[House Report 108-195]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
108th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session 108-195
======================================================================
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATION BILL,
2004
_______
July 10, 2003.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Taylor of North Carolina, from the Committee on Appropriations,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
together with
ADDITIONAL VIEWS
[To accompany H.R. 2691]
The Committee on Appropriations submits the following
report in explanation of the accompanying bill making
appropriations for the Department of the Interior and Related
Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2004. The
bill provides regular annual appropriations for the Department
of the Interior (except the Bureau of Reclamation) and for
other related agencies, including the Forest Service, the
Department of Energy, the Indian Health Service, the
Smithsonian Institution, and the National Foundation on the
Arts and the Humanities.
CONTENTS
_______________________________________________________________________
Page number
Bill Report
Department of the Interior:
Bureau of Land Management.......................... 2
13
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service..................... 12
24
National Park Service.............................. 20
35
U.S. Geological Survey............................. 29
52
Minerals Management Service........................ 32
58
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and
Enforcement.................................... 34
60
Bureau of Indian Affairs........................... 36
64
Departmental Offices............................... 44
73
General Provisions................................. 51
85
Related Agencies:
Forest Service, USDA............................... 90
87
Department of Energy............................... 106
108
Fossil Energy...................................... 107
108
Naval Petroleum and Oil Shale Reserves............. 109
114
Energy Conservation................................ 109
117
Economic Regulation................................ 110
123
Strategic Petroleum Reserve........................ 110
124
Energy Information Administration.................. 110
125
Indian Health Service, DHHS................................ 113
125
Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation................ 120
132
Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and
Arts Development....................................... 121
132
Smithsonian Institution.................................... 122
133
National Gallery of Art.................................... 125
135
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts............. 127
137
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars........... 127
137
National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities......... 128
138
Commission of Fine Arts.................................... 130
142
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.................. 131
143
National Capital Planning Commission....................... 131
143
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.................... 131
144
Presidio Trust............................................. 132
144
Title III--General Provisions.............................. 132
145
Comparison With Budget Resolution
Section 308(a)(1)(A) of the Congressional Budget and
Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-344), as
amended, requires that the report accompanying a bill providing
new budget authority contain a Statement detailing how the
authority compares with the reports submitted under section 302
of the Act for the most recently agreed to concurrent
resolution on the budget for the fiscal year. This information
follows:
[In millions of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec. 302(b) This bill--
---------------------------------------------------------------
Discretionary Mandatory Discretionary Mandatory
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Budget authority................................ $19,627 64 $19,627 64
Outlays......................................... 19,400 70 19,400 70
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Summary of the Bill
The Committee has conducted hearings on the programs and
projects provided for in the Interior and Related Agencies
Appropriations bill for 2004. The hearings are contained in 8
published volumes totaling nearly 8,500 pages.
During the course of the hearings, testimony was taken at 9
hearings on 8 days, not only from agencies which come under the
jurisdiction of the Interior Subcommittee, but also from
Members of Congress, and, in written form, from State and local
government officials, and private citizens.
The bill that is recommended for fiscal year 2004 has been
developed after careful consideration of all the facts and
details available to the Committee.
BUDGET AUTHORITY RECOMMENDED IN BILL BY TITLE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Committee bill
Activity Budget estimates, Committee bill, compared with
fiscal year 2004 fiscal year 2004 budget estimates
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title I, Department of the Interior: New Budget $9,763,661,000 $9,667,322,000 -$96,339,000
(obligational) authority..............................
Title II, related agencies: New Budget (obligational) 9,727,318,000 9,933,803,000 +206,485,000
authority.............................................
--------------------------------------------------------
Grand total, New Budget (obligational) authority. 19,490,979,000 19,601,125,000 +110,146,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Appropriations for the Department of the Interior and Related
Agencies
In addition to the amounts in the accompanying bill, which
are reflected in the table above, permanent legislation
authorizes the continuation of certain government activities
without consideration by the Congress during the annual
appropriations process.
Details of these activities are listed in tables at the end
of this report. In fiscal year 2003, these activities are
estimated to total $3,445,579,000. The estimate for fiscal year
2004 is $3,518,554,000.
The following table reflects the total budget
(obligational) authority contained both in this bill and in
permanent appropriations for fiscal years 2003 and 2004.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND RELATED AGENCIES TOTAL BUDGET AUTHORITY FOR FISCAL YEARS 2003-2004
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Item Fiscal year 2003 Fiscal year 2004 Change
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interior and related agencies appropriations bill...... $19,787,481,000 $19,601,125,000 -$186,356,000
Permanent appropriations, Federal funds................ 2,849,661,000 2,889,662,000 +40,001,000
Permanent appropriations, trust funds.................. 595,918,000 628,892,000 +32,974,000
--------------------------------------------------------
Total budget authority........................... 23,233,060,000 23,119,679,000 -113,381,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Revenue Generated by Agencies in Bill
The following tabulation indicates total new obligational
authority to date for fiscal years 2002 and 2003, and the
amount recommended in the bill for fiscal year 2004. It
compares receipts generated by activities in this bill on an
actual basis for fiscal year 2002 and on an estimated basis for
fiscal years 2003 and 2004. The programs in this bill are
estimated to generate $8.2 billion in revenues for the Federal
Government in fiscal year 2004. Therefore, the expenditures in
this bill will contribute to economic stability rather than
inflation.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year--
Item --------------------------------------------------------
2002 2003 2004
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New obligational authority............................. $19,157,770,000 $19,787,481,000 $19,601,125,000
Receipts:
Department of the Interior......................... 8,337,983,000 8,268,121,000 7,815,176,000
Forest Service..................................... 334,446,000 389,191,000 399,511,000
Naval Petroleum Reserves........................... 6,728,000 6,988,000 6,927,000
--------------------------------------------------------
Total receipts................................... 8,679,157,000 8,664,300,000 8,221,614,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Application of General Reductions
The level at which sequestration reductions shall be taken
pursuant to the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control
Act of 1985, if such reductions are required in fiscal year
2004, is defined by the Committee as follows:
As provided for by section 256(l)(2) of Public Law 99-177,
as amended, and for the purpose of a Presidential Order issued
pursuant to section 254 of said Act, the term ``program,
project, and activity'' for items under the jurisdiction of the
Appropriations Subcommittees on the Department of the Interior
and Related Agencies of the House of Representatives and the
Senate is defined as (1) any item specifically identified in
tables or written material set forth in the Interior and
Related Agencies Appropriations Act, or accompanying committee
reports or the conference report and accompanying joint
explanatory statement of the managers of the committee of
conference; (2) any Government-owned or Government-operated
facility; and (3) management units, such as National parks,
National forests, fish hatcheries, wildlife refuges, research
units, regional, State and other administrative units and the
like, for which funds are provided in fiscal year 2004.
The Committee emphasizes that any item for which a specific
dollar amount is mentioned in any accompanying report,
including all increases over the budget estimate approved by
the Committee, shall be subject to a percentage reduction no
greater or less than the percentage reduction applied to all
domestic discretionary accounts.
Federal Funding of Indian Programs
The Committee recommends appropriations of new budget
authority aggregating $5.5 billion for Indian programs in
fiscal year 2004. This is an increase of $26 million above the
budget request and an increase of $247 million above the amount
appropriated for fiscal year 2003. Spending for Indian services
by the Federal Government in total is included in the following
table.
[In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FY 2004
Approps bills FY 2002 FY 2003 budget
actual estimate request
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Department of Agriculture............... (Agriculture).................. 671,438 709,547 720,958
Army Corps of Engineers................. (Energy/Water)................. 26,007 23,631 21,853
Department of Commerce.................. (C/J/S)........................ 29,138 12,534 12,534
Department of Defense................... (Defense)...................... 18,000 18,000 0
Department of Education................. (Labor/HHS/ED)................. 2,032,236 2,113,264 2,249,841
Department of Health & Human Services... (L/HHS/Interior)............... 3,277,192 3,350,956 3,458,012
Department of Housing & Urban (VA/HUD)....................... 731,557 729,500 725,500
Development.
Department of the Interior.............. (Interior)..................... 2,638,061 2,761,654 2,906,204
Department of Justice................... (C/J/S)........................ 241,392 208,656 214,867
Department of Labor..................... (Labor/HHS/ED)................. 73,919 70,014 70,014
Department of Transportation............ (Transportation)............... 245,840 272,076 329,170
Department of Veterans Affairs.......... (VA/HUD)....................... 544 558 563
Environmental Protection Agency......... (VA/HUD)....................... 228,698 229,800 234,800
Small Business Administration........... (C/J/S)........................ 0 1,000 1,000
Smithsonian Institution................. (Interior)..................... 67,896 53,517 52,024
Department of the Treasury.............. (VA/HUD)....................... 5,000 5,000 3,500
======================================
Other Agencies & Independent Agencies:
Department of Energy--Tribal Program (Energy/Water)................. 2,840 8,307 6,000
National Science Foundation......... (VA/HUD)....................... 9,910 9,980 9,980
Morris K. Udall Foundation.......... (Treasury)..................... 345 500 163
Denali Commission................... (C/J/S)........................ 46,550 38,475 19,475
Institute of Museum and Library (Labor/HHS/ED)................. 2,941 3,075 3,225
Services.
Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian (Interior)..................... 15,148 14,491 13,532
Relocation.
Institute of American Indian and (Interior)..................... ........... ........... ...........
Alaska.
Native Culture and Arts Development (Interior)..................... 4,490 5,490 5,250
(IAIA).
--------------------------------------
Total, Others..................... ............................... 82,224 80,318 57,625
======================================
Grand Total ............................... 10,369,142 10,640,025 11,058,465
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Constitutional Authority
Clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII of the House of Representatives
states that:
Each report of a committee on a bill or joint resolution of
a public character, shall include a statement citing the
specific powers granted to the Congress in the Constitution to
enact the law proposed by the bill or joint resolution.
The Committee on Appropriations bases its authority to
report this legislation from Clause 7 of Section 9 of Article I
of the Constitution of the United States of America which
states: ``No money shall be drawn from the Treasury but in
consequence of Appropriations made by law. * * *''
Appropriations contained in this Act are made pursuant to
this specific power granted by the Constitution.
Allocating Congressional Funding Priorities
The Committee continues to be concerned that the agencies
funded by this Act are not following a standard methodology for
allocating appropriated funds to the field where Congressional
funding priorities are concerned. When Congressional
instructions are provided, the Committee expects these
instructions to be closely monitored and followed. The
Committee directs that earmarks for Congressional funding
priorities be first allocated to the receiving units, and then
all remaining funds should be allocated to the field based on
established procedures. Field units or programs should not have
their allocations reduced because of earmarks for Congressional
priorities without direction from or advance approval of the
Committee.
Reprogramming Guidelines
The Committee has revised the reprogramming guidelines to
address the issue of assessments and charges within department
and agencies or by other agencies, and to clarify other issues.
The changes dealing with assessments, as reflected in sections
2(e) and 10 below, clarify in 2(e) that the head of any
department or agency or bureau may not assess or charge
subordinate entities for services or products above the amounts
that are listed in the budget justification without formal
Committee approval. If there are any overhead charges or other
assessments or charges that are not listed in the budget
justification, the head of the department or agency may not
require payment of such charges or assessments without
Committee approval. This same instruction (see section 10
below) applies to assessments from other agencies such as the
General Services Administration.
Section 9 has been modified to delete the reference to
legislative committees. Sections 11, 12, and 13 have been added
dealing with land acquisitions and forest legacy projects, land
exchanges, and appropriations structure issues. Several other
minor technical changes have been made and section 9(b) has
been added dealing with Forest Service transfers.
The following are revised procedures governing
reprogramming actions for programs and activities funded in the
Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act:
1. Definition.--``Reprogramming,'' as defined in these
procedures, includes the reallocation of funds from one budget
activity to another. In cases where either Committee report
displays an allocation of an appropriation below the activity
level, that more detailed level shall be the basis for
reprogramming. For construction accounts, a reprogramming
constitutes the reallocation of funds from one construction
project identified in the justifications to another. A
reprogramming shall also consist of any significant departure
from the program described in the agency's budget
justifications. This includes proposed reorganizations even
without a change in funding.
2. Guidelines for Reprogramming.--(a) A reprogramming
should be made only when an unforeseen situation arises; and
then only if postponement of the project or the activity until
the next appropriation year would result in actual loss or
damage. Mere convenience or desire should not be factors for
consideration.
(b) Any project or activity which may be deferred
through reprogramming shall not later be accomplished
by means of further reprogramming; but, instead, funds
should again be sought for the deferred project or
activity through the regular appropriations process.
(c) Reprogramming should not be employed to initiate
new programs or to change allocations specifically
denied, limited or increased by the Congress in the Act
or the report. In cases where unforeseen events or
conditions are deemed to require such changes,
proposals shall be submitted in advance to the
Committee, regardless of amounts involved, and be fully
explained and justified.
(d) Reprogramming proposals submitted to the
Committee for approval shall be considered approved 30
calendar days after receipt if the Committee has posed
no objection. However, agencies will be expected to
extend the approval deadline if specifically requested
by either Committee.
