    [Economic Outlook, Highlights from FY 1994 to FY 2001, FY 2002 Baseline Projections]
    [III. Major Functions of the Federal Government]
    [6.  Natural Resources and Environment]
    [From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 81]]

                      6.  NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT

      ----------------------------------------------------------------------

                      Table 6-1.  Federal Resources in Support of Natural Resources and Environment
                                              (Dollar amounts in millions)
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                            Percent
                                    Function 300                                     1993        2001       Change:
                                                                                    Actual     Estimate    1993-2001
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Spending:
      Discretionary budget authority............................................     21,405      28,778         34%
      Mandatory outlays.........................................................        168         157         -7%
    Credit Activity:
       Direct loan disbursements................................................         39          43         10%
    Tax expenditures............................................................      1,595       1,550         -3%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

      ----------------------------------------------------------------------
      ----------------------------------------------------------------------

      Table 6-2.  High-Priority Environmental and Natural Resource Programs
                 (Budget authority, dollar amounts in millions)
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    Percent
                                                1993       2001     Change:
                                               Actual    Enacted   1993-2001
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Lands Legacy Initiative (DOI, USDA,           380      1,689       344%
     NOAA) \1\.............................
     Farm Conservation Initiative (USDA)         1,584      2,122        34%
     (mandatory) \2\.......................
     Clean Energy Initiative (DOE, USDA,           251        321        28%
     AID, DOC, TDA, EX-IM).................
     Greening the Globe Initiative (AID,            82        121        48%
     Treasury, USDA).......................
     Climate Change Technology Initiative    .........      1,239         NA
     (DOE, EPA, USDA, HUD).................
     Clean Water Action Plan (EPA, USDA,     .........      2,303         NA
     DOI, NOAA, Corps).....................
     Salmon Habitat Restoration (NOAA,       .........        231         NA
     Corps)................................
     Endangered Species Act (DOI, NOAA)....         75        178       137%

     Department of Transportation (DOT):
       Mass Transit........................      3,774      6,274        66%
       Congestion Mitigation and Air               601      1,661       176%
       Quality.............................
       Environmental Enhancements;                 114        797       599%
       Preservation Pilots.................
                                            --------------------------------
         Subtotal, DOT (Select programs)...      4,489      8,732        95%

     Department of the Interior (DOI):
       National Park Service Operating             984      1,472        50%
       Program.............................
       Bureau of Land Management Operating         638        817        28%
       Program.............................
       Fish & Wildlife Service Operating           531        777        46%
       Program.............................
                                            --------------------------------
         Subtotal, DOI (Select programs)...      2,153      3,066        42%

     Department of Agriculture (USDA):
       Forest Service Operating Program....      1,319      1,968        49%
       Natural Resources Conservation              577        714        24%
       Service Operating Program...........
       Water/Wastewater Grants and Loans...        508        644        27%
                                            --------------------------------
         Subtotal, USDA (Select programs)..      2,404      3,326        38%

     Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):
       Operating Program...................      2,767      3,866        40%
                                            --------------------------------
         Subtotal, All EPA.................      6,923      7,829        13%

     Department of Energy (DOE):
       Energy Conservation and Efficiency          592        817        38%
       (gross).............................
       Solar and Renewable Energy R&D (net)        249        376        51%
       Federal Facilities Cleanup                6,396      6,317        -1%
       (Environmental Management Program)..
                                            --------------------------------
         Subtotal, DOE (Select programs)...      7,237      7,510         4%

     Department of Defense (DOD):
       Cleanup.............................      1,604      2,068        29%
       Environmental Compliance/Pollution        2,227      2,215        -1%
       Prevention/Conservation.............
                                            --------------------------------
         Subtotal, DOD (Select programs)...      3,831      4,283        12%

     National Oceanic and Atmospheric
     Administration (NOAA):
       Fisheries and Protected Species.....        232        569       145%
       Ocean and Coastal Management........        121        429       255%
       Ocean and Atmospheric Research......        202        345        71%
                                            --------------------------------
         Subtotal, NOAA (Select programs)..        555      1,343       142%

     Partnership for a New Generation of     .........        236         NA
     Vehicles (DOE, DOC, NSF, EPA, DOT)....
     U.S. Global Change Research (NASA,          1,323      1,700        28%
     DOE, NSF, DOC, USDA, others)..........
     GLOBE--Global Environmental Education   .........         11         NA
     (NOAA, NASA, EPA, NSF)................
     Montreal Protocol (State, EPA)........         25         38        52%
     Global Environment Facility (Treasury)  .........        108         NA
     Multilateral and Bilateral Assistance         329        334         2%
     (International Programs/AID)..........
                                            ================================
        Total \3\..........................     31,226     42,322        36%
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    NA = Not applicable.

    \1\ Includes funding (i.e., coastal management assistance) that is not
      in the new conservation spending category.

    \2\ Includes funding for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).

    \3\ Total includes mandatory spending. Total adjusted to eliminate
      double counts.

    Note: Agency abbreviations not explained above: AID (Agency for
      International Development), Corps (Army Corps of Engineers), DOC
      (Department of Commerce), DOE (Department of Energy), EX-IM (Export-
      Import Bank), HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development), NASA
      (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), NSF (National Science
      Foundation), State (Department of State), and TDA (Trade and
      Development Agency, International Assistance Programs).

