[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 35 (Tuesday, March 18, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E505-E507]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        PROTECTING PUBLIC LANDS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MAURICE D. HINCHEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 18, 1997

  Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Speaker, over the past 20 years, the demands on our 
public lands and resources have been steadily increasing. Growing 
interest in the kinds of recreational opportunities offered by our 
national parks, forests, and other lands has led to overcrowding at 
many of the most popular parks, and increased visitorship almost 
everywhere. At the same time, the need for the land management agencies 
to advance their mission of resource protection has also increased. 
Growth and development has reduced wildlife habitat, has increased the 
demand for pure and clean water, and has intensified the environmental 
stresses on undeveloped land, including many of the lands owned by all 
the American people and managed for them by the Federal Government.
  But while the demands have been increasing, the share of the Federal 
budget devoted to these resources has been declining. The agencies have 
been asked more and more to pay their own way--as if the work they do 
did not benefit all Americans. The Land and Water Conservation Fund, 
originally intended to provide a secure and steady source of funding to 
acquire critically important properties for public benefit, has fallen 
into disuse: Its funds are now used primarily to lend money to the 
Treasury for other purposes.
  If we have not seen the stresses on our parks and forests and refuges 
with our own eyes, all of us have at least read about them--the 
constant traffic at parks like Yosemite and Grand Canyon, the sagging 
roof at Independence Hall, the damage done to Anasazi ruins in the 
Southwest that the Government can't afford to guard. Our national 
treasures are decaying. Our citizens who want to visit and enjoy them 
can't be accommodated. And our natural resources--our pure water, our 
wildlife--are suffering.
  It is time that we reverse direction and start increasing our 
investment in these resources, and increasing our attention to these 
problems. I'm pleased to say that over 150 organizations from all 
around the country--national groups and local groups, conservation 
groups and recreation groups, sportspeople and environmentalists, 
hikers, hunters, fishers, and scientists, have joined together to 
endorse a specific and detailed proposal for gradually and steadily 
increasing investment in these resources over the next 5 years. Their 
proposal would help to alleviate the strain on the land management 
agencies, help them deal with their backlog of repair and restoration 
projects, and help them to serve the needs and demands of the American 
public.
  Their proposal is by no means a budget buster. On the contrary, if we 
do not pay attention to these issues, we will be squandering our 
capital, the lands, and resources we hold in trust for the American 
people. We cannot afford to keep deferring these needs any more than we 
could afford to defer fixing a broken pipe or a leaky roof in our own 
homes.
  We will be hearing more about this proposal in the months ahead, as 
we consider the budget and appropriations for next year. I am sharing 
it with all my colleagues in the House today, and I ask everyone to 
give it serious consideration. Appropriately, the great-grandson of 
President Theodore Roosevelt provided an introduction for the plan, 
carrying on his family's distinguished tradition of support for public 
lands and the protection of irreplaceable resources.

       I am urging your full consideration of the attached funding 
     recommendations--supported by 150 environmental, recreation, 
     and conservation groups--for our public lands and wildlife 
     systems.
       America's public lands and resources belong to--and 
     benefit--all citizens in numerous ways. They represent a 
     magnificent natural heritage that will be squandered without 
     adequate commitment of funding to support dedicated staff and 
     other resources necessary for proper stewardship. These 
     irreplaceable national assets: Protect wildlife, rare and 
     endangered species, and other living resources; help to keep 
     our air and water clean and pure; supply renewable and non-
     renewable resources; support vital industries like fishing 
     and resource dependent recreation resulting in billions of 
     dollars of direct and indirect economic benefits for local 
     communities; generate millions of annual recreational visits 
     by enthusiasts engaging in activities like wildlife viewing, 
     photography, camping, family picnics, hunting, and fishing; 
     provide untold hours of enjoyment for millions of American 
     families as well as solace and renewal for those wanting the 
     solitude of a wilderness experience; and satisfy our deeply 
     rooted national ethic to keep wild America alive and 
     thriving.
       Given the overwhelming importance of these resources to 
     present and future generations of Americans, the only 
     fiscally responsible course is to invest adequately in their 
     stewardship and management even as we take needed steps to 
     balance the federal budget. Indeed, denying critically needed 
     funding is fiscally irresponsible and shortsighted--the 
     neglect caused by deficient funding will result in 
     destruction and degradation of these valuable assets that is 
     far more costly in the long run than providing the funds to 
     properly care for them today. The attached proposal makes 
     prudent and modest recommendations for necessary funding 
     increases that will help to protect our public assets and 
     ensure that our children and grandchildren will continue to 
     enjoy and benefit from them.
       As President Theodore Roosevelt said, ``Wild beasts and 
     birds are by right not the property merely of the people who 
     are alive today, but the property of unborn generations whose 
     belongings we have no right to squander.'' We owe our unborn 
     future generations a fiscal legacy that acknowledges and 
     sustains their natural legacy.
           Sincerely yours,
                                            Theodore Roosevelt IV.