(e) The Secretary or agency head may not assess,
charge or bill bureaus or other subordinate entities
more than the amounts listed in the budget
justification for any products or services, or
institute any additional assessments, without formal
Committee approval.
3. Criteria and Exception.--Any proposed reprogramming must
be submitted to the Committee in writing prior to
implementation if it exceeds $500,000 annually or results in an
increase or decrease of more than 10 percent annually in
affected programs, with the following exception:
With regard to the tribal priority allocations activity of
the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Operations of Indian Programs
account, there is no restriction on reprogrammings among the
programs within this activity. However, the Bureau shall report
on all reprogrammings made during the first six months of the
fiscal year by no later than May 1 of each year, and shall
provide a final report of all reprogrammings for the previous
fiscal year by no later than November 1 of each year.
4. Quarterly Reports.--(a) All reprogrammings shall be
reported to the Committee quarterly and shall include
cumulative totals. (b) Any significant shifts of funding among
object classifications also should be reported to the
Committee.
5. Administrative Overhead Accounts.--For all
appropriations where costs of overhead administrative expenses
are funded in part from ``assessments'' of various budget
activities within an appropriation, the assessments shall be
shown in justifications under the discussion of administrative
expenses.
6. Contingency Accounts.--For all appropriations where
assessments are made against various budget activities or
allocations for contingencies, the Committee expects a full
explanation, separate from the justifications. The explanation
shall show the amount of the assessment, the activities
assessed, and the purpose of the fund. The Committee expects
reports each year detailing the use of these funds. In no case
shall a fund be used to finance projects and activities
disapproved or limited by Congress or to finance new permanent
positions or to finance programs or activities that could be
foreseen and included in the normal budget review process.
Contingency funds shall not be used to initiate new programs.
7. Declarations of Taking.--The Committee directs the
Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
the National Park Service, and the Forest Service to seek
Committee approval in advance of filing declarations of taking.
8. Report Language.--Any limitation, directive, or
earmarking contained in either the House or Senate report which
is not contradicted by the other report nor specifically denied
in the conference report shall be considered as having been
approved by both Houses of Congress.
9. Forest Service.--The following procedures shall apply to
the Forest Service, Department of Agriculture:
(a) The Forest Service shall not change the
boundaries of any region, abolish any region, move or
close any regional office for research, State and
private forestry, or National Forest System
administration, without the consent of the House and
Senate Committees on Appropriations in compliance with
these reprogramming procedures.
(b) Provisions of section 702(b) of the Department of
Agriculture Organic Act of 1944 (7 U.S.C. 2257) and of
7 U.S.C. 147b shall apply to appropriations available
to the Forest Service only to the extent that the
proposed transfer is approved by the House and Senate
Committees on Appropriations in compliance with these
reprogramming procedures.
10. Assessments.--No assessments shall be levied against
any program, budget activity, subactivity, or project funded by
the Interior Appropriations Act unless such assessments and the
basis therefore are presented to the Committees on
Appropriations and are approved by such Committees, in
compliance with these procedures.
11. Land Acquisitions and Forest Legacy.--Lands shall not
be acquired for more than the approved appraised value (as
addressed in section 301(3) of Public Law 91-646) except for
condemnations and declarations of taking, unless such
acquisitions are submitted to the Committees on Appropriations
for approval in compliance with these procedures.
12. Land Exchanges.--Land exchanges, wherein the estimated
value of the Federal lands to be exchanged is greater than
$500,000, shall not be consummated until the Committees on
Appropriations have had a 30-day period in which to examine the
proposed exchange.
13. The appropriation structure for any agency shall not be
altered without advance approval of the House and Senate
Committees on Appropriations.
Erosion of Base Program Budgets
The Committee is concerned about the erosion of the
capability of the agencies funded in this bill to deliver
programs and services to the American people. Each of the last
three budgets has only partially funded the costs of employee
pay increases, as proposed by the Administration and approved
by the Congress. Many of the agencies are salary intensive,
funding on-the-ground work by rangers, biologists, maintenance
workers, educators and other dedicated and skilled employees at
the Nation's parks, wildlife refuges, public land districts,
National forests, scientific laboratories, and Indian agencies,
hospitals and schools. If funding to cover pay increases is
``absorbed'', programs and service inevitably are reduced. In
the case of the Department of the Interior alone, cumulative
pay costs of at least $225 million will be absorbed in fiscal
year 2004. In the case of the National Park Service operating
account, fixed cost absorption is equivalent to a three percent
reduction from 2001 program levels. Also unfunded are
uncontrollable costs, such as utilities, rent increases, and
inflationary costs that are beyond the agencies' control and
must be paid. Medical inflation has averaged 15% per year, yet
there have been no funds provided to the Indian Health Service
for non-pay inflation in many years.
The absorption of uncontrollable pay costs has been
compounded by substantial unbudgeted costs that have been
incurred for activities associated with management initiatives,
including competitive sourcing, budget and performance
integration, financial management reform, activity based
costing, the program assessment rating tool, and e-government.
While the Committee is supportive of the goals of these
initiatives, the costs have, by-in-large, not been requested in
annual budget justifications or through reprogramming
procedures. The Committee has thus been unable to evaluate the
costs, benefits and effectiveness of these initiatives or to
weigh the priority that these initiatives should receive as
compared with the important ongoing programs funded in the
bill.
Compounding the situation for the agencies is the
reluctance of the Office of Management and Budget to reimburse
agencies, such as the National Park Service, for costs
associated with anti-terrorism security requirements. Since
January 2003, the National Park Service alone has incurred
increased security costs in excess of $8 million.
In fiscal year 2004, ``information technology savings''
have been levied by the Administration as cuts to agency
budgets. While the Committee supports the concept, it is
unlikely that these savings will be achieved in 2004.
The Committee believes that if this trend continues, there
will undoubtedly be reductions in services to the American
public and urges the Administration to present more realistic
fiscal year 2005 budget justifications that reflect the true
costs to agencies of fixed cost increases and management
initiatives.
Competitive Sourcing
The Committee has carefully reviewed the application of the
Administration's Competitive Sourcing initiative within the
agencies and bureaus under its jurisdiction. While there is
certainly merit to this undertaking, and the Committee commends
the Department of the Interior, in particular, for its approach
to addressing this issue, the Committee remains concerned about
the massive scale, seemingly arbitrary targets, and
considerable costs associated with this initiative, costs which
are expected to be absorbed by the agencies at a time when
federal budgets are declining.
The Committee is no stranger to competitive sourcing. In
fiscal year 1996, after careful review, the Committee required
the United States Geological Survey's National Mapping Division
to contract out 60 percent of its map and digital data
production activities. The Committee has carefully monitored,
on an annual basis, the quality of the product, the overall
effect this approach had on the Survey's workforce, the ability
of the National Mapping Division to maintain those workforce
skills necessary to manage effectively the contracts in the
future, and the ability of the National Mapping Division to
maintain a cadre of skilled cartographers to ensure that the
Geological Survey remains at the cutting edge of its mission-
essential disciplines.
Similarly, in 1999, the Committee responded to
recommendations made by the National Academy of Public
Administration by requiring the outsourcing of 90 percent of
the National Park Service's construction operation--the Denver
Service Center. As with the U.S. Geological Survey, workforce
skills were retained by the Service to manage projects handled
in-house and to oversee private sector contracts.
The Committee understands that the Forest Service expects
to spend $10 million during fiscal year 2003 on competitive
sourcing activities. The Committee is concerned that all
forests and most contracting officers will be heavily impacted
by this effort at a time when they should concentrate their
attention on improving business practices that were adversely
affected by last year's severe fiscal situation due to the
redirection of funds for emergency firefighting.
This massive initiative appears to be on such a fast track
that the Congress and the public are neither able to
participate nor understand the costs and implications of the
decisions being made. In addition, the Committee's required
reprogramming guidelines are not being followed. While millions
have been spent, reprogramming letters have not been forwarded
to the Committee.
Based on these and other concerns the Committee has
included bill language under Title III--General Provisions
limiting competitive sourcing activities to those that are
currently underway for fiscal years 2002 and 2003. Each agency
should provide an in-depth report to the Committee detailing
the results of completed studies and the action to be taken as
a result of those studies. The reports should be completed by
March 1, 2004, and should include specific schedules, plans,
and cost analyses for the outsourcing competitions.
Land Acquisition
The Committee remains very concerned about the unfocused
direction demonstrated in Federal Land Acquisition priorities
for Interior and Related Agencies. There are no clear acreage
goals for acquisition of Federal lands and little coordination
among the four land management agencies involved. There needs
to be a greater focus on how to determine the best potential
management agency for each land tract. At times it appears that
agencies seek to expand boundaries without consideration of the
large backlog of inholdings that currently exist.
The Committee directs the Secretary of the Interior and the
Secretary of Agriculture to develop jointly a long-term
national plan outlining the acreage goals and conservation
objectives for Federal land acquisition. The plan must
demonstrate how the agencies will work together to realize
acreage goals and must include a schedule for monitoring
progress in meeting Federal land acquisition goals.
Additionally, the plan should: (1) evaluate existing
authorities regarding the disposal and consolidation of Federal
Lands; (2) review the methods employed for receiving and
evaluating public input on potential acquisitions; and (3)
address the reimbursement of all costs associated with the
transfer of former military and other Federal lands to the
Department of the Interior and the Forest Service. The report
should be delivered to the Committee no later than March 30,
2004.
The Committee strongly discourages boundary expansions
until such time as the agencies develop and submit the long-
term report mentioned above.
The Committee directs the agencies to place the highest
priority on acquiring inholdings that consolidate Federal lands
and reduce management costs to agencies. Further, conservation
easements or land exchanges should be considered for each land
acquisition before any ``fee simple'' purchase is proposed.
Future budget submissions must contain an evaluation of
operation and maintenance costs associated with each proposed
purchase and these costs should be requested in the operation
and maintenance portion of each agency's budget justification.
The Committee remains concerned about the involvement of
third-party land conservation groups and their relationship to
the priorities set forth by Federal agencies for acquisition.
Each agency should indicate clearly in future budget
submissions when a third-party land conservation group is
monetarily involved in a proposed acquisition.
Finally, the Committee expects each agency to justify fully
how each proposed acquisition comports with the long-term plan.
This information should be displayed in the fiscal year 2005
budget justification and in subsequent budget justifications.
Recreational Fee Demonstration Program
The Committee has included bill language in Title III
(Section 332) extending the recreational fee demonstration
program for an additional two years, consistent with the
Administration request. The Committee encourages the
authorizing Committees to continue work on this issue and enact
a more comprehensive solution. The extension is needed to
provide consistency and predictability for the American public
and recreation providers.
This program, begun in the fiscal year 1996 Interior and
Related Agencies Appropriations Act, allows the National Park
Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, and Forest Service to charge certain fees for
recreation activities and retain those fees at the site to
reduce the backlog in deferred maintenance and enhance the
visitor experience. To date, the fee program has raised nearly
one billion dollars to enhance recreational experiences on
America's public lands. As the agencies move from experimental
phases of the early program implementation, the Committee
expects that business practices and management will improve.
Summary of Recreational Fee Demonstration Program Receipts
[Millions of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1997-2002 FY 2003 FY 2004
actual estimate estimate Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
National Park Service....................................... $584 $124.7 $124.7 $833.4
Bureau of Land Management................................... 24.7 9.5 9.5 43.7
Fish and Wildlife Service................................... 14.1 3.8 4.0 21.9
USDA Forest Service......................................... 124.2 40 42 206.2
---------------------------------------------------
Total................................................. 747 178 180.2 1,105.2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Committee expects to see positive changes as the
program moves from the demonstration phase to a mature program.
As the agencies work with the authorizing committees on
permanent legislation, the Committee offers the following
guidance:
The public should not be excluded from the
public lands due to excessive fees;
Recreation receipts should be retained and
used at the site of collection;
Fees should be focused on areas where there
is a Federal infrastructure investment, and not be
required for general access to national forests or
public lands;
Interagency programs and passes should be
increased for the convenience of the public;
There needs to be full accountability for
the use of the receipts;
Agencies need to maintain good business
practices, but the public lands should not be run as a
profit-making business;
Agencies should work with users and
communities to help decide on the use of the receipts;
Receipts should be used to reduce the
backlog maintenance and for visitor service
enhancements;
The receipts should not be used to replace
Federal appropriations for recreation, rather, they
should complement the Federal investment;
The fee structure should be kept simple;
visitor convenience needs to be increased;
The public should not be subjected to
multiple fees on the various public lands they visit;
Agencies should encourage volunteerism and
reward it with reduced fees; and
Fees should be structured to provide equity
among user groups.
Energy Research--Responding to the National Energy Policy
Two years ago the Committee wholeheartedly welcomed the
Administration's National Energy Policy. The Committee agrees
that the Department of Energy needs to do a better job
measuring potential program success and discontinuing programs
that do not yield expected results. The Committee also believes
that new programs should be considered and promising research
should be expanded if we are to achieve the goals of energy
independence, dramatically lower energy consumption, and
significantly reduced emissions of harmful pollutants from
energy production and use. It is also critically important to
continue existing, successful research programs.
