, and Frank G. Zarb, Administrator of the Federal Energy Administration.
As enacted, the bill (S. 586) is Public Law 94-370 (90 Stat. 1013).
Gerald R. Ford, Remarks Upon Signing the Coastal Zone Management Act Amendments of 1976 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/242226