      ----------------------------------------------------------------------
      The Nation faced a number of serious environmental problems in 1993.
    Neighborhoods were blighted by toxic waste dumps because only 12 percent
    of the Nation's worst sites had been cleaned up despite 12 years of
    Federal effort. Sixty-two million people lived in areas with drinking
    water that failed to meet Federal standards, and 150 million people
    lived in areas that failed to meet air quality standards. Further, many
    of the Nation's most well-known natural treasures, such as Yellowstone
    National Park, were endangered by the adverse effects of encroaching
    development.
      President Clinton came into office committed to providing the American
    people with a cleaner environment, stronger communities, and a brighter
    future for families across the country. Since 1993, the President has
    invested in a common sense and cost-effective approach of using new
    technologies, pursuing tougher enforcement of environmental laws,
    strengthening public health standards, and protecting our irreplaceable
    national treasures.
      As a result, the Nation has the cleanest environment and strongest
    economy in a generation. Almost four times as many Superfund sites were
    cleaned up during the Clinton-Gore Administration as in the previous 12
    years. Compliance with drinking water standards increased from 83
    percent of the population served by community water systems to 89
    percent of the population, and the number of areas out of attainment
    with the ozone air quality standard dropped from 98 to 37. In addition,
    the Administration has protected from environmental harm tens of
    millions of acres of national parks and forests, national monuments and
    wilderness areas, from the red rock canyons of Utah to the Florida
    Everglades.
      As a part of his effort to protect our environment and natural
    resources, the President promoted targeted investments in key
    environmental initiatives, and fought back numerous anti-environmental
    riders that would have traded hard-won environmental safeguards for
    short-term special interest gains. Table 6-2 compares 1993 and 2001
    funding for high-priority environmental and natural resources programs
    in this and other Government function areas. In 2001, for the natural
    resources and environment function only (Table 6-1), the Congress
    enacted $28.8 billion in discretionary budget authority to protect
    public health, the environment, manage Federal lands, conserve
    resources, provide recreational opportunities, and construct and operate
    water resources projects. This is an

    [[Page 83]]

    increase of $7.4 billion, or 34 percent, over the $21.4 billion spent in
    1993.

    Conservation and Land Management

      Lands Legacy: In 1993, the effect of development and urban sprawl on
    parks, fragile coastal habitat, and open spaces was not as widely
    understood as it is today. In some areas, uncontrolled growth was
    undermining people's quality of life by fragmenting the parks and
    forests that provide outdoor recreation and threatening the ecosystems
    that provide habitat for wildlife and endangered species.
      Over the past eight years, the Clinton-Gore Administration forged a
    consensus in support of reliable funding for conservation programs that
    temper the adverse environmental effects of rapid development. In 1999,
    the President announced his Lands Legacy Initiative, which would double
    conservation funding and provide dedicated, protected funding for: (1)
    land acquisition in national parks, forests, refuges, and other public
    lands; (2) grants to States and local communities to restore urban parks
    and forests, protect wildlife habitat, and plan for smart growth; and,
    (3) protection of marine sanctuaries, estuaries, and coastal areas. This
    led to the enactment in October 2000 of a new Conservation spending
    category under the Budget Enforcement Act that, from 2002 through 2006,
    will set aside about $2 billion annually to be used only for specific
    conservation, preservation, and related programs. This category
    dedicates and protects funding to maintain and build upon current
    efforts preserving both the great places of this Nation and the green
    spaces of local communities.
      The conservation investments in this category include funding for 25
    distinct programs in six bureaus within the Departments of Agriculture
    (USDA), Commerce (DOC), and the Interior (DOI). The protected funding is
    allocated among six subcategories, plus an unallocated amount available
    to all subcategories. Actual funding levels for each program will be
    determined through the annual appropriations process. Table 6-3 shows
    subcategory allocations for 2002, plus the equivalent funding levels in
    prior years. The total amount of protected funding will increase each
    year, up to $2.4 billion in 2006.
      ----------------------------------------------------------------------

                                              Table 6-3.  Lands Legacy \1\
                                       (Budget authority, in millions of dollars)
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                             Actual                     Estimate
                                 Subcategory                           ------------------   2001  ------------------
                                                                          1993     2000   Enacted    2002   2006 \2\
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)...........................      283      467      545      540
    State and Other Conservation Programs.............................       26       68      270      300
    Urban and Historic Preservation...................................       71      113      166      160
    Federal Deferred Maintenance--new funds...........................  .......  .......      150      150
    Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT)--new funds.......................  .......  .......       50       50
    NOAA/DOC Coastal Assistance.......................................       45      161      283      440
    Unallocated.......................................................  .......  .......  .......      120
                                                                       ---------------------------------------------
        Total.........................................................      425      809    1,464    1,760     2,400
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\ Only includes amounts in the new Conservation spending category.

    \2\ Total amounts increase each year up to $2.4 billion in 2006. Actual funding levels for each subcategory for
      2003-2006 will be determined through the annual appropriations process.

      ----------------------------------------------------------------------

      Forest Planning Improvements: The Administration made improved
    multiple-use forest planning one of its first and highest priorities for
    the USDA's Forest Service. In April 1993, President Clinton convened a
    Forest Conference in Portland, Oregon, to bring together scientists, the
    forest products industry, environmental groups, Indian Tribes, and other
    concerned citizens to discuss issues surrounding the management of
    Federal lands in the Pacific Northwest and northern California. In 1991,
    the Forest Service had been blocked by a court injunction from issuing
    new timber sales in this area because these sales threatened the habitat
    of the northern spotted owl.

    [[Page 84]]

    Working with all interested parties, the Forest Service issued standards
    one year later that broke the impasse by allowing timber sales and
    protecting key watersheds and valuable old-growth timber ecosystems.
    This difficult but successful process demonstrated again that economic
    and environmental interests are not mutually exclusive, and can be
    brought together through forest plans that support the multiple uses for
    which national forests were created.
      This high standard was expanded and solidified in the new forest land
    and resource management planning regulation that was completed in
    October 2000. It replaced a 1982 regulation that emphasized timber
    production targets. In order to manage multiple uses in a forest, each
    national forest develops a comprehensive plan, incorporating substantial
    public involvement and sound science, to guide future forest management.
    National forests need to revise their forest plans to address new
    information, changed conditions, and/or new issues or trends. The forest
    plans cover the permitted uses on the national forest lands, including
    recreation uses, concession opportunities, timberland suitability, and
    off-road vehicle access. The new rule, emphasizing ecological
    sustainability, will better protect the environment, improve public
    participation in forest activities, and integrate science more
    effectively into Forest Service decisions.

      Reform of Payments to States: Because Federal lands result in a
    reduction to a county's property tax base, the Federal Government
    returns a percentage of revenues generated from those lands, some of
    which are provided from timber sales, to the States to fund county
    schools and road maintenance. The need to address environmental concerns
    on Federal lands, however, has caused a reduction in timber sales over
    the last 10 years and a corresponding reduction in the Federal payments.
    To offset the fiscal impact of this reduction in Federal payments, the
    Administration proposed legislation that would provide for permanent,
    stable payments to States, made directly from the Treasury. These
    payments would be greater than the current payments and, importantly,
    sever the link between funding needs for county education and road
    maintenance from timber sales.
      In November 2000, President Clinton signed the Secure Rural Schools
    and Community Self-Determination Act. This law will stabilize the
    payments to States and counties at historically high levels through
    2006--increasing payments over five years by almost $1 billion. The law
    also creates citizen advisory committees, and gives local communities
    the opportunity to fund environmental restoration projects on Federal
    and non-Federal lands for activities such as salmon habitat restoration
    or road maintenance projects.