The Committee disagrees with the fiscal year 2004 budget
request's focus on a few major initiatives and program
expansions at the expense of critical ongoing research. The
Committee's recommendations present a balanced approach to
handling the supply and demand sides of the energy issue and to
funding long-term research while continuing promising, ongoing
shorter-term research.
Incremental improvements to existing technology are
critical to achieve short-term and mid-term energy efficiency
improvements and emission reductions. We cannot afford to
abandon ongoing research in the hope that potential, cutting-
edge improvements can be achieved in the next 15 or 20 years.
Indeed, the government's track record for picking ``winning''
technologies of the future has not been good. Too often new
technologies have been pursued based on economic assumptions of
their affordability that fail to materialize. Most major energy
savings are achieved over time through incremental improvements
to existing technologies. This country and the world will rely
on traditional sources of energy supply and on current
technology for at least the next 20 years. We can't afford to
back away from research on coal, oil, and natural gas while we
look for alternative technologies.
The Committee's recommendations acknowledge that we need
both traditional fuels and alternative fuels and we need to
find ways to use all fuels and technologies more efficiently
and more cleanly. To meet the ever-growing need for energy,
domestically and worldwide, we are going to need to burn
traditional fossil fuels more efficiently and with lower
emissions. We need to expand our use of nuclear energy for
electric power generation. We also should expand the use of
alternative energy resources such as solar, wind, geothermal,
and hydrogen. We will need all of these sources to meet demand.
The Committee continues to support the President's clean
coal power initiative and has recommended modest increases in
funding for the weatherization assistance program and for State
energy programs. The Committee also has recommended restoring
many of the reductions proposed in the budget request for
energy conservation research and for research to improve fossil
energy technologies. It would be fiscally irresponsible to
discontinue research in which we have made major investments
without bringing that research to a logical conclusion.
The Committee does not object to refocusing some existing
programs if there is a rational, scientific basis for doing so.
The Committee has continued funding for independent program
reviews by the National Academy of Sciences to serve as that
basis. In the meantime, we need to continue ongoing research if
we are to have a balanced and effective national energy
strategy.
TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management is responsible for the
multiple use management, protection, and development of a full
range of natural resources, including minerals, timber,
rangeland, fish and wildlife habitat, and wilderness on about
261 million acres of the Nation's public lands and for
management of 700 million additional acres of Federally-owned
subsurface mineral rights. The Bureau is the second largest
supplier of public outdoor recreation in the Western United
States.
Under the multiple-use and ecosystem management concept the
Bureau administers more than 18,000 grazing permits and leases
and nearly 13 million livestock animal unit months on some 161
million acres of public land ranges, and manages rangelands and
facilities for 56,000 wild horses and burros, some 261 million
acres of wildlife habitat, and over 116,000 miles of fisheries
habitat. Grazing receipts are estimated to be about $13.2
million in fiscal year 2004, compared to an estimated $13.2
million in fiscal year 2003 and actual receipts of $12.7
million in fiscal year 2002. The Bureau also administers about
55 million acres of commercial forestlands through the
``Management of Lands and Resources'' and ``Oregon and
California grant lands'' appropriations. Timber receipts
(including salvage) are estimated to be $34.6 million in fiscal
year 2004 compared to estimated receipts of $24.3 million in
fiscal year 2003 and actual receipts of $18.1 million in fiscal
year 2002. The Bureau has an active program of soil and
watershed management on 175 million acres in the lower 48
States and 86 million acres in Alaska. Practices such as
revegetation, protective fencing, and water development are
designed to conserve, enhance, and develop public land, soil,
and watershed resources. The Bureau is also responsible for
fire protection on the public lands and on all Department of
the Interior managed lands in Alaska, and for the suppression
of wildfires on the public lands in Alaska and the western
States.
MANAGEMENT OF LANDS AND RESOURCES
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $820,344,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 828,079,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 834,088,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +13,744,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. +6,009,000
The Committee recommends $834,088,000 for management of
lands and resources an increase of $6,009,000 above the budget
request and $13,744,000 above the fiscal year 2003 enacted
level.
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
Land Resources.--The Committee recommends $181,407,000 for
land resources, $2,000,000 above the budget request and
$609,000 below the 2003 enacted level including increases above
the budget request of $1,000,000 for continuation of the San
Pedro Partnership; and $1,000,000 for rangeland health and
monitoring.
The Committee remains concerned that the Bureau's range
conservation staff levels have decreased dramatically, reducing
capability to provide rangeland health monitoring and service
to grazing permit holders. The Committee recommends that the
$1,000,000 increase be used to enhance the Bureau's capability
to place more personnel in the field to address more
effectively rangeland health issues and increase service to
grazing permittees.
Wildlife and Fisheries.--The Committee recommends
$34,292,000 for wildlife and fisheries, the same as the budget
request and $498,000 above the 2003 enacted level.
Threatened and Endangered Species.--The Committee
recommends $21,831,000 for threatened and endangered species,
the same as the budget request and $299,000 above the 2003
enacted level.
Recreation Management.--The Committee recommends
$67,717,000 for recreation management, $1,000,000 above the
budget request and $7,878,000 above the 2003 enacted level. The
increase above the budget request is for Otay Mountains
management.
The Committee recognizes that the Bureau faces increasing
demands on the public lands from recreational users, and was
pleased to see a request for additional funding in the 2004
budget justification. However, the request does not outline a
clear long-term strategy for managing recreation on the public
lands. The Bureau should report to the Committee by March 1,
2004, on efforts to develop a unified strategy for recreation
management, including management of dispersed recreation. This
report should outline anticipated costs of implementing that
strategy and potential partnership contributions over the five-
year period beginning in 2004.
The Committee appreciates the efforts of the Bureau of Land
Management and the Forest Service to assess the current status
of access to the lands that they manage. The Committee feels
strongly that the agencies should continue to take proactive
steps to provide adequate public access for recreation.
Therefore, the Committee directs the BLM and the Forest Service
to submit to the Committee, by May 30, 2004, a coordinated
strategic plan which indicates how the agencies will: (1)
inventory and identify the ownership of roads, trails, access
points and existing public rights-of-way within their units;
(2) identify a priority list of perpetual access easements
needed to provide adequate permanent legal access to enhance
the recreation potential of public lands; and (3) establish a
process and timeline for developing up-to-date recreational
access plans for individual forest and public land units.
Energy and Minerals.--The Committee recommends $109,647,000
for energy and minerals including Alaska minerals, $1,500,000
above the budget request and $1,264,000 above the 2003 enacted
level including increases above the budget request of
$1,500,000 to address the significant coalbed methane permit
backlog.
Realty and Ownership Management.--The Committee recommends
$80,933,000 for realty and ownership management, the same as
the budget request and $7,687,000 below the 2003 enacted level.
Resource Protection and Maintenance.--The Committee
recommends $83,270,000 for resource protection and maintenance,
$3,600,000 above the budget request and $5,005,000 above the
2003 enacted level, including increases above the budget
request of $1,000,000 for the Mojave Desert plan in the
California desert, $1,000,000 to address public land
degradation as a result of illegal immigration in Arizona,
$600,000 for California desert rangers, and $1,000,000 for
Imperial Sand Dunes law enforcement and management.
Transportation and Facilities Maintenance.--The Committee
recommends $80,344,000 for transportation and facilities
maintenance, $2,000,000 above the budget request and $2,442,000
below the 2003 enacted level. The increase above the budget
request is for infrastructure improvements for fish passage
(culverts) on Bureau lands.
Land and Resource Information Systems.--The Committee
recommends $18,991,000 for land resource information systems,
the same as the budget request and $224,000 below the 2003
enacted level.
Mining Law Administration.--The Committee recommends
$32,696,000 for mining law administration. This activity is
supported by offsetting fees equal to the amount made
available.
Workforce and Organizational Support.--The Committee
recommends $138,774,000 for workforce and organizational
support, the same as the budget request and $6,762,000 above
the 2003 enacted level.
Challenge Cost Share.--The Committee recommends $16,882,000
for challenge cost share, $4,091,000 below the budget request
and $3,000,000 above the 2003 enacted level.
The Committee originally authorized the Bureau's Challenge
Cost Share program on a small-scale in 1985, and has supported
its growth into a Bureau-wide initiative. In 2003, the valuable
partnership opportunities made possible by challenge cost share
were expanded under the cooperative conservation initiative.
These programs are now funded under a single subactivity. While
the 2004 budget request provides examples of apparently
worthwhile projects, it does not estimate accomplishments in a
manner similar to other subactivities, nor is the list of
projects comprehensive. The Bureau should report to the
Committee by February 15, 2004, on year-end accomplishments for
all projects funded in 2003, and should include this
information in future budget justifications.
WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $839,153,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 698,725,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 698,725,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... -140,428,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $698,725,000 for wildland fire
management, the same as the budget request and $140,428,000
below the 2003 enacted level. After adjusting for
reimbursements from other accounts borrowed during last year's
fire season for wildland fire management there is an increase
of $48,572,000 above the 2003 enacted level.
The appropriation includes $302,725,000 for preparedness
and fire use, of which $12,374,000 is for deferred maintenance
and capital improvement, and $8,000,000 is for the joint fire
science program; $170,310,000 is for fire suppression
operations; and $225,690,000 for other operations, of which
$10,000,000 is for the rural fire assistance program,
$74,935,000 is for hazardous fuels reduction, $111,255,000 is
for the wildland urban interface, and $29,500,000 is for
restoration and rehabilitation of burned-over areas.
The Committee is concerned that the allocation of funds
between preparedness and suppression operations may not
maintain the levels of readiness needed for public safety that
were established in fiscal years 2001 and 2002. The Committee
believes that decisive action is necessary to manage escalating
fire suppression costs. An important component of reducing such
costs is maintaining initial attack capability so that more
fires can be contained before they escape and cause serious
loss of life and property as well as natural resource damage.
Accordingly, the Committee directs the Department of the
Interior to analyze current readiness levels to determine
whether maintaining preparedness resources in the field at a
level not less than that established in fiscal year 2002 will,
based on the best information available, result in lower
overall firefighting costs. If the agency makes such a
determination, the Committee directs the Department to adjust
the levels for preparedness and suppression funding accordingly
and report on these adjustments to the House and Senate
Committees on Appropriations. The Department should advise the
House and Senate Committees on Appropriations in writing prior
to their decision.
Bill Language.--Language is included under the wildland
fire management account allowing the Secretary of the Interior
and the Secretary of Agriculture to transfer not more than
$12,000,000 between the two Departments for wildland fire
management programs and projects. Language is also included
allowing the use of wildfire suppression funds in support of
Federal emergency response actions.
CENTRAL HAZARDOUS MATERIALS FUND
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $9,913,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 9,978,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 9,978,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +65,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Central Hazardous Materials Fund was established to
include funding for remedial investigations/feasibility studies
and cleanup of hazardous waste sites for which the Department
of the Interior is liable pursuant to the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act and
includes sums recovered from or paid by a party as
reimbursement for remedial action or response activities.
The Committee recommends $9,978,000, the budget request,
for the central hazardous materials fund, an increase of
$65,000 above the fiscal year 2003 level.
CONSTRUCTION
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $11,898,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 10,976,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 10,976,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... -922,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $10,976,000 for construction the
same as the budget request and $922,000 below the 2003 enacted
level.
LAND ACQUISITION
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $33,233,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 23,686,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 14,000,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... -19,233,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. -9,686,000
The Committee recommends $14,000,000 for land acquisition,
a decrease of $9,686,000 below the budget request and
$19,233,000 below the enacted level. This amount includes
$8,500,000 for land acquisition projects, $1,500,000 for
emergencies and hardships, $500,000 for land exchanges and
$3,500,000 for acquisition management.
The Committee recommends the following distribution of
funds:
Project Amount
Land Acquisition Projects............................... $8,500,000
Acquisition Management.................................. 3,500,000
Emergency and Hardships................................. 1,500,000
Land Exchanges.......................................... 500,000
--------------------------------------------------------
____________________________________________________
Total............................................. 14,000,000
OREGON AND CALIFORNIA GRANT LANDS
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $104,947,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 106,672,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 106,672,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +1,725,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
The Committee recommends $106,672,000 for the Oregon and
California grant lands, the same as the budget request and
$1,725,000 above the 2003 enacted level. These funds are
provided for construction and acquisition, operation and
maintenance, and management activities on the revested lands in
the 18 Oregon and California land grant counties of western
Oregon.
RANGE IMPROVEMENTS
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $10,000,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 10,000,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 10,000,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... 0
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends an indefinite appropriation of not
less than $10,000,000 to be derived from public lands receipts
and Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act lands grazing receipts.
Receipts are used for construction, purchase, and maintenance
of range improvements, such as seeding, fence construction,
weed control, water development, fish and wildlife habitat
improvement, and planning and design of these projects.