                    Public Lands Funding Initiative


                              introduction

       The public lands of the United States--our National Parks, 
     Forests, Grasslands, and Wildlife Refuges--are held in trust 
     for current and future generations of Americans. Since the 
     election a number of organizations from the environmental, 
     recreation, and conservation community have been meeting to 
     coordinate an initiative to address the funding needs of 
     America's public lands. The public lands community plans to 
     make this a long-term campaign that will help frame the 
     budget debate while focusing on the message that we can 
     balance the federal budget without abandoning America's 
     public lands.
       We plan to convince a majority in Congress that this is an 
     area where additional cuts are not justified, and further, 
     that incremental increases in the public lands budget are 
     necessary to protect the nation's forests, parks, refuges, 
     and wildlife. A successful effort will mean that we can 
     maintain accessibility to these lands and improve their 
     ecological health.
       This proposal establishes annualized budget goals for 
     several Department of Interior agencies and the U.S. Forest 
     Service. The environmental, conservation, and recreational 
     community will also be working toward

[[Page E506]]

     eliminating ecologically damaging federal programs and 
     subsidies.


               budgetary growth: an incremental approach

       The following table depicts needed increases in FY97 
     spending levels for the 602(b) Interior and Related Agencies 
     Budget Allocation. The table identifies the budgetary 
     increases necessary to accommodate public land management 
     over a six-year period. Under this scenario, much needed 
     funding for currently unmet public land conservation needs 
     can be achieved by FY03 through annual increases in the 
     602(b) budget allocation.
       The FY97 Interior Appropriation, less emergency funds, is 
     $12.4 billion in budget authority. The first line in the 
     table (Resulting Allocation) presents, in real dollars, the 
     recommended annual funding increases relative to FY97 and not 
     the total allocation for Interior and Related Agencies 
     Subcommittee. The second line represents the funding 
     additions to FY97 level for the agencies and programs 
     specified in this document.

 INCREASED 602(b) ALLOCATIONS: AN INCREMENTAL APPROACH TO BUDGET GROWTH INCREASES OVER FISCAL YEAR 1997 FUNDING 
                                                     LEVELS                                                     
                                            [In billions of dollars]                                            
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    Fiscal years--                              
                                    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        1997       1998       1999       2000       2001       2002       2003  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Resulting allocation...............      $12.4     $12.97     $13.33     $13.68     $14.04     $14.39     $14.68
602(b) Increase....................         --       0.57       0.93       1.28       1.64       1.99       2.28
Increase from previous FY (%)......         --       4.60       2.78       2.63       2.63       2.49       2.02
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

       The proposal speaks to the funding needs and program areas 
     of the agencies and programs identified herein only. It does 
     not account for or anticipate changes in funding levels for 
     other agencies or programs that also receive funding through 
     the Interior and Related Agencies. Appropriations bill. Nor 
     does it anticipate specific cost savings or budget offsets 
     that may be achieved through reductions in other programs 
     areas within the Interior and Related Agencies 
     Appropriations bill. It further does not address funding 
     needs for natural resource and environment programs and 
     agencies which receive funding through appropriation bills 
     other than Interior and Related Agencies.


