The revised proposal calls for a charge of 20 cents per pound of sulfur emitted, taking effect in 1976 in regions where the national primary standard for sulfur oxides is not met by the 1975 deadline for achievement under the Clean Air Act. That standard is designed to protect public health. In regions where air quality in 1978 and thereafter meets the primary standard but exceeds the national secondary standard (designed to protect property, vegetation, and aesthetic values) a charge of 20 cents per pound of sulfur emitted would be imposed in 1979 and succeeding years. Areas which meet both primary and secondary air quality standards would be exempt from the emission charge. Not only will this charge act as a powerful incentive, together with existing regulatory authority, to clean up sulfur oxide emissions, but it will also help allocate limited supplies of low sulfur fuels to areas where they are most required, to protect human health.

Sediment Control

Sediment from soil erosion and runoff is the most pervasive water pollutant. Heavy loads of sediment interfere with many boneficial uses of water, such as swimming, fishing, and water supply, and can change the entire character of an aquatic environment. This problem, is particularly acute in areas with major suburban development, where a significant amount of sediment comes from construction. However, if proper construction practices are followed, sediment runoff from this source can be greatly reduced.

A proposed amendment to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act would require States to establish, through appropriate local and regional agencies, regulatory programs to control sediment from construction that affects water quality.

Controlling Impacts of Transportation

Again this year, the Administration will urge that the Congress permit the use of the Federal Highway Trust Fund for mass transit purposes as well as for highways. This action would give State and local governments the

option of choosing the transportation alternatives they determine to be most appropriate to meet transportation and environmental needs. Local flexibility will help to ensure that Federal money more effectively meets peoples' needs. In many cases, public transportation will more adequately meet the demands for both efficient transportation and environmental protection than expanded automotive traffic on new highways. When this is the case, Federal funds for surface transportation should be available for this option and not arbitrarily restricted to the alternative of more highway construction.

U.N. Environment Fund

New legislation would authorize appropriations for voluntary U.S. contributions to the U.N. Environment Fund proposed by the U.S. and approved last December by the U.N. General Assembly. The President's fiscal year 1974 budget includes $10 million to be used for the first year U.S. contribution. The President has recommended that the United States contribute on a 40-60 matching basis toward the Fund's initial five-year goal of $100 million. Other nations already have announced intended contributions which, together with the proposed U.S. contributions, would total more than $80 million. Expressions of interest in contributing by additional nations make attainment of the $100 million goal reasonably assured.

Ocean Dumping Convention

The Senate is requested to give its advice and consent to the international convention to regulate ocean dumping, concluded last November by the U.S. and 91 other nations. The Administration is also proposing amendments to our domestic ocean dumping legislation to fully implement the convention.

The amendments would extent U.S. regulation to vessels or aircraft registered in the United States or flying the American flag and loading material, to be transported for dumping, from the territory of another nationa. The amendments would also extent U.S. regulation to oil loaded on vessels or aircraft for the purpose of dumping at sea.

Approval and Implementation of IMCO Conventions

Limitations on the discharge of oil from ships into ocean waters have been provided since 1954 through the IMCO Oil Pollution Convention of that year. IMCO has adopted three separate amendments to the 1954 Convention, including amendments that would establish tank size limitations and construction requirements to minimize damage to the marine environment from oil spills caused by tanker collision or grounding.

Two additional IMCO Conventions, the 1969 International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage and the 1971 International Convention of the Establishment of a Fund for Compensation of Oil Pollution Damage, would provide compensation to victims damaged by oil spills. The Civil Liability Convention would place strict liability on the vessel owner up to a fixed limit. The Compensation Fund Convention, to be supported by contributions from oil cargo receivers, would more than double the amounts now available for compensating victims and would make convention provisions that benefit shipowners contingent on their compliance with pollution prevention standards.

The Senate has consented to the 1969 IMCO Convention Relating to Intervention on the High Seas, which authorizes a nation to take measures on the high seas to avoid or reduce dangers to its territory and territorial seas from pollution, actual or threatened, arising from a maritime casualty.

Legislation that I have proposed to implement the new IMCO conventions and Amendments still awaits enactment. In addition, the Senate's advice and consent is required for the Civil Liability and Compensation Fund Conventions and for the 1971 Amendments to the 1954 Convention.

PROTECTING OUR NATURAL HERITAGE

Endangered Species

A new Endangered Species Conservation Act would provide

for early identification and protection of endangered species. This legislation would for the first time the taking of endangered animal species a Federal offense and would permit protective measures to be undertaken before such a species is so depleted that recovery is difficult or impossible. In addition, executive branch agencies will cooperate with the Smithsonian Institution in its planned study of endangered plants.

Delegates from almost 70 nations are now meeting in Washington at a conference hosted by the United States Government to conclude an international convention protecting endangered species of plants and wildlife

throughout the world by controlling international trade of such species.

Predator Control

New legislation would change the Federal predator control program to one of research together with technical and financial assistance to the States to help them control predator populations by means other than poisons. This legislation would complement the President's action last year in barring by Executive Order the use of poisons for predator control on Federal lands. Also, the Administrator of EPA terminated Federal registrations for predator control poisons used on private as well as public lands.

Wilderness Areas

Most of the nation's current wilderness areas are in the West. However, despite the fact that much of the Federal land in the East has been logged or otherwise disturbed by man, many of these areas have been restored to a near natural state.

New legislation would permit inclusion of substantially restored areas in the East under the Wilderness

Preservation System. The 53 areas previously identified within the eastern National Forest System are candidates for inclusion under this proposal.

The legislation would prohibit mining and grazing in these areas and provide for acquisition of any private holdings. During the interim, The Secretary of Agriculture, through authority presently available to him, will protect the areas he has identified from timbering, mining and other development pending Congressional action. Over the past four years the President has proposed for inclusion in the Wilderness Preservation System 48 areas, none of which have been so designated by the Congress.

Wild and Scenic Rivers

New legislation would increase the authorized funding for Wild and Scenic Rivers Act from $17 million to $37.6 million to complete acquisitions in seven of the original statutorily-designated river areas. It would also extend for another five years the current moratorium on Federal Power Commission licenses and Federal agency assistance for dams and other water resource projects that may affect rivers being considered for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic River System.

In 1970, the President ordered the termination of the Cross-Florida barge canal because that project threatened to destroy a unique scenic area along the Oklawaha River that provides a major wildlife habitat and contains a large sport fish population. He asked the Council on Environmental Quality and the Secretary of the Army to make recommendations for the future of the affected area. As a result of these recommendations, the Department of Agriculture is planning to purchase, for inclusion in the Ocala National Forest, the land formerly designated for the canal project. In addition, the two agencies recommended that the Okalawaha River be designated for study as a wild and scenic river. That recommendation was recently sent to the Congress.

Big Cypress National Fresh Water Reserve

New legislation would authorize the Federal Government to acquire the requisite legal interest in 522,000 acres of private land in the Big Cypress Swamp to establish a Big Cypress National Fresh Water Reserve and protect it from development.