SERVICE CHARGES, DEPOSITS AND FORFEITURES
The Committee recommends an indefinite appropriation
estimated to be $20,490,000, the budget request, for service
charges, deposits, and forfeitures. This appropriation is
offset with fees collected under specified sections of the
Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and other Acts
to pay for reasonable administrative and other costs in
connection with rights-of-way applications from the private
sector, miscellaneous cost-recoverable realty cases, timber
contract expenses, repair of damaged lands, the adopt-a-horse
program, and the provision of copies of official public land
documents.
MISCELLANEOUS TRUST FUNDS
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $12,405,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 12,405,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 12,405,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... 0
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends an indefinite appropriation
estimated to be $12,405,000, the budget request, for
miscellaneous trust funds. The Federal Land Policy and
Management Act of 1976 provides for the receipt and expenditure
of moneys received as donations or gifts (section 307). Funds
in this trust fund are derived from the administrative and
survey costs paid by applicants for conveyance of omitted lands
(lands fraudulently or erroneously omitted from original
cadastral surveys), from advances for other types of surveys
requested by individuals, and from contributions made by users
of Federal rangelands. Amounts received from the sale of Alaska
town lots are also available for expenses of sale and
maintenance of town sites. Revenue from unsurveyed lands, and
surveys of omitted lands, administrative costs of conveyance,
and gifts and donations must be appropriated before it can be
used.
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is to
conserve, protect and enhance fish and wildlife and their
habitats for the continuing benefit of people. The Service has
responsibility for migratory birds, threatened and endangered
species, certain marine mammals, and land under Service
control.
The Service manages nearly 95 million acres across the
United States, encompassing a 542-unit National Wildlife Refuge
System, additional wildlife and wetlands areas, and 69 National
Fish Hatcheries. A network of law enforcement agents and port
inspectors enforce Federal laws for the protection of fish and
wildlife. In 2003, the Service is celebrating the 100th
anniversary of the establishment of the National Wildlife
Refuge System.
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $911,464,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 941,526,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 959,901,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +48,437,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. +18,375,000
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
The Committee recommends $959,901,000 for resource
management, an increase of $18,375,000 above the budget request
and $48,437,000 above the fiscal year 2003 level. Changes to
the budget request are detailed below.
Ecological Services.--The Committee recommends $233,185,000
for ecological services, an increase of $11,325,000 above the
budget request.
Increases for endangered species candidate conservation
programs include $300,000 for Idaho sage grouse, $150,000 for
Kootenai River burbot, $750,000 for Alaska sea otter, and
$50,000 for slickspot peppergrass. There is an increase of
$2,000,000 in consultation for the Natural Communities
Conservation Planning program. Increases for recovery programs
include $500,000 for wolf monitoring and $2,000,000 for Pacific
salmon grants to be administered through the National Fish and
Wildlife Foundation.
Increases recommended for habitat conservation programs
include $4,600,000 for the Partners for Fish and Wildlife
program of which $1,400,000 is for Washington regional
fisheries enhancement groups, $1,500,000 is for Walla Walla
Basin fish passage and salmon recovery efforts, $1,000,000 is
for restoration in the Tunkhannock and Bowman's Creek
watersheds in Pennsylvania, and $700,000 is for Willapa Bay
spartina grass control; $300,000 in project planning to restore
the Metropolitan Greenspaces program; and $675,000 for coastal
programs of which $175,000 is for the Hood Canal Salmon
Enhancement Group, $200,000 is for Long Live the Kings, and
$300,000 is to restore funding for the Tampa and Florida
panhandle field offices.
Refuges and Wildlife.--The Committee recommends
$482,852,000 for refuges and wildlife, a decrease of $2,950,000
below the budget request.
Changes recommended for refuge operations and maintenance
include a net increase of $300,000 for refuge operations,
including increases of $4,000,000 to continue ``minimum
staffing'' implementation and $300,000 to restore the Spartina
grass control program at the Willapa NWR, WA, and decreases of
$2,000,000 for the challenge cost share program and $2,000,000
for the proposed new land management research and demonstration
program. There is also a decrease of $5,000,000 for refuge
maintenance. In law enforcement operations, there is an
increase of $1,750,000 of which $1,000,000 is for wildlife
inspectors on the northern and southern borders and $750,000 is
for operation of the Atlanta, GA port of entry.
Fisheries.--The Committee recommends $113,206,000 for
fisheries, an increase of $9,600,000 above the budget request,
including a decrease of $1,000,000 for hatchery operations and
a net increase of $2,000,000 for hatchery maintenance,
including an increase of $3,000,000 for the Washington State
hatchery improvement project and a decrease of $1,000,000 for
general program activities. In fish and wildlife assistance,
increases include $2,000,000 to restore funding for the fish
passage program, $900,000 to restore Sea lamprey program
administration, $2,400,000 to restore the Yukon River salmon
treaty programs, $500,000 to restore the Great Lakes fish and
wildlife program, $1,600,000 for mass marking machines for
hatchery fish, and $1,200,000 to restore the marine mammals
program.
General Administration.--The Committee recommends
$130,658,000 for general administration, an increase of
$400,000 above the budget request to restore the operations and
maintenance program at the National Conservation Training
Center.
Bill Language.--The Committee recommends continuing bill
language earmarking $2,000,000 for the Natural Communities
Conservation Planning program.
The Committee agrees to the following:
1. The Service should monitor carefully its travel budget
to ensure that proposed savings are achieved. The fiscal year
2005 budget justification should address this issue in detail,
including travel by headquarters, each regional office, and
field units in each region; domestic and foreign travel; and
travel by category (program supervision, conferences, training,
employee relocation, etc.).
2. The amount paid for the cost allocation methodology in
the Resource Management account may only exceed that paid in
fiscal year 2003 where such costs are clearly the direct result
of increased space and increased staffing. CAM needs to be
reformed so that it is clearly justified and transparent. It
currently is impossible to understand and is used
inappropriately to supplement shortfalls in the headquarters
and regional office budgets. The Service should realign its
budget to show accurately the costs for headquarters and
regional office functions and should clearly explain what costs
are included in CAM and why.
3. The Service's 2004 budget places too much emphasis on
``targeted'' increases within the refuge operating needs
system. As a result, not all units appear to have a fair chance
of addressing critical staffing needs unless they happen to
fall into one of the targeted categories. The Service needs to
maintain a general increase for RONS so that minimum staffing
requirements in areas such as maintenance and administrative
support can be addressed. The Committee has not agreed to the
proposed new land management research and demonstration
program; preferring instead to redirect those funds to basic
RONS needs across the entire National Wildlife Refuge System.
4. The Service should continue to provide technical
assistance to the interagency effort dealing with long-term
protection of the Hackensack Meadowlands in New Jersey.
5. The Committee encourages the Service to complete the
comprehensive conservation plan for the Massassoit Refuge in
Southeastern Massachusetts as quickly as possible.
6. Refuge law enforcement is separate and distinct from
other service law enforcement programs and is critical for
successful refuge management. Funding for refuge law
enforcement should remain in the refuge operations budget.
7. The additional funding provided for law enforcement
operations is in recognition of the increased demands placed on
the Service for border security and airport port of entry
needs. The Service should examine its law enforcement needs and
budget adequately for those needs in fiscal year 2005.
8. The Louisville, KY airport and the Memphis, TN airport
should be considered for port of entry designation in fiscal
year 2005.
9. Within the funds provided for hatchery operations, the
Service should continue to support the Boy Scout Jamboree at
Fort A.P. Hill.
10. The Peregrine Fund should be funded at $400,000 in
fiscal year 2004.
11. Funding for fisheries programs has been realigned to
reflect a more appropriate balance between hatcheries and
habitat restoration. Future Service budgets should be much more
sensitive to habitat restoration requirements.
12. The Service is commended for following the Committee's
direction with respect to supporting and increasing funding for
the joint venture programs in fiscal year 2004.
13. The Service should continue and intensify its efforts
to collect reimbursements for fisheries mitigation efforts and
use those funds to address habitat restoration and
conservation.
14. The Committee has received numerous expressions of
concern about inadequate ESA program staffing in California. In
distributing the increased ESA funding, the Service should pay
particular attention to the needs of the Sacramento and
Carlsbad offices in California.
CONSTRUCTION
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $54,073,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 35,393,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 52,718,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... -1,355,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. +17,325,000
The Committee recommends $52,718,000 for construction, a
decrease of $1,355,000 below the fiscal year 2003 level and
$17,325,000 above the budget request.
The Committee agrees to the following distribution of
funds:
[Dollars in thousands]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Budget Committee
Project Description request recommendation Difference
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Whooping Crane Breeding $0 $1,200 $1,200
Species, LA. Facility [cc].
Bitter Lake NWR, NM....................... Joe Skeen Visitors Center 0 1,400 1,400
[cc].
Bozeman Fish Technology Center, MT........ Construction of Laboratory/ 1,887 1,887 0
Administration Building--
Phase V [cc].
Bridge Safety Inspections................. Servicewide.................. 575 575 0
Cabo Rojo NWR, PR......................... Replace Office Building 3,700 3,700 0
(Seismic)--Phase II [cc].
Clark R. Bavin Forensics Laboratory, OR... Security upgrades (not funded 0 765 765
in 2003).
Crab Orchard NWR, IL...................... Devil's Kitchen Dam--Phase I 500 500 0
[d].
Dams on Recently Acquired NWRs............ Inspections, Classification, 1,291 1,291 0
& Studies.
Dam Safety Program & Inspections.......... Servicewide.................. 730 730 0
Dam Safety................................ Structural Studies (not 0 660 660
funded in 2003).
Division of Safety, Security, and Replacement Survey Aircraft-- 1,000 1,000 0
Aviation, VA. Phase I.
Entiat NFH, WA............................ Seismic Safety Rehabilitation 120 120 0
of Four Buildings--Phase I
[p/d].
Iron River NFH, WI........................ Replace Domes at Schacte 600 600 0
Creek with Buildings--Phase
III [cc].
Jordan River NFH, MI...................... Replace Great Lakes Fish 5,500 5,500 0
Stocking Vessel, M/V Togue--
Phase III [cc].
Kofa NWR, AZ.............................. Seismic Safety 350 350 0
Rehabilitation--Phase I [p/
d].
Lacreek NWR, SD........................... Little White River Dam--Phase 730 730 0
II [d].
Lahontan NFH, NV.......................... Seismic Safety Rehabilitation 70 70 0
of Two Buildings--Phase I [p/
d].
Makah NFH, WA............................. Seismic Safety Rehabilitation 80 80 0
of One Building--Phase I [p/
d].
National Eagle Repository, CO............. Repository incinerator [p/d/ 110 110 0
cc].
Neosho NFH, MO............................ Office and Visitors Center 0 1,000 1,000
[c].
Northeast Fishery Center Complex, PA...... Laboratory expansion, 0 1,150 1,150
accessible fishing, etc.
Northwest Power Planning Area............. Fish screens, etc............ 0 4,000 4,000
Ohio River Islands NWR, WV................ Visitors Center [cc]......... 0 850 850
Ottawa NWR, OH............................ Visitors Center--Centennial 850 0 -850
Legacy Project--Phase II
[cc].
Puerto Rican Parrot, PR................... Replace/Relocate Aviary...... 0 1,700 1,700
Savannah NWR, GA.......................... Visitors Center--Centennial 850 0 -850
Legacy Project--Phase II
[cc].
Security Upgrades......................... Servicewide (not funded in 0 700 700
2003).
Shawangunk NWR, NY........................ Demolish Runways [p/d]....... 0 500 500
Ted Stevens Anchorage International Hangar--Phase II [cc]........ 5,000 5,000 0
Airport, AK.
Visitor Contact Facilities................ Servicewide.................. 0 3,000 3,000
Winthrop NFH, WA.......................... Seismic Safety Rehabilitation 130 130 0
of Four Buildings--Phase I
[p/d].
Wolf Creek NFH, KY........................ Visitors Center [cc]......... 0 2,100 2,100
--------------------------------------
Subtotal, Line Item Construction.... ............................. 24,073 41,398 17,325
======================================
Nationwide Engineering Services:
Cost Allocation Methodology........... ............................. 3,058 3,058 0
Environmental Compliance.............. ............................. 1,650 1,650 0
Other, non-project specific Nationwide ............................. 6,262 6,262 0
Engineering Services.
Seismic Safety Program................ ............................. 200 200 0
Waste Prevention, Recycling ............................. 150 150 0
Environmental Management.
--------------------------------------
Subtotal, Nationwide Engineering ............................. 11,320 11,320 0
Services.
======================================
Total............................... ............................. 35,393 52,718 17,325
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Committee agrees to the following:
1. The Service should continue to use its standardized
design methodology for visitor centers and should continue to
encourage cost sharing for visitor center construction. The
Service should report to the Committee on its design and
costing methodology, including how it has been applied to date.
2. There are only about 25 Puerto Rican parrots in the wild
and the current aviary is in need of replacement. The new
aviary should be more favorably situated to assist with species
survival. The Committee understands that the Forest Service has
agreed to provide the necessary land and the National Fish &
Wildlife Foundation will assist with fundraising for the new
aviary.