                        increased funding needs

       In developing our recommendations, we examined budget 
     priorities for the four federal land management agencies: 
     Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, U.S. Forest 
     Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. In addition, we 
     considered Land and Water Conservation Fund needs. Increases 
     outlined for each allocation are to be achieved over a six-
     year period.
     Fish and Wildlife Service: proposed increase of $495 million
       Increases are needed for the Fish and Wildlife Service in 
     National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) Operations and 
     Maintenance (O&M) and Endangered Species activities.
       The National Wildlife Refuge System is the only federal 
     public land system dedicated primarily to the conservation of 
     fish and wildlife. Chronic underfunding of Refuge Operations 
     and Maintenance has led to the degradation of refuge habitat 
     and wildlife populations and put at risk popular wildlife 
     oriented recreation programs. The Fish and Wildlife Service 
     has identified a $440 million maintenance backlog and an 
     annual operations deficit of $150 million.
       More than 200 refuges have no staff and 97% of refuges 
     operate at minimum funding levels with substantial 
     maintenance backlogs. Exotic species, inadequate water 
     supplies, and other problems plague many refuges, undermining 
     the ability to meet wildlife objectives. Programs to help 
     recover endangered, threatened, and candidate species, 
     restore habitats, and address resource threats are left 
     unaccomplished on an increasing number of stations. Continued 
     failure to address this severe funding shortfall will 
     jeopardize the integrity of the NWRS.
       Funding for the Endangered Species Act has been chronically 
     inadequate and the Agency has experienced an increase in 
     tasks related to endangered and threatened species. For 
     example, the Fish and Wildlife Service has become 
     increasingly responsible for scientific monitoring for the 
     conservation of endangered and threatened species on federal 
     lands in addition to the increased costs related to designing 
     and implementing Habitat Conservation Plans. The Fish and 
     Wildlife Service has been sharply criticized for failing to 
     complete its duties, yet it has never been given adequate 
     funds to accomplish its goals. The result is implementation 
     that is sometimes scientifically weak or frustratingly slow 
     for permit applicants.
       Adequate funding will promote speedier, less costly 
     recovery, and smooth implementation, ultimately minimizing 
     conflict surrounding ESA. In addition, it is important to 
     note that the anticipated reauthorization of the Endangered 
     Species Act could result in new obligations under the law. 
     The funding recommendations herein cover only current 
     obligations and may require adjustment pending the outcome of 
     reauthorization.
     Bureau of Management: proposed increase of $150 million
       The BLM needs increased funding for Management of Lands and 
     Resources. Because of the scope and diversity of its land 
     base, the BLM faces the opportunities and challenges of 
     managing for over 3,000 species of vertebrates and 25,000 
     plant species in habitats ranging from the Pacific sea coast 
     to the arctic tundra to the Sonoran Desert. BLM lands offer a 
     variety of recreational opportunities and cultural resources 
     and generate significant associated revenues. Yet, many 
     species in each of these habitats are experiencing degrading 
     habitats and declining populations. Likewise, many public 
     land recreational opportunities are either hampered by 
     degrading resource conditions or are themselves the cause of 
     public land resource damage.
       Ecological and cultural resource monitoring, restoration, 
     and protection must be elevated to a top priority for the 
     BLM. To that end, funding for riparian restoration and 
     protection, fish and wildlife management, and wilderness 
     management must be increased, as well as funding for the 
     management of cultural resources and recreational activities 
     including staff support on public lands.
     Forest Service: proposed increase of $225 million
       Estimates of Forest Service funding needs include 
     Recreation, Ecosystem Research, Fish and Wildlife, and 
     Trails. Funding in these and other critical areas fell short 
     in FY97, and estimates indicate a need for incremental 
     increases in funding for trails, recreation, and ecosystem 
     research. Fish and Wildlife activities are also underfunded 
     including migratory bird management, and Partners in Flight. 
     The condition of the trails, campgrounds, restrooms, and 
