913

LETTER ON STATE COOPERATION WITH NATIONAL
SEASHORE DEVELOPMENT AT ASSATEAGUE ISLAND*

July 11, 1968

The Honorable Stewart L. Udall
Secretary of the Interior
C Street, between 18th & 19th, N. W.
Washington, D. C. 20240

Dear Secretary Udall:

Thank you so much for your letter of July 3, regarding future
development of Assateague Island.

I fully agree with you that cooperative management and planning
this summer will give both the State of Maryland and the Department
of the Interior substantial experience upon which most profitable
discussions can be conducted in the future.

I have requested our Director of Forests and Parks to make every
effort to cooperate with the director and staff of the Assateague Island
National Seashore, and have further requested him to send me
regular progress reports on his efforts in this area.

You may be assured that I will contact you at the end of summer
so that we can examine the situation at that time and determine what
our next step should be.

*In reply to the Governor's letter of May 7, 1968, the Secretary of
the Interior wrote on July 3, 1968, "Your decision to retain and con-
tinue development of Assateague State Park is, of course, a preroga-
tive of the State.... " The Secretary urged solution of "the long range
problems of a dual administration of the Assateague Island seashore
area" and concluded: "As we continue to operate and plan jointly
through this summer our respective management organizations will
gain additional visitor use experience. From this there may be valu-
able lessons and indications which we should discuss together at a
time which is mutually convenient. "—Ed.