LAND ACQUISITION
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $72,893,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 40,737,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 23,058,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... -49,835,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. -17,679,000
The Committee recommends $23,058,000 for land acquisition,
a decrease of $17,679,000 below the budget request and
$49,835,000 below the enacted level. This amount includes
$7,500,000 for land acquisition projects, $2,500,000 for
inholdings, $2,000,000 for emergencies and hardships,
$1,000,000 for exchanges, $2,058,000 for cost allocation
methodology, and $8,000,000 for acquisition management.
The Committee recommends the following distribution of
funds:
Project Amount
Land Acquisition Projects............................... $7,500,000
Acquisition Management.................................. 8,000,000
Inholdings.............................................. 2,500,000
Exchanges............................................... 1,000,000
Emergency and Hardships................................. 2,000,000
Cost Allocation Methodology............................. 2,058,000
--------------------------------------------------------
____________________________________________________
Total............................................. 23,058,000
LANDOWNER INCENTIVE PROGRAM
The Landowner Incentive program provides funds to States,
territories and tribes for matching, competitively awarded
grants to establish or supplement landowner incentive programs
that provide technical and financial assistance to private
landowners. The purpose of these incentive programs is to
restore and protect habitat of Federally listed, proposed or
candidate species under the Endangered Species Act, or other at
risk species on private lands. Eligible grantees include the
States, the District of Columbia, Indian Tribes, Puerto Rico,
Guam, the U. S. Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands,
and American Samoa.
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $39,740,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 40,000,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 40,000,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +260,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $40,000,000, the budget request,
for the landowner incentive program, an increase of $260,000
above the fiscal year 2003 level.
STEWARDSHIP GRANTS
The stewardship grants program provides grants and other
assistance to individuals and groups engaged in local, private,
and voluntary conservation efforts that benefit federally
listed, proposed or candidate species, or other at risk
species.
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $9,935,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 10,000,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 10,000,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +65,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $10,000,000, the budget request,
for the private stewardship grants program, an increase of
$65,000 above the fiscal year 2003 level.
COOPERATIVE ENDANGERED SPECIES CONSERVATION FUND
Eighty percent of the habitat for more than half of the
listed endangered and threatened species is on private land.
The Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund provides
grants to States and territories for endangered species
recovery actions on non-Federal lands and provides funds for
non-Federal land acquisition to facilitate habitat protection.
Individual States and territories provide 25 percent of grant
project costs. Cost sharing is reduced to 10 percent when two
or more States or territories are involved in a project.
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $80,473,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 86,614,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 86,614,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +6,141,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $86,614,000, the budget request,
for the cooperative endangered species conservation fund, an
increase of $6,141,000 above the fiscal year 2003 level.
Bill language is recommended to derive the HCP land
acquisition portion of this account from the Land and Water
Conservation Fund, instead of deriving the entire funding from
the LWCF as proposed in the budget request.
NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE FUND
Through this program the Service makes payments to counties
in which Service lands are located, based on their fair market
value. Payments to counties are estimated to be $17,270,000 in
fiscal year 2004 with $14,414,000 derived from this
appropriation and $2,856,000 from net refuge receipts estimated
to be collected in fiscal year 2003.
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $14,320,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 14,414,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 14,414,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +94,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $14,414,000, the budget request,
for the National wildlife refuge fund, an increase of $94,000
above the fiscal year 2003 funding level.
NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION FUND
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, through the North
American Wetlands Conservation Fund, leverages partner
contributions for wetlands conservation. Projects to date have
been in 50 States, 13 Canadian provinces, 24 Mexican states and
the U.S. Virgin Islands. In addition to this appropriation, the
Service receives funding from receipts in the Federal Aid in
Wildlife Restoration account from taxes on firearms,
ammunition, archery equipment, pistols and revolvers, and from
the Sport Fish Restoration account from taxes on fishing tackle
and equipment, electric trolling motors and fish finders and
certain marine gasoline taxes. By law, sport fish restoration
receipts are used for coastal wetlands in States bordering the
Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, States bordering the Great Lakes,
Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands, the freely associated States in the
Pacific, and American Samoa.
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $38,309,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 49,560,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 24,560,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... -13,749,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. -25,000,000
The Committee recommends $24,560,000 for the North American
wetlands conservation fund, a decrease of $25,000,000 below the
budget request and $13,749,000 below the fiscal year 2003
level. Decreases to the budget request include $24,000,000 for
wetlands conservation grants and $1,000,000 for program
administration.
NEOTROPICAL MIGRATORY BIRD CONSERVATION
The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act of 2000
authorizes grants for the conservation of neotropical migratory
birds in the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean,
with 75 percent of the amounts available to be expended on
projects outside the U.S. There is a three to one matching
requirement under this program.
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $2,981,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 0
Recommended, 2004..................................... 5,000,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +2,019,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. +5,000,000
The Committee recommends $5,000,000 for the neotropical
migratory bird conservation program, an increase of $5,000,000
above the budget request and $2,019,000 above the fiscal year
2003 level. The Administration proposed $3,000,000 for this
program as part of the multinational species conservation fund.
This program provides critically needed resources for
conservation of neotropical migratory birds. The Committee
expects the Service to continue to administer this grant
program through the Service's division of bird habitat
conservation, following the model of the North American
wetlands conservation program, and in close coordination with
the Service's international program.
MULTINATIONAL SPECIES CONSERVATION FUND
This account combines funding for programs under the former
rewards and operations (African elephant) account, the former
rhinoceros and tiger conservation account, the Asian elephant
conservation program, and the great ape conservation program.
The African Elephant Act of 1988 established a fund for
assisting nations and organizations involved with conservation
of African elephants. The Service provides grants to African
Nations and to qualified organizations and individuals to
protect and manage critical populations of these elephants.
The Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act of 1994
authorized programs to enhance compliance with the Convention
on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and U.S.
or foreign laws prohibiting the taking or trade of rhinoceros,
tigers or their habitat.
The Asian Elephant Conservation Act of 1997 authorized a
grant program, similar to the African elephant program, to
enable cooperators from regional and range country agencies and
organizations to address Asian elephant conservation problems.
The world's surviving populations of wild Asian elephants are
found in 13 south and southeastern Asian countries.
The Great Ape Conservation Act of 2000 authorized grants to
foreign government, the CITES secretariat, and non-governmental
organizations for the conservation of great apes.
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $4,768,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 7,000,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 5,000,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +232,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. -2,000,000
The Committee recommends $5,000,000 for the multinational
species conservation fund, an increase of $232,000 above the
fiscal year 2003 level and $2,000,000 below the budget request.
Changes to the budget request include a decrease of $3,000,000
for neotropical migratory birds (which is funded in a separate
account) and an increase of $1,000,000 including $200,000 each
for African elephant conservation, Asian elephant conservation,
and great ape conservation and $400,000 for rhinoceros and
tiger conservation. The Committee expects these funds to be
matched by non-Federal funding to leverage private
contributions to the maximum extent possible.
STATE AND TRIBAL WILDLIFE GRANTS
The State and tribal wildlife grant program provides funds
for States to develop and implement wildlife management and
habitat restoration for the most critical wildlife needs in
each State. States are required to develop comprehensive
wildlife conservation plans to be eligible for grants and to
provide at least a 25 percent cost share for planning grants
and at least a 50 percent cost share for implementation grants.
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $64,577,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 59,983,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 75,000,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +10,423,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. +15,017,000
The Committee recommends $75,000,000 for State and tribal
wildlife grants, an increase of $15,017,000 above the budget
request and $10,423,000 above the fiscal year 2003 level.
Within the amount provided, $6,000,000 is for competitively
awarded grants to Indian tribes.
Each State or eligible entity has two years to enter into
specific grant agreements with the Service using fiscal year
2004 funding. If funds remain unobligated at the end of fiscal
year 2005, the unobligated funds will be reapportioned to all
States and eligible entities, together with any new
appropriations provided in fiscal year 2006.
Not more than 3 percent of the appropriated amount may be
used for Federal administration of the program. Administrative
costs for each grantee should also be held to a minimum so that
the maximum amount of funding is used for on-the-ground
projects.
National Park Service
The mission of the National Park Service is to preserve
unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the
national park system for the enjoyment, education, and
inspiration of this and future generations. The National Park
Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of
natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor
recreation throughout this country and the world.
The National Park Service, established in 1916, has
stewardship responsibilities for the protection and
preservation of the heritage resources of the national park
system. The system, consisting of 388 separate and distinct
units, is recognized globally as a leader in park management
and resource preservation. The national park system represents
much of the finest the Nation has to offer in terms of scenery,
historical and archeological relics, and cultural heritage.
Through its varied sites, the National Park Service attempts to
explain America's history, interpret its culture, preserve
examples of its natural ecosystems, and provide recreational
and educational opportunities for U.S. citizens and visitors
from all over the world. In addition, the National Park Service
provides support to tribal, local, and State governments to
preserve culturally significant, ecologically important, and
public recreational lands.
OPERATION OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $1,564,331,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 1,631,882,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 1,636,882,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +72,551,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. +5,000,000
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
The Committee recommends $1,636,882,000 for operation of
the National Park System, an increase of $5,000,000 above the
budget request and $72,551,000 above the enacted level. The
Committee has provided an additional $10 million for base park
operating increases and has restored the $4 million for the
Critical Ecosystems Studies Initiative. This was done by
redirecting increases in the budget request for lower priority
items as well as new funds. The Committee has restored the
$10,234,000 for the across the board reduction taken in fiscal
year 2003.
Resource Stewardship.--The Committee recommends
$340,442,000 for resource stewardship, an increase of
$5,796,000 above the budget request and $2,293,000 above the
enacted level. Included in this amount are increases of
$7,924,000 for inventory and monitoring, $600,000 to monitor
water quality, $750,000 for chronic wasting disease, $4,000,000
for the critical ecosystems studies initiative and a reduction
of $9,220,000 for uncontrollable expenses.Programmatic
decreases include $200,000 forgreenspace for living.
Visitor Services.--The Committee recommends $324,730,000
for visitor services, an increase of $6,702,000 above the
budget request and $9,355,000 above the enacted level. Included
in this amount are increases of $750,000 for border parks
$1,400,000 for field law enforcement training and $1,412,000
for uncontrollable expenses.
Maintenance.--The Committee recommends $569,166,000 for
maintenance, a decrease of $529,000 below the budget request
and an increase of $49,196,000 above the enacted level.
Included in this amount are increases of $9,315,000 for repair
and rehabilitation, $4,606,000 for condition assessments,
$14,000,000 for cyclic maintenance and $14,060,000 for
uncontrollable expenses. The Committee has not agreed to
provide $1,000,000 for a strategic business advisor.
The Committee encourages the National Capitol Parks to
review and improve its management and maintenance procedures
with regard to parks in the city of Washington to ensure that
management and maintenance policies fully reflect the public's
pattern of park use and accommodate park activities ranging
from child and adolescent play, canine exercise, sports and
recreation. The Service should report to the Committee no later
than 90 days after enactment of this Act on its management and
maintenance practices and proposals for future improvements.
Within funds available for repair and rehabilitation,
$300,000 is to continue the cultural landscaping improvements
at Gettysburg NMP, $550,000 is for improvements to comfort
stations and the North Shore Cemetery at Great Smoky's NP,
$210,000 is for a water connection at Indiana Dunes NL,
$250,000 is for access improvements at Apostle Island NL and
$200,000 is for rehabilitation work at Valley Forge NMP.
Park Support.--The Committee recommends $287,621,000 for
park support, a reduction of $6,969,000 from the budget request
and an increase of $4,316,000 above the enacted level. Included
in this amount are increases of $500,000 for a VIP coordinators
program, $1,000,000 for management account review, $505,000 for
IT security and accreditation and $1,523,000 for uncontrollable
expenses. The Committee has not agreed to provide $1,000,000
for a VIP senior ranger program or the $2,000,000 base increase
for the regular challenge cost share program. The Committee has
provided $600,000 under Departmental Management for the public
lands volunteers program instead of providing funds in this
account as requested in the Administration's budget. The
request to increase the CCI challenge cost share program by
$7,000,000 is reduced to an additional $3,000,000. Programmatic
decreases include $3,000,000 for incidental personnel costs and
$200,000 for international travel.
The Committee expects the Service to continue to allocate
one third of the funds provided for the challenge cost share
program to the National Trails System.
External Administrative Costs.--The Committee has provided
$114,923,000 for external administrative costs, an increase of
$7,391,000 above the enacted level and the same as the budget
request. Included in this amount is $6,687,000 for
uncontrollable expenses.
Travel.--The Committee is concerned by the Service's lack
of sensitivity to the Committee's directive that travel be
significantly reduced during these difficult fiscal times.
Earlier this year, the General Accounting Office released a
report, which disclosed that travel in the Service's
Washington, DC office has risen by 60 percent over the last
several years and regional office travel has increased 26
percent during the same time period. Most alarming is the
steadily increasing number of trips to foreign countries, which
rose from 355 in 1999 to 470 in 2002.
Recently, the Committee discovered that 30 Service
employees' names had been submitted to attend a conference in
South Africa in the fall of 2003.