      Roadless Conservation Policy: Through comprehensive rulemaking
    accompanied by an environmental impact statement, the Administration
    established a policy to prohibit most road construction and
    reconstruction, as well as timber harvesting (except as needed for
    stewardship purposes) in inventoried roadless areas of the National
    Forest System. The Final Environmental Impact Statement estimated that
    almost 60 million acres would be protected. In developing the roadless
    plan, the Forest Service sought extensive public input, holding over 600
    public meetings across the Nation. Hundreds of thousands of people
    participated in this public process, generating over one million
    comments. Roadless areas provide the large, relatively unbroken blocks
    of undisturbed lands that are critical to a variety of terrestrial and
    aquatic wildlife and plants, including hundreds of threatened,
    endangered, and sensitive species. Many inventoried roadless areas
    function as biological reserves and refuges for these species, and play
    a key role in maintaining native plant and animal biological diversity.
    If the Forest Service had not acted to protect these areas, there would
    have been an increased loss of biodiversity, due to timber harvest,
    road-related fragmentation, and invasion by non-native species.
      Increased Agricultural Conservation: Fifty percent of the continental
    United States is crop, pasture, and rangeland, and this land is managed
    by two percent of the population who are the Nation's farmers and
    ranchers. USDA's conservation programs provide farmers and ranchers with
    financial and technical assistance to implement best management
    practices that protect the environment while sustaining agricultural
    productivity and boosting farm income. In response to growing natural
    resource concerns, USDA, during this

    [[Page 85]]

    Administration, expanded its conservation mission beyond its original
    focus of preventing soil erosion and now provides assistance for a wide
    range of activities such as wetlands restoration, wildlife habitat
    improvement, and farmland protection. The Administration strongly
    supported conservation programs as a way to help farmers and ranchers
    that were facing economic hardship while providing environmental
    benefits to all Americans.
      USDA conservation programs restore more of our Nation's wetlands than
    any other Federal program, and were an important part of the
    Administration's efforts to develop strong and consistent Federal
    wetlands policies and initiatives. USDA's largest wetlands program is
    the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP), which removes agricultural wetlands
    from production through permanent or long-term easements and restores
    their natural hydrology. From 1993 to 2000, over 880,000 acres were
    enrolled in WRP, leaving only approximately 40,000 acres available under
    its 975,000 acre cumulative enrollment cap in 2001. However, in 2000,
    the Administration persuaded the Congress to increase the cap by 100,000
    acres, extending WRP for at least one more year.
      USDA's Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), authorized to enroll 36.4
    million acres, is the Nation's largest private lands environmental
    program. It provides farmers with annual rental payments in exchange for
    removing land from production for 10-15 years and restoring natural
    vegetative cover. The Administration significantly improved this popular
    program by strengthening the Environmental Benefits Index used to
    determine eligibility and changing the way payment rates were
    determined. As a result, the environmental quality of enrolled acres has
    increased since 1993, resulting in greater natural resource protection,
    and taxpayers have saved hundreds of millions of dollars through the use
    of more accurate land rental rates based on different soil types.
      USDA conservation programs also made up a key component of President
    Clinton's Clean Water Action Plan (CWAP), which provided a blueprint for
    restoring and protecting the Nation's waterways. As part of the CWAP:
      USDA jointly issued with EPA in March 1999 a Unified Strategy
              for Animal Feeding Operations, which called for all animal
              feeding operations (AFOs) to voluntarily implement
              comprehensive nutrient management plans (CNMPs) by 2009 to
              reduce polluted runoff. In support of this guidance and to
              help producers develop CNMPs, the Administration sought and
              obtained additional AFO technical assistance funds. As a
              result, USDA was able to steadily increase technical
              assistance funding for AFOs from $37 million in 1999 to $75
              million enacted for 2001.
      USDA aggressively promoted Conservation Reserve Enhancement
              Program (CREP) agreements with States. CREP agreements combine
              Federal CRP funds with State funds to remove environmentally
              sensitive areas from production for at least 10 years and
              restore natural habitat. Currently, 13 States have CREP
              agreements with USDA. The New York agreement, which totals $11
              million ($8 million Federal/$3 million State), targets the
              Catskill and Delaware River watersheds that supply New York
              City's drinking water. It is estimated the agreement will
              reduce erosion in these watersheds by 36,000 tons of soil per
              year, allowing New York City to avoid constructing a $6
              billion drinking water filtration plant, while also improving
              habitat for endangered fish and wildlife.

      Everglades Restoration: This Administration provided an unprecedented
    level of funding to restore the Everglades, which supports 68 threatened
    and endangered species, and protects the water supply and bolsters the
    economy of south Florida. Since 1993, the Administration directed over
    $1.7 billion to land acquisition, water projects, and scientific
    research for Everglades restoration. Of this total, over $500 million
    funded land acquisitions to help preserve the Everglades in perpetuity.
    Many of these funds resulted from the Vice President's 1996 Everglades
    restoration plan, which proposed $100 million annually over four years
    for land acquisition.
       In 1999, the Vice President presented to the Congress the
    Administration's long-term Everglades restoration plan. Developed by

    [[Page 86]]

    private, corporate, and governmental stakeholders, it would increase
    water storage for environmental and urban water supplies, enhance
    natural water flows to the Everglades, and improve water quality. This
    Administration secured authorization of the first $1.4 billion in
    projects for this plan in November 2000. The Federal Government and
    Florida will each pay half of the cost of this plan, estimated at $7.8
    billion over the next 35 years.