     other recreation facilities at our nation's forests is key to 
     the public's experience outdoors. Maintenance and 
     reconstruction funds have not kept up with increased use. For 
     example, the Forest Service estimates that the value of the 
     backlog of trail reconstruction work has climbed to over $267 
     million.
       The Forest Service's trail system is larger than all the 
     other trail systems in the nation with over 124,000 miles of 
     trail. Because of inadequate funds, the Forest Service has 
     been deferring 20 to 30 thousand miles of trail 
     reconstruction every year since the 1980s.
     National Park Service: proposed increase of $600 million
       The National Park system today faces tremendous threats and 
     challenges, including degradation of cultural, scenic, and 
     natural resources, air and water pollution, internal and 
     external development, and overcrowding. These threats have a 
     direct impact on the quality of the National Park experience 
     and the National Park Service's ability to protect and manage 
     America's Park resources.
       The Park Service's ability to adequately address these 
     threats is limited by insufficient funding for monitoring, 
     scientific assessment, research, resource protection and 
     interpretation, and staff support. In constant dollars, the 
     total National Park Service congressional appropriation 
     declined by more than $200 million between 1983 and 1997. At 
     the same time, Congress assigned the Park Service more than 
     400 additional construction projects than it requested--
     costing more than $867 million. In addition, Congress 
     designated nine new heritage areas at the end of the 104th 
     Congress without appropriating money to fund them. Finally, 
     the Agency needs sufficient funds to enable it to address 
     ongoing operations and maintenance needs and certain 
     backlogged maintenance needs as well.
     Land and Water Conservation Fund: proposed increase of $750 
         million
       Congress has provided for an annual revenue stream of $900 
     million, funded primarily from OCS receipts, for federal and 
     state land acquisition and recreation projects. Yet the 
     average funding for these purposes over the last seventeen 
     years has been approximately one-fourth of the authorized 
     level.
       Full appropriation of the Land and Water Conservation Fund 
     is critical to provide for investment in natural and cultural 
     resources conservation, watershed protection, wildlife 
     habitat, and recreational resources. Unrestrained development 
     and dramatic population increases threaten the quality of 
     existing public lands. The need to purchase and conserve 
     additional available land and water resources is increasingly 
     urgent. This is true at the federal and state level, and the 
     Congress should recommit to statewide assistance by funding 
     the State Grant Program.
     USGS Biological Resources Division: proposed increase of $60 
         million
       Increases are needed to supply the science support 
     necessary to understand the biological resources located on 
     federal lands, to assess the environmental changes impacting 
     on these biological resources, and to develop recommendations 
     for management actions necessary to conserve the lands for 
     the future. No integrated monitoring strategy for

[[Page E507]]

     Federal Lands exists which can inventory critical biological 
     species and communities at the local level and suggest 
     solutions to land managers for conservation of these 
     resources. Additionally, Federal trust resources such as 
     migratory birds and endangered species, common to all 
     Federal lands are coming under additional pressure through 
     degradation of wildlife habitats; more emphasis on science 
     support for adaptive management recommendations for system 
     management in aquatic resources, and integrate biological 
     information with geologic, hydrologic, and demographic 
     databases.
     General
       Particularly where the BLM and Forest Service are concemed, 
     there are any number of environmentally beneficial cost 
     savings and budget offsets that could be achieved by 
     increasing revenues for extractive uses (mining, grazing) and 
     by eliminating costly subsidies. In addition, the Fee 
     Demonstration Program, commercial user fees, and concession 
     fees are also potential sources of revenue and cost offsets.
       While it is clear that substantial savings and budgetary 
     offsets can be achieved through these types of reforms, the 
     purpose here is not to develop a comprehensive package of 
     recommended budget cuts and offsets, but to identify the 
     unfunded and underfunded spending priorities that are being 
     targeted by the public lands community.

                          ____________________