Agencies have had to absorb pay costs and other
uncontrollable expenses as well as costs for anti-terrorism
related security, costs associated with the Administration's
outsourcing initiative, and costs associated with other
government-wide and department-wide initiatives. Given the
tight fiscal times, there is no excuse for the Service's
seeming inability to restrain its tendency toward excessive
travel--both the number of trips and the number of people
taking those trips. The Service must do a better job of
identifying and eliminating unnecessary domestic and foreign
travel.
The Committee has requested that the Inspector General
monitor travel by Service personnel. The Committee directs the
Service to provide quarterly reports which detail individual
foreign trips as well as all Washington and Regional Office
travel. The Committee understands that some travel is critical
for meeting mission requirements, but the Service is not able
currently to demonstrate what travel clearly fits that category
and what travel is not as mission-essential. The Committee
should not have to intervene to make such determinations for
the Service.
Cooperative Agreements.--The Committee is becoming
concerned over the possible misuse of cooperative agreements.
The two areas that have come to the Committee's attention
lately are the use of these agreements with the National Park
Foundation, which is discussed below and those being used
through the rivers and trails conservation assistance program
which is discussed under the National Recreation and
Preservation account.
Since 1997, the Park Service has been providing the
National Park Foundation with appropriated funds through
twenty-two cooperative agreements. From 2000 through 2002
alone, the Service provided the foundation with $1,700,000 of
appropriated dollars through this mechanism. These funds have
been used for messaging, brochures, stationary exhibits,
celebrations, studies, education, conference, reports,
newsletters and other services.
The National Park Foundation was chartered by Congress in
1967 to raise private support for the National Parks. The
Committee is concerned that the Service may be using
cooperative agreements to divert funds that were provided by
the Congress for high priority park needs. Moreover, the
Committee is troubled that the Foundation, a non-profit
organization is receiving appropriated funding from the Service
whereas it was created to raise private funds for the Service.
The Committee strongly urges the Service to review
carefully its policy regarding the appropriate use of these
agreements. The Committee expects the Service to prepare a
report, which details the rules and approval process for such
agreements as they apply to all programs, and specifically the
National Park Foundation, prior to issuing any new agreements.
Once the Committee has reviewed the official policy, the
Service should forward all cooperative agreements with the
Foundation to the Committee on a quarterly basis detailing
funding amounts and specific requirements.
South Florida Initiative.--The Committee is concerned that
recent changes to the State of Florida's 1994 Everglades
Forever Act represent a departure from the commitments and
obligations of the State to improve the quality of the water
entering the Everglades by December 31, 2006. The Committee is
concerned that this action could delay the restoration and
protection of A.R.M. Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge and
Everglades National Park, and frustrate implementation of the
$7.8 billion Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, which
is equally cost-shared between the Federal government and the
State of Florida.
The Committee made its position on the State bill and
rulemaking process very clear--clean water by December 2006, no
mixing zones, no relief from achieving the 10 parts per billion
standard and restoring integrity to the process. There must be
an open transparent process with all stakeholders
participating.
Since 1996, this Committee has strongly supported the
Everglades restoration effort. The Committee has funded over $1
billion in programs and projects benefiting the Everglades.
Funds provided by the Committee support implementation of the
Modified Water Deliveries Project; the purchase of the East
Everglades Addition to Everglades National Park; acquisition of
lands to be used to increase water storage for environmental
and urban use, including the Talisman, Berry Groves, and East
Coast Buffer lands; the funding of scientific research, as well
as critical projects authorized by the Water Resources
Development Act of 1996; and implementation of the
Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan authorized by the
Water Resources Development Act of 2000. The Committee has
provided these funds at a time of tight fiscal constraints.
Future efforts to restore the Everglades that depend upon
improvements to water quality are now at risk. Given the
uncertainty over when the State will actually achieve the
planned water quality improvements, the Committee believes that
future Federal funding for Everglades restoration should be
tied to specific progress to improve water quality. The
Committee is pleased that Governor Bush has stated that the
State of Florida intends to comply with the terms of the
Consent Decree in United States v. South Florida Water
Management District and that the water entering and throughout
A.R.M. Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge and Everglades
National Park will meet the specific water quality requirements
of the Consent Decree.
The Committee remains concerned that changes to underlying
State law could frustrate these efforts. The Committee has
recommended $68,054,000 for Everglades restoration and language
directing that no funds will be available for the Modified
Water Deliveries Project unless the Secretaries of the Interior
and the Army, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection
Agency and the Attorney General file a joint report each year
indicating that the State of Florida is meeting its obligations
to improve the quality of water entering A.R.M. Loxahatchee
National Wildlife Refuge and Everglades National Park
consistent with state water quality standards, including the
numeric criteria adopted for phosphorus, as well as the terms
of the Consent Decree entered in United States v. South Florida
Water Management District. This language ensures that the State
will remain on schedule to improve the quality of the water for
these important federal areas as promised. Based upon a
favorable report, and a response in writing from the
Committees, the funds will become available for expenditure. In
the event of an unfavorable report that the State is not in
compliance with the Consent Decree, the funds will not be
available for expenditure until the State comes into compliance
or until corrective measures are undertaken by the State as
recommended and agreed upon by the principals to the Consent
Decree.
Further, the Committee directs the Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency to file a report to the House
and Senate Committees on Appropriations, specifically the
subcommittees on Interior and Related Agencies and Veteran
Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, indicating whether
the amendments adopted by the State of Florida to its 1994
Everglades Forever Act have been approved by the Environmental
Protection Agency as a change in water quality standards
consistent with the requirements of the Clean Water Act. In
addition, the Committee directs the Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency to file a report to the House
and Senate Committees on Appropriations indicating whether the
Environmental Protection Agency has approved the State of
Florida's rule to set forth the numeric interpretation of the
phosphorus criterion, as required under the Everglades Forever
Act. The report shall contain EPA's analysis as to whether the
numeric criterion will result in improvements to the quality of
water entering the Everglades Protection Area and protect the
federal resources located therein consistent with the
requirements of the Consent Decree entered in United States v.
South Florida Water Management District.
The Committee is concerned that with the Florida
Legislature's recent changes to the 1994 Everglades Forever Act
that acquisition of additional lands for implementation of the
Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) may not be the
highest priority for the expenditure of Federal funds that have
been previously appropriated, but remain unspent. This is
particularly the case in the event that water quality
improvements by the State are delayed beyond 2006 and CERP is
dependent upon achieving water quality that is protective of
the Everglades environment. Further, the Committee is aware
that the State of Florida has acquired nearly half the lands
that are necessary for CERP and that approximately $32 million
of prior year appropriations to assist the State of Florida in
this effort remain unobligated. With the potential for delay in
achieving the necessary water quality improvements, the
Committee believes that prior year unobligated balances of
Everglades land acquisition assistance should be used instead
to fund the highest priority Everglades restoration needs
benefiting the Department's interests in South Florida. This
includes the water quality improvements to Storm Water
Treatment Area 1-East (STA 1-E), eradication of invasive
exotics at A.R.M. Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge,
recovery of endangered species in South Florida, as well as
other Everglades restoration needs of the Department.
Bill language is included under the National Park Service
land acquisition account directing the Secretary of the
Interior to redirect $5,000,000 to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service for the purpose of implementing additional water
quality monitoring and eradication of invasive exotics at
A.R.M. Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. The Committee
understands that the refuge used an additional $1,000,000,
provided by the Department last year, to treat successfully
nearly 17,000 acres of lands infested with melaleuca and
lygodium, leaving approximately 95,000 acres still in need of
treatment. These two invasive exotic plants cover over 80% of
the refuge and reduction of these species to a maintenance
control level is identified as the highest priority in the
refuge's conservation plan. The Committee applauds the
Department for recognizing the threat to the refuge and intends
that, of the $5 million transferred, approximately $4 million
be directed for additional work in this area. This should allow
the refuge to treat significant additional acreage for both
melaleuca and lygodium. Additionally, the Committee directs
that the refuge expend up to $1 million to collect water
quality data, conduct transect monitoring, and develop a water
quality model for the refuge in order to track impacts, provide
information for adaptive design and operation of inflow
structures, and protect the resource from additional damage
from the discharge of waters high in phosphorus. The Committee
directs that the Department file an annual status report with
the Committee by September 30 each year detailing how the funds
provided under this provision were spent and the results that
were achieved. This report should be filed each year until the
funds are depleted.
Bill language is also included under Park Service land
acquisition to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to
transfer funds to the Corps of Engineers to implement
additional water quality improvement technologies for STA 1-E.
Because STA 1-E discharges directly into A.R.M. Loxahatchee
National Wildlife Refuge, additional water quality improvements
will greatly facilitate the State of Florida's ability to meet
water quality standards and discharges of phosphorus to the
refuge that are protective of the Everglades environment
consistent with the water quality standards and numeric
criterion that are to be adopted by the State. The bill
language clarifies that any Federal funds provided by the
Secretary under this provision will be matched pursuant to the
cost sharing provisions of the Water Resources Development Act
of 1996, which allow the Secretary of the Army to equally cost-
share certain water quality improvements in the event it is
determined that the projects benefit Everglades restoration
efforts. In this instance, the Committee believes that these
actions for STA 1-E will result in significant Everglades
restoration benefits. In the event funds remain unspent after
funds are used for the purposes described in this provision,
the bill language directs the Secretary to file a reprogramming
request with the Committee detailing how the remaining funds
may be expended to benefit Everglades restoration activities of
the Department in South Florida.
Everglades Research.--Restoring the South Florida ecosystem
is a complex environmental effort, which will take decades and
entail significant uncertainties. The conceptual basis for
restoration rests on sound science, yet the General Accounting
Office and the National Academy of Sciences recently reported
that efforts to coordinate scientific information to support
the restoration initiative need to be improved to increase the
likelihood that the ecosystem will be successfully restored.
The GAO stated that the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration
Task Force has not ensured that scientific activities are well
coordinated for all three of its restoration goals. To achieve
improved coordination, the Committee recommends that the
Science Coordination Team (SCT), which was created by the South
Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force, be given clear
direction about the products, including developing a science
plan focused on gaps in information that is important for the
restoration, to help the Task Force coordinate restoration
efforts.
The GAO also reported that coordination efforts were
hindered by the lack of staff dedicated to the SCT and
recommended that the Task Force undertake an analysis of the
staffing needs of the SCT and provide for sufficient staff to
carry out its necessary tasks. Given the large number of
agencies participating in the restoration, the Committee agrees
that sufficient staffing is needed to support coordination
activities, particularly in the area of science.
The Committee has had a longstanding interest in assuring
that the restoration initiative is managed and coordinated to
assure its success. For this reason, the Committee directs the
South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force, through its
SCT, to develop a science plan focused on the gaps in
scientific information that are needed to further restoration
efforts. This plan should be prepared in coordination with the
biennial strategic plan prepared by the Task Force. Recognizing
that staffing may hinder the development of such a plan, the
Committee requests that the Task Force undertake an analysis of
the staffing needs for the SCT and examine opportunities to
allocate staff to this important function. This analysis should
be provided to the Committee no later than February 2004.
Within 90 days of the passage of this Act, the Secretary
shall report to the Committee on Appropriations and the
Committee on Resources regarding the feasibility, desirability,
organization, costs and benefits associated with the
establishment of a University-based National Parks Institute.
UNITED STATES PARK POLICE
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $77,921,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 78,859,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 78,859,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +938,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $78,859,000, the budget request,
for the United States Park Police, an increase of $938,000
above the enacted level.
NATIONAL RECREATION AND PRESERVATION
The National recreation and preservation appropriation
provides for the outdoor recreation planning, preservation of
cultural and National heritage resources, technical assistance
to Federal, State and local agencies, administration of
Historic Preservation Fund grants and statutory and contractual
aid.
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $61,268,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 47,936,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 54,924,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... -6,344,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. +6,988,000
The Committee recommends $54,924,000 for National
recreation and preservation, an increase of $6,988,000 above
the budget request and $6,344,000 below the enacted level.
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the
budget estimate by activity are shown in the following table:
Recreation Programs.--The Committee recommends $855,000 for
recreation programs, an increase of $307,000 above the enacted
level and the same as the budget request.
Natural Programs.--The Committee recommends $11,011,000 for
natural programs, a decrease of $1,500,000 below the budget
request and $134,000 above the enacted level. The Committee has
not included the increase for the rivers and trails program.
The Committee is concerned about the use of cooperative
agreements in the rivers, trails and conservation assistance
program. The Committee's surveys and investigative staff have
been asked to conduct an evaluation of this practice and report
its findings by September 2003.
This program was designed to provide technical assistance
to communities. The official guidance published last year by
the Park Service, at the Committee's request, states that the
Service does not provide financial assistance through this
program. In fact, the Committee has data, which clearly
indicates that there has been a longstanding practice of giving
financial assistance to certain groups and communities. This
results in sole source, non-competitive grants.
The Committee has been very supportive of this program over
the years. It has provided valuable assistance to many
communities. However, there must be clear, published guidance
regarding exactly what type of assistance is available and how
to apply for that assistance. While the Committee has allowed
the Service great flexibility in managing this program in the
past, it cannot permit different rules for different groups
without a compelling justification. Bill language is included
which prohibits the use of competitive agreements and cash
grants until the Committee has had an opportunity to review the
surveys and investigative staff recommendations.