      Wetlands Protection: The Administration achieved major successes in
    protecting the Nation's wetlands. Since 1993, Federal policies and
    programs protected wetlands by expanding technical and financial
    assistance to private landowners to enhance their land and water
    management practices; permitting and regulating developments affecting
    wetlands and our Nation's waters; restoring and creating wetlands;
    acquiring valuable wetlands from willing sellers; and educating the
    public about the benefits of wetlands. According to the Interior
    Department, these efforts contributed to an 80-percent decrease in the
    annual wetland loss rate--only 58,500 acres were lost on average from
    1986-1997, down significantly from the average annual loss of 290,000
    acres in the previous 10 years. This is the largest decrease in the
    annual wetland loss rate since the Federal Government began compiling
    the data in the 1950s. Federal activities included in this effort to
    protect wetlands are the Interior Department's Coastal and Partnership
    programs and its North American Waterfowl Management Plan; the
    Agriculture Department's Swampbuster and Wetlands and Conservation
    Reserve programs; the Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental
    Protection Agency's Clean Water Act wetlands programs; the
    Administration's Clean Water Action Plan; and, various additions to
    national forests, parks, monuments, wildlife refuges, and other public
    lands.
      California Bay-Delta Management: In August 2000, after more than five
    years of work, Federal and State policy officials signed a Record of
    Decision finalizing the long-term $8.7 billion CALFED plan for the
    California Bay-Delta. This CALFED plan marks the Administration's
    successful creation, in cooperation with the State of California and
    other stakeholders, of a blueprint for effective management of the Bay-
    Delta and its water resources, designed to end sixty years of chronic
    conflict in the region. The 740,000-acre Bay-Delta ecosystem not only
    serves as habitat to more than 750 plant and animal species, but also
    supplies drinking water for two-thirds of all Californians and
    irrigation water for over seven million acres of the most highly
    productive agricultural land in the world. The CALFED plan will provide
    better water quality for all beneficial uses; enhance and increase
    habitat and ecological functions in the Bay-Delta to support plant and
    animal species; improve water supply reliability for agricultural, urban
    and environmental interests; and reduce the risk to economic activities,
    water supply, infrastructure, and the ecosystem from catastrophic
    breaching of Delta levees. To support the Bay-Delta during development
    of the long-term plan, the Administration also provided from 1998 to
    2000 a total of $190 million in funding to support initial Bay-Delta
    ecosystem restoration activities, and $30 million for related CALFED
    efforts.
      Preservation of Our Natural and Cultural Treasures: For the past eight
    years, this Administration took significant measures to conserve the
    Nation's natural and cultural heritage. Just as we now are grateful for
    the far-sighted efforts in the 19th and early 20th centuries to protect
    Yellowstone and Yosemite, so will Americans in the 21st Century
    appreciate the measures taken by the Administration to conserve our
    natural and cultural treasures. President Clinton protected more land in
    the lower 48 States under the 1906 Antiquities Act--over five million
    acres--than any other President, designating new national monuments and
    expanding others. Areas protected include: Grand Staircase-Escalante
    National Monument in Utah, consisting of almost 1.9 million acres of
    spectacular red rock canyon lands and artifacts from three cultures;
    Giant Sequoia National Monument in California, a 328,000 acre monument
    characterized by magnificent groves of towering giant sequoias (many as
    old as 3,200 years) interspersed among bold granitic domes, spires, and
    plunging gorges; Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument in Arizona, a
    one million acre protection area situated on the Colorado Plateau along
    the North Rim of the Grand Canyon; and California Coastal National

    [[Page 87]]

    Monument, made up of thousands of islands, rocks, exposed reefs, and
    pinnacles along the entire coast of California.
      The Administration also worked to protect other natural treasures,
    such as the majestic California Desert, and has consistently supported
    legislation to protect other natural areas. Most recently, in 2000, the
    President signed legislation establishing the Colorado Canyons National
    Conservation Area in Colorado, the Santa Rosa/San Jacinto Mountains
    National Monument in California, and a new cooperative management and
    protection area for Steens Mountain in Oregon.

      Baca Ranch: In July 2000, President Clinton signed the Valles Caldera
    Preservation Act authorizing the purchase of the Baca Ranch in New
    Mexico, a 95,000-acre swath of forested mountains and grassy valleys
    that includes the Valles Caldera, a one million-year-old collapsed
    volcano 14 miles in diameter. The purchase of this property was
    completed later that year, and title has now transferred to the Forest
    Service. Located in the Jemez Mountains region west of Santa Fe, the
    Ranch also includes one of the Nation's largest wild elk herds, and its
    acquisition will protect important resources, and will offer
    unparalleled recreation opportunities for the region and all Americans.
      Headwaters Forest: During 1998, the Administration sought, and the
    Congress provided, $250 million to acquire the Headwaters Forest in
    northern California, the largest privately owned stand of ancient
    redwoods. As part of the acquisition, the Administration ensured that
    Headwaters and its threatened and endangered inhabitant species were
    protected. To promote collaborative species protection, the
    Administration developed a scientifically sound habitat conservation
    plan. The Federal Government and the State of California jointly
    acquired Headwaters in 1999.
      Yellowstone Park: To protect Yellowstone National Park, the
    Administration agreed in August 1996 to acquire Crown Butte, Inc.'s
    interest in the New World Mine in Montana, the potential development of
    which posed a severe environmental threat to Yellowstone's unique
    landscape and wildlife resources. In 1998, the Administration sought,
    and Congress provided, $65 million to proceed with this agreement, which
    will preserve one of the crown jewels of the National Park System. Crown
    Butte also dedicated $22 million to clean up contamination at the site
    from earlier mining activities. The Administration worked with Crown
    Butte and other parties to complete the acquisition in 1999.
      Millennium Initiative to Save America's Treasures: The First Lady led
    an Administration initiative to commemorate the Millennium by awarding
    grants through the National Park Service to support the preservation of
    the many historic sites and cultural artifacts that are also America's
    treasures. The Save America's Treasures program received $95 million
    over three years to provide dollar-for-dollar matching grants for
    Federal, State, local, and private entities to restore and preserve
    cultural artifacts, documents, collections, and historic structures
    across the Nation. Since 1999, over 180 projects have been identified,
    with others yet to be selected. Projects include restoring the Star
    Spangled Banner at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., preserving
    archeological sites at Mesa Verde in Colorado, and stabilizing buildings
    at Angel Island Immigration Station in San Francisco.
      Management of the Impacts of Wildfires on Communities and the
    Environment: The devastating wildfires of 2000 highlighted the need to
    reassess Federal efforts in addressing the impacts of wildfires on
    communities and the environment. Though wildfires are part of a natural
    process essential to the maintenance of many ecosystems, intensive
    efforts to suppress all wildfires over the last century have resulted in
    the buildup of fire fuels in many areas, and in unnaturally intense
    fires that spread rapidly, burn more completely, and are often extremely
    difficult to suppress. Such fires are more hazardous to communities and
    the environment. Through a 55-percent funding increase (to a total $2.9
    billion for 2001) the Administration took immediate steps to address the
    consequences of fires and problems that were highlighted during the 2000
    fire season. Enacted funding increases totaling $1.6 billion included:
    $393 million for preparedness activities to ensure that the Federal
    wildland firefighting agencies have the necessary staff and equipment
    for future fire seasons; $281 million for fire fuels reduction
    activities primarily to alleviate immediate threats to

    [[Page 88]]

    communities in the wildland-urban interface; and $227 million for the
    restoration of areas burned by the 2000 fires.
      Promotion of Responsible Mining on the Public Lands: In 2000, the
    Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) completed a
    multi-year process of revising the agency's ``3809'' surface mining
    regulations that govern hardrock mining on public lands. The scope and
    technology of hardrock mining operations on Federal lands have changed
    dramatically since 1980, when the ``3809'' regulations were originally
    published. The final regulations enable the agency to fulfill its duty
    under Federal law to prevent ``unnecessary or undue degradation'' of BLM
    lands from hardrock mining, thereby protecting public health, public
    land resources, and the environment. The rules will allow BLM to reject
    plans of operation for mines that would cause ``substantial irreparable
    harm'' to significant scientific, cultural, or environmental resources
    if the damage cannot be effectively mitigated. The regulations also
    strengthen bonding requirements for mining operators to ensure that
    these operators, rather than the Nation's taxpayers, bear the costs of
    reclaiming mined lands. In addition, the new regulations specifically
    address both cyanide leaching practices and acid mine drainage.
      The Endangered Species Act (ESA)--Making It Work: Administration
    reforms have increased ESA flexibility, furthering the Act's ability to
    protect at-risk species and to reconcile species conservation with the
    needs of landowners. These reforms include voluntary conservation
    agreements (Candidate Conservation Agreement--CCAs) between Interior's
    Fish and Wildlife Service and private or public parties to implement
    conservation measures and monitor activities, preventing the need to add
    species to the Endangered Species list. In 2000, the Fish and Wildlife
    Service entered into 20 CCAs with private landowners or State and local
    governments that, together with other efforts, prevented six species
    from being listed. Since 1994, the Service has entered into more than 90
    CCAs. In addition, early intervention processes implemented by the
    Department of Commerce's National Marine Fisheries Service to identify
    species before they become endangered effectively eliminated the need to
    list five threatened aquatic species.
      The Administration also significantly expanded the use of Habitat
    Conservation Plans (HCPs) to address potential conflicts between
    development and protection of listed species. HCPs give the private
    sector and State, local, and Tribal governments the flexibility to
    propose solutions that permit the protection of endangered species and
    conservation of habitat, while allowing for development. By the end of
    2001, HCPs will protect over 40 million acres and an estimated 435
    species.
      The Administration was successful in defeating legislative riders that
    sought to weaken the Endangered Species Act. For example, the
    Administration worked with the Congress to allow the preservation of sea
    lions off the coast of Alaska, and the re-introduction of grizzly bears
    into the Bitterroot Mountains of Montana and Idaho. The Administration
    also worked with affected stakeholders to ensure that necessary changes
    to the operation of the Missouri River to protect listed species,
    including the pallid sturgeon, the lest tern and the piping plover, were
    allowed to go forward.

      National Estuarine Research Reserves--Protecting and Restoring our
    Nation's Estuaries: Since 1993, Commerce's National Oceanic and
    Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and its State partners increased the
    number of National Estuarine Research Reserves from 22 reserves in 19
    States, to 25 reserves in 20 States, with two pending to be established
    in 2001. This expansion more than doubled the protected fragile
    estuarine habitat to over one million acres. Estuaries are essential to
    our environment, serving as filters where fresh water meets the ocean to
    help maintain the health of our coasts.
      Protection of National Marine Sanctuaries: In 1993, 11 National Marine
    Sanctuaries protected 14,733 square nautical miles of valuable cultural
    and natural resources along our Nation's coasts. Today, as a result of
    this Administration's investments to preserve these unique and important
    sites, there are now 13 Marine Sanctuaries covering 18,000 square
    nautical miles of sensitive underwater habitat and submerged cultural
    resources, including the newest sanctuary in the