Cultural Programs.--The Committee recommends $19,071,000
for cultural programs, a reduction of $847,000 below the
enacted level and the same as the budget request. Within
available funds the Service should continue to provide $250,000
for the Heritage Education initiative in cooperation with
Northeastern State University in Louisiana.
International Park Affairs.--The Committee recommends
$1,626,000 for international park affairs, a reduction of
$82,000 below the enacted level and the same as the budget
request.
Environmental and Compliance Review.--The Committee
recommends $401,000 for environmental and compliance review, a
$4,000 increase above the enacted level and the same as the
budget request.
Grant Administration.--The Committee recommends $1,595,000
for grant administration, an increase of $20,000 above the
enacted level and the same as the budget request.
Heritage Partnership Programs.--The Committee recommends
$13,894,000 for National Heritage Areas, a reduction of
$386,000 below the enacted level and an increase of $6,154,000
above the budget request. The Committee provides $13,770,000
for individual areas and $124,000 for administrative support.
Statutory or Contractual Aid.--The Committee recommends
$6,471,000 for statutory or contractual aid, an increase of
$2,334,000 above the budget request and $5,494,000 below the
2003 enacted level.
URBAN PARK AND RECREATION FUND
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $298,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 305,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 305,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +7,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $305,000 for urban park grant
administration, an increase of $7,000 above the enacted level
and the same as the budget request.
HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND
The Historic Preservation Fund supports the State historic
preservation offices to perform a variety of functions,
including State management and administration of existing grant
obligations; review and advice on Federal projects and actions,
determinations, and nominations to the National Register; Tax
Act certifications; and technical preservation services. The
States also review properties within States to develop data for
planning use.
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $68,552,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 67,000,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 71,000,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +2,448,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. +4,000,000
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
The Committee recommends $71,000,000 for historic
preservation fund programs, an increase of $2,448,000 above the
enacted level and $4,000,000 above the budget request.
The total amount provides $34,000,000 for state historic
preservation offices, $3,000,000 for tribal grants, $30,000,000
for Save America's Treasures and $4,000,000 for Historically
Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). The HBCU program will
be a competitive program run by the National Park Service. The
cost share on this program is 70 percent Federal, 30 percent
private.
CONSTRUCTION
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $325,712,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 327,257,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 303,199,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... -22,513,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. -24,058,000
The Committee recommends $303,199,000 for construction, a
decrease of $22,513,000 below the enacted level and $24,058,000
below the budget request.
The Committee recommends the following distribution of
funds:
Project Amount
Acadia NP, ME (rehabilitation).......................... $7,017
Badlands NP, SD (ADA deficiencies)...................... 2,996
Big Bend NP, TX (Chisos Basin).......................... 1,946
Big Bend NP, TX (curatorial)............................ 295
Blue Ridge Parkway, NC (reconstruction)................. 3,186
Blue Ridge Parkway, NC (visitor center)................. 1,000
Boston Harbor Islands NRA, MA (George's Island)......... 727
Boston NHP, MA (USS Constitution rehabilitation)........ 2,408
Bryce Canyon NP, UT (renovation)........................ 859
Colonial NHP, VA........................................ 7,611
Colonial NHP, VA (museum collection).................... 725
Cuyahoga NP, OH (rehabilitation)........................ 3,000
Dayton Aviation NHP, OH (26 Williams)................... 430
Delaware Water Gap NRA, PA (cabin rehab.)............... 600
Everglades NP, FL (water system)........................ 12,990
Frederick Douglass NHS, DC (rehabilitation)............. 956
Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania NMP, VA (stabilization)... 1,560
Gateway NRA, NY (rehabilitation)........................ 2,416
George Washington Carver NM, MO (rehabilitation)........ 2,000
George Washington Memorial Parkway, VA (Iwo Jima
rehabilitation)..................................... 3,383
George Washington Memorial Parkway, VA (rehabilitation). 400
Gettysburg NMP, PA (conservation)....................... 2,000
Homestead NHS, NE (visitor center)...................... 350
Hot Springs NP, AR...................................... 1,012
Independence NHP, PA (rehabilitation)................... 1,750
Independence NHP, PA (security fence & screening
structure).......................................... 5,100
Indiana Dunes IN (cultural/historical reports).......... 225
Jefferson NM, MO (security)............................. 4,339
Lake Mead NRA, NV (upgrades & waste water system)....... 3,514
Lincoln Library, IL..................................... 6,000
Mammoth Cave NP, KY (upgrade electrical system)......... 3,593
Mammoth Cave NP, KY (water system)...................... 6,014
Mesa Verde NP, CO....................................... 1,207
Moccasin Bend NAD, TN (erosion)......................... 500
Morristown NHP, NJ (rehabilitation)..................... 1,789
Mount Rainier NP, WA (rehabilitation)................... 4,000
National Capital Parks-Central, DC (Jefferson Memorial). 4,858
National Capital Parks-Central, DC (Washington Monument) 20,000
Oklahoma City NM, OK (contingent)....................... 1,000
Olympic NP, WA (Elwha River Ecosystem restoration)...... 12,950
Organ Pipe Cactus NM, AZ................................ 4,405
Petersburg NB, VA....................................... 781
Rock Creek Park, DC (Meridian Hill Park)................ 2,891
San Francisco Maritime NHP, CA (rehabilitation)......... 4,177
Sequoia and Kings Canyon NP, CA (replace water tanks)... 2,210
St Croix NSR, WI (administrative building).............. 4,900
Stones River NB, TN (trails)............................ 300
SW Pennsylvanian Heritage Commission, PA................ 3,000
Thomas Stone NHS, MD (restrooms, kiosk, office spaces).. 500
Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve, FL............. 765
Tuskegee Airmen NHS (AL)................................ 500
White House, DC (rehabilitation)........................ 6,443
Wind Cave NP, SD (wastewater treatment)................. 3,909
Wrangell-St Elias NP&P, AK (rehabilitation)............. 933
Yellowstone NP, WY (Old House at Old Faithful Inn)...... 5,973
Yellowstone NP, WY (West Entrance Station).............. 1,888
Yellowstone NP, WY (infrastructure improvements)........ 2,892
Project Total........................................... 183,173
Emergency/Unscheduled................................... 5,500
Housing................................................. 8,000
Equipment replacement................................... 38,460
Planning, construction.................................. 24,480
General management plans................................ 13,420
Construction program management......................... 27,466
Dam safety.............................................. 2,700
--------------------------------------------------------
____________________________________________________
Total Construction................................ 303,199
The Committee has included $295,000 to plan a curatorial
storage facility at Big Bend National Park; $1,000,000 for a
visitor facility on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina;
$3,000,000 to continue rehabilitation work at Cuyahoga National
Park, and $430,000 to initiate rehabilitation of 26 Williams
Street within the Dayton Aviation NHP.
Also included is $600,000 for cabin rehabilitation at the
Delaware Water Gap NRA; $956,000 to complete critical
rehabilitation work at Frederick Douglass NHS; $2,000,000 for
rehabilitation work at George Washington Carver NM, and
$400,000 for maintenance needs along the George Washington
Memorial Parkway in Virginia.
The Committee has provided $2,000,000 to continue
conservation work at Gettysburg NMP; $350,000 to continue
planning of a visitor facility at Homestead NHS, $225,000 for
cultural and historic reports at Indiana Dunes NL, $6,000,000
for the Lincoln Library, $4,900,000 to complete construction of
an administrative building at St. Croix NSR, and $300,000 for
trails work at Stones River NB.
The Committee encourages the Carl Sandberg NHS to complete
its master plan.
The Committee has included $3,000,000 for work at SW
Pennsylvania Heritage Commission; $500,000 for restrooms,
kiosk, and office space at Thomas Stone NHS; $765,000 for
structural analysis and improvements at Kingsley Plantation
House and Kitchen House at Timucuan Ecological & Historic
Preserve; and $500,000 to continue Federal project planning for
the Tuskegee Airmen NHS in Alabama. The Committee has included
$500,000 for erosion control at Moccasin Bend NAD.
The Committee has included $1,000,000 for the Oklahoma City
NM. These funds are subject to a change in authorization.
The Committee has not provided funds to initiate planning
for new facilities at Saratoga NHS until the park is able to
identify non-facility alternatives to the operational issues
associated with a dispersed park with non-contiguous
properties.
The Committee has not provided $15,000,000 for security
improvements at Lafayette Square. These funds will be provided
in the transportation appropriations bill for fiscal year 2004.
Within available planning funds, the Committee directs the
Service to prepare a heritage study for the newly authorized SW
Campaign and Muscle Shoals areas. In addition $200,000 within
available funds should be used to continue the Metacomet-
Monadnock-Mattabesett trail feasibility study.
LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND
(RESCISSION)
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... -$30,000,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. -30,000,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... -30,000,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... 0
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends the rescission of $30,000,000 in
the annual contract authority provided by 16 U.S.C. 4601-10a.
This authority has not been used in years, and there are no
plans to use it in fiscal year 2004.
LAND ACQUISITION AND STATE ASSISTANCE
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS)
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $171,348,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 238,634,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 131,154,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... -40,194,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. -107,480,000
The Committee recommends $131,154,000 for land acquisition
and State assistance, a decrease of $107,480,000 below the
budget request and $40,194,000 below the enacted level. This
amount includes $14,000,000 for land acquisition projects,
$11,654,000 for acquisition management, $4,000,000 for
emergencies and hardships and $4,000,000 for inholdings. Also
included is $97,500,000 for the stateside program, including
$2,500,000 for administration. The Committee has retained the
current allocation formula for stateside grants.
Bill language is included under the Park Service land
acquisition account dealing with unobligated balances for South
Florida Restoration. This is explained in detail under the
``Everglades'' heading in park operations.
The Committee recommends the following distribution of
Federal land acquisition funds:
Project Amount
Land Acquisition Projects............................... $14,000,000
Acquisition Management.................................. 11,654,000
Emergencies and Hardships............................... 4,000,000
Inholdings.............................................. 4,000,000
--------------------------------------------------------
____________________________________________________
Total............................................. 33,654,000
Any funds provided for Santa Monica Mountains National
Recreation Area should be matched with non-Federal monies. This
means new land or new dollars dedicated to protection of park
lands within the recreation area's boundaries. By June 30th of
each year, the Service should certify the level of non-Federal
contributions to land acquisition at this site. The Service is
encouraged to review non-Federal appraisals in certifying the
non-Federal contribution.
United States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey was established by an
act of Congress on March 3, 1879 to provide a permanent Federal
agency to conduct the systematic and scientific
``classification of the public lands, and examination of the
geological structure, mineral resources, and products of the
National domain''. The USGS is the Federal Government's largest
earth-science research agency, the Nation's largest civilian
mapmaking agency, and the primary source of data on the
Nation's surface and ground water resources. Its activities
include conducting detailed assessments of the energy and
mineral potential of the Nation's land and offshore areas;
investigating and issuing warnings of earthquakes, volcanic
eruptions, landslides, and other geologic and hydrologic
hazards; research on the geologic structure of the Nation;
studies of the geologic features, structure, processes, and
history of other planets of our solar system; topographic
surveys of the Nation and preparation of topographic and
thematic maps and related cartographic products; development
and production of digital cartographic data bases and products;
collection on a routine basis of data on the quantity, quality,
and use of surface and ground water; research in hydraulics and
hydrology; the coordination of all Federal water data
acquisition; the scientific understanding and technologies
needed to support the sound management and conservation of our
Nation's biological resources; and the application of remotely
sensed data to the development of new cartographic, geologic,
and hydrologic research techniques for natural resources
planning and management, surveys, investigations, and research.
SURVEYS, INVESTIGATIONS, AND RESEARCH
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $919,272,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 895,505,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 935,660,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +16,388,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. +40,155,000
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
The Committee recommends $935,660,000 for surveys,
investigations, and research, an increase of $40,155,000 above
the budget request and $16,388,000 above the fiscal year 2003
enacted level.
For the third year in a row the Committee has restored a
number of high-priority research programs that were proposed
for reduction or elimination. The Department has placed a high-
priority on both cooperative programs and programs that are
outsourced to the private sector. For the most part, the
programs that are being proposed for reduction or elimination
in fiscal year 2004 are the very programs that meet these
criteria. More than any other Bureau in the Department, the
Survey has been a leader in the development of cooperative
programs and outsourcing its activities. The Committee believes
that Bureaus that are successful in implementing these policies
should be rewarded and not penalized.
National Mapping Program.--The Committee recommends
$130,221,000 for the national mapping program, $9,739,000 above
the budget request and $2,984,000 below the 2003 enacted level
including increases above the budget request of $4,444,000 to
restore data collection activities through partnerships and
contracts with the private sector, $1,250,000 for cooperative
topographic mapping to expand and enhance initial National Map
implementation through partnerships (to extend the geographic
coverage and enhance data integration activities related to
these implementation sites), $2,770,000 for research activities
under geographic analysis and monitoring, $500,000 for the
Tennessee GIS mapping project, and $775,000 as a science
support adjustment.