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    Great Lakes. Other sanctuaries protect whales off the coast of Hawaii,
    and splendid coral reefs around the Florida Keys and American Samoa. In
    December 2000, the President designated the first ever Northwestern
    Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Reserve protecting almost 100,000 square
    nautical miles.
      Increased Participation in Coastal Zone Management: The number of
    States participating in the Coastal Zone Management program expanded
    from 29 in 1993 to 33 of 35 possible participants today. These States,
    working in partnership with NOAA, developed voluntary, comprehensive
    coastal management programs to keep U.S. coastlines healthy and
    productive. While no States had approved Coastal Zone Management Non-
    point Pollution Control programs in 1993, all of the 33 States now have
    fully or conditionally approved Non-point Pollution Control Programs and
    the rest have conditionally approved programs to reduce pollution from
    runoff, one of the greatest remaining threats to our Nation's water
    quality.
      Restoration of Ocean Resources: The National Oceans Conference, held
    in June 1998, drew together for the first time a full array of ocean
    interests, including government, industry, science, and conservation.
    The Conference resulted in new initiatives, including steps to restore
    coastal reefs, rebuild marine fisheries, preserve freedom of the seas,
    provide public access to military data and technology, enhance the
    competitiveness of America's ports, and protect our National marine
    sanctuaries from oil drilling. A follow-up report to the President and
    Vice President on the National Oceans Conference was issued in September
    1999, which highlighted the importance of preserving the oceans' complex
    and delicate balances. In keeping with the recommendations of the
    report, the Executive Office of the President convened the Ocean Report
    Task Force to accomplish key, specific oceans recommendations. The work
    of this task force will be concluded shortly, and has been very
    successful. Accomplishments include: gear restrictions protecting
    northern right whales; expanded enforcement capabilities for
    environmental ocean crime detection; greater protection for sea turtles;
    and increased funding for marine activities.
      Scientific Support for Natural Resources: The management of land and
    water, and natural resource protection must be based on sound and
    objective natural resource science.
      U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): The Department of the Interior's USGS
    provides research and scientific information to land managers and the
    public to better understand ecosystems and species, land and water
    resources, and natural hazards. Over the past eight years, USGS became
    more responsive to the Nation's pressing and complex natural resource
    issues by delivering scientific analysis, products, and services in a
    useful, usable format to land managers, other decision-makers, and the
    public. USGS adopted a customer-driven focus to enhance the relevance
    and usefulness of its scientific information, and led the Government in
    the standardization of scientific information and digital data through
    major infrastructure efforts such as the National Biological Information
    Infrastructure. For 2001, USGS also received increased funding to expand
    State partnerships to acquire and deliver scientific information for
    decision-making. Examples of significant USGS accomplishments since 1993
    include:
      Real-time Data Availability--USGS operates national networks
              of stream gauges and seismometers to monitor flooding and
              earthquake activity. USGS accelerated the development of real-
              time hazards information delivery through significant
              investments to modernize and improve these networks and other
              hazard networks and provide information in real-time to the
              public.
      Assessment of the Nation's Biological Resources at Century
              End-- In June 1999, USGS released the first large-scale
              assessment of the Nation's natural resources in a two-volume
              report, Status and Trends of the Nation's Biological
              Resources. This report synthesizes current information within
              a historical perspective to document how the Nation's
              biological resources are changing.
      National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): The
    Administration's support for the modernization of NOAA's National
    Weather Service (NWS) and for the data

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    collected by NOAA's National Environmental Satellite and Data
    Information Service greatly improved weather forecasts and flood and
    tornado warnings. Support to its Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric
    Research provided advances that now enable NOAA to predict El Nino
    events with a level of skill and enough lead time that the national and
    international economies can save billions of dollars a year in avoidable
    costs.
      The benefits of the NWS modernization and associated restructuring are
    dramatic and have set the standard for weather agencies worldwide. NWS's
    modernization increased warning lead time for flash floods from 22
    minutes in 1993 to an estimated 55 minutes in 2000, and the accuracy of
    flash flood warning from 71 percent in 1993 to an estimated 86 percent
    in 2000; modernization also increased the lead time for tornado warnings
    by 100 percent and the accuracy of tornado warnings by 62 percent. The
    extra time and accuracy save lives. In addition, three-to-four day
    weather forecasts are as accurate as the two-day forecasts of 15 years
    ago.
      In 1993, NOAA identified 43,000 square nautical miles of waters that
    were in critical need of new hydrographic surveys around major ports and
    harbors, as well as previously unsurveyed areas of Alaska. With 98
    percent of cargo by weight coming into U.S. ports, over half of it
    hazardous material, and ever larger vessels pushing the limits of
    dredged channels, the mariners' need for accurate, updated nautical
    charts was growing every day. While NOAA estimated it would take over 40
    years to eliminate this critical survey backlog, today, that estimate is
    cut in half, thanks to increased resources, advances in technology, and
    successful partnerships with the private sector.

     Recreational Resources

      Enhanced Stewardship: This Administration took key steps to improve
    our investments in national parks, wildlife refuges, national forests,
    and other public lands, so that future generations will have the same
    opportunity to enjoy these national treasures that we have today.
    Discretionary funding to maintain and restore facilities on these lands
    has grown by 50 percent, from $1.0 billion in 1993 to over $1.5 billion
    in 2001. Federal land management agencies also now have temporary
    authority to collect expanded recreation and user fees, and reinvest the
    $200 million in annual fee revenue in visitor facilities and services.
    Although this authority is not yet permanent, the experience over the
    past few years has shown that the public is willing to pay fees when
    they understand the funds will be used to support the parks, forests,
    and refuges they are visiting.
      In addition to increased funding, the Administration initiated
    important management reforms to improve how these funds are spent. The
    Department of the Interior's National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife
    Service, and BLM have each begun extensive facility condition
    assessments to determine more accurately where maintenance has been
    deferred. Facility maintenance information systems are being implemented
    to identify and track specific maintenance and construction projects.
    Each bureau ranks its projects to prepare a five-year list of
    maintenance and construction priorities, so that available funds may be
    targeted at the most pressing needs. Other reforms include: the
    development of capital asset plans that identify up-front a project's
    cost, schedule, and performance goals; a restructuring of the National
    Park Service construction planning process at its Denver (Colorado)
    Service Center; and an increased reliance on standardized designs and
    private architectural firms. The Administration also led the successful
    effort to improve management of the National Wildlife Refuge System by
    establishing wildlife conservation as the dominant refuge goal and
    compatible wildlife-dependent recreation (including hunting, fishing,
    wildlife observation and photography, and environmental education and
    interpretation) as priority public uses.

    Pollution Control and Abatement

      The Federal Government helps achieve the Nation's pollution control
    goals by: (1) taking direct action; (2) funding actions by State, local,
    and Tribal governments; and, (3) implementing an environmental
    regulatory system. The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) $7.8
    billion in discretionary funds, a $0.9 billion or 13-percent increase
    over 1993,

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    finances most activities in this area. EPA's discretionary funds have
    three major components--the agency's operating program, Superfund, and
    water infrastructure financing.
      EPA's $3.9 billion operating program provides the Federal funding to
    implement most Federal pollution control laws, including the Clean Air,
    Clean Water, Resource Conservation and Recovery, Safe Drinking Water,
    Toxic Substances Control, and the Food Quality Protection Acts. Spending
    for the operating program, which grew 40 percent during this
    Administration, represents the backbone of the Nation's efforts to
    protect public health and the environment.

      Reduction of Air Pollution: Under the Clean Air Act, EPA works to make
    the air clean and healthy to breathe by setting standards for ambient
    air quality, toxic air pollutant emissions, new pollution sources, and
    mobile sources. During the last eight years, the Administration took
    major steps to improve the quality of the air we breathe, and helped
    reduce the number of metropolitan areas not in compliance with the
    current Federal ozone standard from 98 metropolitan areas in 1993 to 37
    such areas today (see Chart 6-1). EPA also promulgated new more health-
    protective air quality standards for ozone and fine particulate matter
    that have yet to take effect.

      Late in 1999, EPA established new rules for the sulfur content of
    gasoline and for tailpipe emissions from new cars and light duty trucks
    that will result in vehicles that are 77 to 95 percent cleaner than
    those of today. These measures, to be phased in from 2004 to 2009, may
    prevent thousands of premature deaths, tens of thousands of cases of
    respiratory illness, and hundreds of thousands of lost work days. Late
    in 2000, EPA finalized similar rules for sulfur content in diesel fuel
    and for heavy duty truck engine emissions that will also have a major
    impact in protecting public health. In past years, EPA has also issued
    rules

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    to reduce toxic air pollution from chemical plants by 90 percent, and
    put in place a program to clear the haze and restore pristine skies to
    our national parks.

      Water Quality Improvement: Under the Clean Water Act, EPA works to
    conserve and enhance the ecological health of the Nation's waters,
    through regulation of point source discharges and through multi-agency
    initiatives such as the President's Clean Water Action Plan (CWAP). The
    CWAP focuses on three remaining challenges for restoring and protecting
    the 40 percent of the Nation's waterways not attaining water quality
    standards--preventing polluted runoff, protecting public health, and
    ensuring community-based watershed management. EPA funding for its
    programs included in the CWAP is $712 million in 2001, an increase of 67
    percent since 1993. A key component of this total is the $238 million
    for EPA's non-point source grant program to States and Tribes, which has
    grown more than 375 percent since 1993. Non-point source pollution is
    the most significant remaining contribution to water pollution.
      Provision of Safe Drinking Water: Today, America's drinking water is
    significantly safer than eight years ago. Administration efforts to
    strengthen drinking water safety, including amending the Safe Drinking
    Water Act in partnership with the Congress, mean that 89 percent of
    Americans (as of 1999) get tap water from drinking water systems that
    meet the tough Federal standards in effect as of 1994, an increase of
    six percentage points since 1994. The Administration also issued
    regulations requiring water systems to improve filtration and monitoring
    to protect against contamination by harmful microbes, and issued annual
    reports to their customers on the safety of their drinking water; and it
    proposed tough new standards for high risk contaminants, such as arsenic
    and radon.
      Reform of Food Quality Protection: In 1996, following through on his
    1993 proposal, President Clinton signed legislation to revolutionize the
    way our food supply is protected from harmful pesticides. The law
    overhauls the system that kept harmful pesticides on the market too long
    and safer alternatives off the market, and includes provisions to better
    protect children from pesticide risks. So far, EPA has reassessed 3,551
    of the 9,721 existing pesticide tolerances (i.e. allowable residue on
    food) to ensure that they meet the statutory standard of ``reasonable
    certainty of no harm'', and has worked with pesticide manufacturers to
    phase out uses of some of the most high risk pesticides, including
    methyl parathion, azinphos-methyl, chlorpyrifos, and diazinon.
      Citizen Empowerment: Requiring industries to share information about
    chemicals released into the air and water helps empower citizens to
    understand the environment around their homes, schools, and work places
    and address problems as necessary, creating a powerful incentive for
    industry to pollute less. In the decade since the public's right to know
    about chemical releases became law, industry's toxic pollution has
    fallen nearly 50 percent. The Administration expanded the public's right
    to know by doubling the number of chemicals subject to reporting
    requirements and by increasing by 30 percent the number of facilities
    that must report. In addition, President Clinton required the Federal
    Government to begin reporting its chemical releases in 1994, and such
    releases have been reduced by 60 percent.
      The Administration, in 1998, also established the Chemical Right to
    Know Initiative, which includes a highly successful, innovative,
    voluntary partnership with industry to develop and provide the public
    with basic health data on chemicals released into the environment in
    high volume. In addition, EPA greatly expanded the amount of
    environmental data available to the public through an initiative to
    provide the Nation's 86 largest metropolitan areas with real-time
    environmental information.

      Proper Management of Wastes: Under the Resource Conservation and
    Recovery Act, EPA and authorized States prevent dangerous releases to
    the environment of hazardous, industrial nonhazardous, and municipal
    solid wastes by requiring proper facility management and cleanup of
    environmental contamination at those sites. As of the end of 2000, 62
    percent of the Nation's 2,900 hazardous waste management facilities have
    approved controls in place to prevent dangerous releases to air, soil,
    and groundwater.

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      EPA's underground storage tank (UST) program seeks to prevent, detect,
    and correct leaks from USTs containing petroleum and hazardous
    substances. Regulations issued in 1988 required that substandard USTs
    (lacking spill, overfill, and/or corrosion protection) be upgraded,
    replaced or closed by December 22, 1998. By the end of 2000, 86 percent
    (an estimated 614,000) of active USTs will be in compliance with these
    requirements, which improves upon the 65 percent (approximately 554,000)
    of then-active USTs in compliance as of the December 22, 1998, deadline.
    Over the past decade, more than 1.4 million substandard USTs have been
    permanently closed.

      Climate Change: In October 1997, President Clinton announced immediate
    actions to begin addressing the problem of global climate change, and
    included the Climate Change Technology Initiative (CCTI) in the 1999
    Budget. In 2001, EPA will devote $123 million to CCTI, $115 million more
    than related programs in 1993, focused on the deployment of under-
    utilized but existing technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
    By the end of 2000, greenhouse gas emissions are expected to have been
    reduced from projected levels by approximately 58 million metric tons of
    carbon equivalent per year through EPA partnerships with businesses,
    schools, State and local governments, and other organizations.
      Accelerated Clean-up of Toxic Waste Sites: During this Administration,
    EPA's Superfund program to clean up abandoned hazardous waste sites
    became faster, fairer, and less expensive. At the end of 2000, a total
    of 757 Superfund sites had been cleaned up--602 of these cleanups
    completed since 1993, while only 155 of the sites were cleaned up during
    the previous 12 years (see Chart 6-2). EPA projects that two-thirds, or
    900, of the Nation's worst toxic waste dumps will be cleaned up by the
    end of 2002. EPA's Superfund administrative reforms have been
    responsible for saving more than $1.4 billion in future costs by
    updating cleanup remedy decisions (to determine whether the same level
    of protection could be provided at lower cost) at more than 300 sites.
    The Agency also streamlined the liability allocation process to reach
    settlement with more than 21,000 small volume waste parties at Superfund
    sites.

      Spearheaded by this Administration since 1993, EPA's brownfields
    program to clean up and redevelop lightly contaminated commercial and
    industrial sites has funded over 2,000 site assessments; generated 7,300
    jobs, and leveraged $2.8 billion in cleanup and redevelopment funds. The
    brownfields tax incentive, enacted as part of the 1997 Taxpayer Relief
    Act and extended by the 1999 Tax Relief Extension Act, has leveraged
    additional private investment by allowing businesses to deduct certain
    cleanup costs on environmentally contaminated lands.

      Support for Needed Infrastructure: In 1996, President Clinton signed
    into law his proposal for establishing a new Drinking Water State
    Revolving Fund (DWSRF), which would complement the existing Clean Water
    State Revolving Fund (CWSRF). EPA appropriations provide capitalization
    grants to State revolving funds, which make low-interest loans to
    municipalities to help pay for wastewater and drinking water treatment
    systems required by Federal law. DWSRF funding of $825 million and CWSRF
    funding of $1,350 million in 2001 kept the programs on track to achieve
    the Administration's goal of capitalizing these funds to the point where
    they provide a total of $2.5 billion in average annual assistance for
    the long term, even after Federal assistance ends. Funding provided
    during this Administration resulted in the CWSRF being capitalized at
    more than twice the authorized level for the program. Currently, 99
    percent of the population served by community sewerage systems are
    served by facilities upgraded to meet secondary treatment or better, as
    required by the Clean Water Act.
       Financial Assistance to Rural Communities: USDA provides financial
    assistance for safe drinking water and adequate wastewater treatment
    facilities to rural communities (under 10,000 people). USDA offers this
    grant and loan assistance at subsidized interest rates based on the
    community's income. Part of those funds go toward USDA's Water 2000
    initiative to bring indoor plumbing and safe drinking water to under-
    served rural communities. Since 1994, USDA has invested almost $2.5
    billion in loans and grants on high-priority Water 2000 projects
    nationwide.

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      Over the last eight years, the Administration successfully targeted
    USDA water and waste water treatment facility funds to underserved rural
    communities, leveraged resources from other public and private sources,
    and maintained the strong loan repayment record of the Water and Waste
    Disposal program. During this Administration, USDA financed 2,600 water
    and wastewater treatment facilities serving over 15 million rural
    residents. Of these, over 1,950 were Water 2000 projects.

    Other Water Resources

      The Federal Government builds and manages water projects for
    navigation, flood damage reduction, environmental purposes, irrigation
    and hydropower generation. The Army Corps of Engineers (DOD) operates
    nationwide, while the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation
    operates in the 17 Western States.

      Army Corps of Engineers: This Administration's major accomplishments
    for the Army Corps of Engineers include:
      Increased funding of the Corps' environmental activities by
              over $400 million (100 percent) from 1993 to 2001, including
              significant funding increases for restoring endangered salmon
              on the Columbia and Snake Rivers (in Washington, Oregon, and
              Idaho) and to restore the Florida Everglades. The
              Administration also successfully fought off legislative riders
              proposed by the Congress that would have diminished the Corps'
              ability to comply with environmental laws, and secured
              authorization of its ``Challenge 21'' program for projects
              that combine flood damage reduction with environmental
              restoration of the river corridor.
      Secured funding to increase the competitiveness of the
              Nation's ports, including major efforts to deepen the ports of
              New

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              York/New Jersey; Los Angeles, California, and Baltimore,
              Maryland. The Administration's proposal to create a new Harbor
              Services Fund, which the Congress did not adopt, would have
              helped ensure a safe and economically competitive port system.
      Initiated construction of priority new projects needed for
              public health and safety, such as projects to provide
              increased flood protection to Grand Forks, North Dakota,
              following devastating floods in 1997, and to Sacramento,
              California.
      Improved the wetlands permit program significantly, including
              important changes to ``nationwide'' permits that will help
              minimize adverse effects of development on the aquatic
              environment, especially in environmentally sensitive areas.

      Reinvention of the Bureau of Reclamation: Between 1993 and 2001, the
    Administration dramatically changed the primary focus of the Bureau of
    Reclamation from water resource ``development'' to water resource
    ``management''. Instead of focusing on engineering projects to harness
    the West's rivers and reclaim its arid lands, Reclamation now
    concentrates on managing existing water efficiently and on resolving
    water resource conflicts through cooperation among stakeholders. A major
    restructuring reduced Reclamation's workforce by about 2,000 employees
    (25 percent below 1993), and eliminated nearly 6,500 pages of regulatory
    provisions. At the same time, Reclamation continued to supply water and
    power efficiently throughout the West, generating more than 40 billion
    kilowatt hours of energy each year, delivering 10 trillion gallons of
    municipal, rural and industrial water to over 31 million people, and
    providing water to one out of every five Western farmers.
      Resolution of Western U.S. Water Conflicts: This Administration worked
    to foster regional cooperation to resolve conflicts in several Western
    river basins. In the Lower Colorado River Basin, it took critical steps
    to allow Arizona, California, and Nevada to better utilize the limited
    amount of water available from the Colorado River. The Interior
    Department, working through the Bureau of Reclamation, completed the
    major water supply features of the Central Arizona Project and reached a
    conditional settlement of related repayment issues. Interior created a
    Federal/State program to help conserve over 100 threatened and
    endangered species from Lake Mead to the Mexican border. It also reached
    agreement with California on a framework plan to ensure that California
    moves towards living within its allocation of Colorado River water. In
    the Missouri River Basin, the Department of the Interior worked with the
    governors of Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming to develop the Platte River
    Cooperative Agreement, protecting species in the Middle Platte River
    while providing regulatory certainty to water and power interests.
    Additionally, Interior moved to resolve longstanding conflicts on water
    rights between Native American Tribes and U.S. entities. It advanced or
    finalized major Tribal water rights settlements for the Gila River
    Indian Community, the San Carlos Apache Tribe, and the Tohono O'odham
    Nation in Arizona; the Shivwits Paiute Band in Utah; the Ute Tribes in
    Colorado; and, the Chippewa Cree Tribe in Montana.