The Committee supports the Survey in its efforts to
implement the National Map. This strategic project will
establish a digital database that will provide up-to-date,
consistent, reliable geospatial information and make these data
easily accessible to a wide range of users. Building upon the
historic investment of geographic data from the base
topographic maps, the National Map is being designed to serve
as the Nation's new topographic map, while also reducing
redundant data being collected by multiple levels of
government.
The Nation's digital infrastructure is playing an ever-
expanding role in the U.S. economy. Many private sector
companies have built successful businesses on value-added
products made from government investments in geospatial data.
Geospatial data are also used in economic and community
development, land and natural resource management, ensuring
public safety during times of both natural (wildfires, floods,
earthquakes) and human-induced disasters, and is the foundation
for studying and solving geographically based problems.
Tremendous economic and productivity enhancements occur
throughout the Nation as industries utilize these new
technologies.
The Survey has taken major steps to refocus and realign its
activities to ensure the realization of the National Map. The
Committee commends the Survey's efforts to restructure its
mapping workforce so that resources can be available for
building the National Map in partnership with other Federal
agencies, State and local governments, the private sector, and
universities. Partnership funds for State and local governments
are a high priority because these funds are often leveraged
three and four fold, allowing the National Map to be created
more rapidly, with more partners, and at lower cost to the
Federal government.
The Survey's EROS Data Center is the repository of the
world's largest collection of satellite imagery and is
designated as a ``National Critical Infrastructure'' for
purposes of homeland security. USGS archived data are critical
to Federal, State, and local governments for protecting the
homeland, natural disaster assessments, and understanding
global climate change. With emerging technologies, the volume
of collected, archived, and distributed data at the electronic
data center (EDC) is growing exponentially. Accordingly, the
Committee supports the USGS EDC requirement to convert its
archived remote sensing data from outdated storage media to
disk-based storage. Such a conversion will accommodate
extremely high growth rates and provide access to users more
efficiently and at lower cost. Further, the Committee supports
the implementation of a continuity of operations capability for
the EDC utilizing ``remote mirroring'' technology, which will
eliminate a single point of failure for data storage
infrastructure and ensure full recovery with zero data loss
from any potential outage.
Geologic Hazards, Resources and Processes.--The Committee
recommends $231,435,000 for geologic hazards, resources, and
processes, $9,860,000 above the budget request and $1,732,000
below the 2003 enacted level, including increases above the
budget request of $1,900,000 to restore funding for the
advanced national seismic system, $750,000 to continue the
study into the impact of global dust events, $500,000 for the
Great Lakes geologic mapping project, $1,000,000 for the
cooperative geologic mapping program, $2,000,000 to continue
the implementation of the national coastal program consistent
with the recommendations of the National Academy of Sciences,
$1,300,000 for aggregate and industrial minerals, $9,122,000 to
restore mineral research and assessments, and decreases of
$4,000,000 for Everglades research and $2,712,000 as a science
support adjustment.
The Committee strongly disagrees with the proposed
reduction in the Survey's mineral resources program. Minerals
and mineral products are important to the U.S. economy with
processed minerals accounting for over $370 billion to the
economy in 2002. Mineral commodities are essential to both
national security and infrastructure development. Mineral
resources research and assessments are a core responsibility of
the survey. Since the 1996 review by the National Academy, the
Survey's mineral program has refocused its efforts to address
better the Nation's need for more and better information
regarding the regional, national, and global availability of
mineral resources. For these reasons the Committee has restored
the proposed cuts to this high-priority program.
Water Resources Investigations.--The Committee recommends
$215,178,000 for water resources investigations, $15,082,000
above the budget request and $8,027,000 above the 2003 enacted
level, including increases above the budget request of
$6,500,000 to restore funding for the Water Resources Research
Institutes, $2,419,000 to restore funding for the toxic
substances hydrology program, $600,000 to continue work at Lake
Ponchartrain and $900,000 for the Long Term Estuary Group
(LEAG) in Louisiana, $500,000 for the continuation of the
Spokane Valley/Rathdrum Valley Aquifer study begun last year,
$500,000 for the Chesapeake Bay program, and $3,663,000 as a
science support adjustment.
The Committee has provided $900,000 for development and
deployment of new instruments and studies in the lower
Mississippi River. This effort is to be a collaborative
relationship within the Long-Term Estuary Assessment Group
(LEAG). Within this funding level $550,000 is to be provided to
other LEAG partners and $350,000 is for the USGS work to
fulfill LEAG objectives. The Committee requests that the USGS
provide a report by January 31, 2004, detailing a five-year
plan (2002-2006) for USGS involvement in LEAG. The report
should describe the proposed work and show how it relates to
the Survey's national program priorities. It should define the
resources required to implement the plan through 2006.
The Committee has provided $600,000 for water-quality
studies within the Lake Ponchartrain basin. Within these funds,
the Survey should provide sufficient funds to continue
operation of new flow and water quality sensors deployed in the
basin with the funds provided in fiscal year 2003. The USGS
should develop its plans collaboratively with Southeastern
Louisiana University to assure that the proposed work addresses
local problems affecting the Lake Pontchartrain basin and its
stakeholders and is relevant to the national mission of the
USGS.
Biological Research.--The Committee recommends $173,349,000
for biological research, $4,474,000 above the budget request
and $3,533,000 above the 2003 enacted level including increases
above the budget request of $2,800,000 to restore the
interagency cooperative fire science program, $500,000 for
amphibian research, $1,000,000 for chronic wasting disease,
$600,000 for Great Lakes research and operations, $400,000 for
Great Lakes vessel operations, $400,000 for the new fish and
wildlife cooperative research unit established in fiscal year
2003 at the University of Nebraska, and $500,000 for manatee
research in support of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
recovery efforts, and a decrease of $1,726,000 as a science
support adjustment.
Within the funding increase provided in the budget request
for the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII),
$500,000 is allocated for the Tennessee node and $500,000 is
allocated for the Northeast node in New York.
The Committee has realigned the Gap Analysis Program by
shifting $3,900,000 from the biological research and monitoring
subactivity into the biological information management and
delivery subactivity. This realignment should result in
management efficiencies for this high-priority program.
Science Support.--The Committee recommends $91,529,000 for
science support, the same as the budget request and $6,352,000
above the 2003 enacted level.
Facilities.--The Committee recommends $93,948,000 for
facilities, $1,000,000 above the budget request and $3,192,000
above the 2003 enacted level. The increase above the budget
request is for the Tunison laboratory for Atlantic Salmon
restoration research.
The Committee is aware that the budget request may not
contain sufficient funding for rent for some of the Survey's
science centers. The Committee finds this unacceptable and
expects that rent for all science centers will be covered
within the funds provided to the Survey in its fiscal year 2004
appropriation without jeopardizing ongoing science programs.
Minerals Management Service
The Minerals Management Service is responsible for
collecting, distributing, accounting and auditing revenues from
mineral leases on Federal and Indian lands. In fiscal year
2004, MMS expects to collect and distribute about $4 billion
from more than 78,000 active Federal and Indian leases.
The MMS also manages the offshore energy and mineral
resources on the Nation's Outer Continental Shelf. To date, the
OCS program has been focused primarily on oil and gas leasing.
Over the past several years, MMS has been exploring the
possible development of other marine mineral resources,
especially sand and gravel.
With the passage of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, MMS
assumed increased responsibility for oil spill research,
including the promotion of increased oil spill response
capabilities, and for oil spill financial responsibility
certifications of offshore platforms and pipelines.
ROYALTY AND OFFSHORE MINERALS MANAGEMENT
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $264,477,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 264,446,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 264,446,0000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... -31,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
The Committee recommends $264,446,000 for royalty and
offshore minerals management, the same as the budget request
and $31,000 below the 2003 enacted level, of which $100,230,000
is derived from receipts.
OIL SPILL RESEARCH
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $6,065,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 7,105,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 7,105,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +1,040,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $7,105,000 to be derived from the
Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, to conduct oil spill research
and financial responsibility and inspection activities
associated with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, Public Law 101-
380. The Committee recommendation is equal to the budget
request and $1,040,000 above the fiscal year 2003 level.
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
(OSM), through its regulation and technology account, regulates
surface coal mining operations to ensure that the environment
is protected during those operations and that the land is
adequately reclaimed once mining is completed. The OSM
accomplishes this mission by providing grants to those States
that maintain their own regulatory and reclamation programs and
by conducting oversight of State programs. Further, the OSM
administers the regulatory programs in the States that do not
have their own programs and on Federal and tribal lands.
Through its abandoned mine land (AML) reclamation fund
account, the OSM provides environmental restoration at
abandoned coal mines using tonnage-based fees collected from
current coal production operations. In their unreclaimed
condition these abandoned sites may endanger public health and
safety or prevent the beneficial use of land and water
resources.
REGULATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $104,681,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 106,699,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 106,699,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +2,018,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
The Committee recommends $106,699,000 for Regulation and
technology, including the use of $275,000 in civil penalty
collections as requested, and $2,018,000 above the 2003 level.
ABANDONED MINE RECLAMATION FUND
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $190,498,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 174,469,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 194,469,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +3,971,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. +20,000,000
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
The Committee recommends $194,469,000 for the abandoned
mine reclamation fund, an increase of $20,000,000 above the
request and $3,971,000 above the 2003 funding level. The
Committee recognizes the great amount of reclamation work that
remains to be done and has increased funding above the request
for this program. The Committee has continued the authority for
the Appalachian clean streams initiative at $10,000,000 and the
emergency funding and authorities as in fiscal year 2003, and
discontinued the special authority for Maryland.
Bureau of Indian Affairs
The Bureau of Indian Affairs was created in 1824. Its
mission is founded on a government-to-government relationship
and trust responsibility that results from treaties with Native
groups. The Bureau delivers services to over one million Native
Americans through 12 regional offices and 83 agency offices. In
addition, the Bureau provides education programs to Native
Americans through the operation of 117 day schools, 54 boarding
schools, and 14 dormitories. The Bureau administers more than
45 million acres of tribally owned land, and 10 million acres
of individually owned land and over 309,000 acres of Federally
owned land, which is held in trust status.
OPERATION OF INDIAN PROGRAMS
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $1,845,246,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 1,889,735,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 1,902,106,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +56,860,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. +12,371,000
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
The Committee recommends $1,902,106,000 for the operation
of Indian programs, $12,371,000 above the budget request and
$56,860,000 above the 2003 enacted level.
Tribal Priority Allocations.--The Committee recommends
$778,809,000 for tribal priority allocations, $1,120,000 above
the budget request and $6,328,000 above the fiscal year 2003
enacted level. The increase above the budget request is to
provide base funding for six new tribes.
Other Recurring Programs.--The Committee recommends
$609,293,000 for other recurring programs, $7,230,000 above the
budget request and $11,569,000 above the fiscal year 2003
enacted level including increases above the budget request of
$4,000,000 for the restoration of timber-fish-wildlife program
of which $920,000 is for the mass marking of hatchery fish as
required by Public Law 108-7, $500,000 for shellfish management
as required by the courts in the Bolt decision, $1,000,000 for
Chippewa/Ottawa treaty fisheries to be allocated to the tribes
based on the allocation in House Report 108-10, $630,000 for
Lake Roosevelt management, $600,000 to restore the wetlands/
waterfowl (circle of flight) program, and $500,000 to restore
funding for the inter-tribal bison program.
The Committee fully supports the President's education
reform efforts and agrees with the Department that tribes that
want to manage their own schools should be given that
opportunity. Therefore, the Committee has agreed to the
inclusion of $3,000,000 for start-up administrative costs, and
overhead as incentives for tribal school boards to begin to
assume responsibility for the remaining schools that are still
being managed by the Bureau. Based on this initiative, a
separate fund would be established, similar to the Indian Self
Determination Fund, to enable the conversion of Bureau operated
schools without compromising funding for tribally operated
schools.
The Committee notes with approval the past participation of
the Department of the Interior in the Washington Semester
Indian Program (WINS), a collaborative effort whereby American
University provides education, housing, meals, and other
academic and social activities for participating American
Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) students and places these students
in a funded internship program. WINS, located in Washington,
D.C., serves the educational and economic development needs of
the AI/AN community by providing opportunities for AI/AN
students to obtain academically supervised internships and
supporting rigorous coursework designed to serve as the
foundation for long-term career planning and development. The
Committee believes that the WINS program is an excellent way to
advance the goals of Executive Order 13270, which directs all
Federal agencies to take steps to enhance access to Federal
opportunities and resources for AI/AN students from tribal
colleges and other post-secondary institutions. The Committee
believes that there is great merit to expanding the WINS
program and strongly urges the Department in fiscal year 2004,
as part of its Three-Year plan pursuant to Executive Order
13270, to expand the number of internship slots it makes
available for the program and to accommodate participants in a
second-year internship program.
Non Recurring Programs.--The Committee recommends
$73,843,000 for non recurring programs, $300,000 above the
budget request and $1,358,000 above the fiscal year 2003
enacted level. The increase above the budget request is for
water management planning and predevelopment for the Seminole
tribe to address water quality programs as part of Everglades
restoration efforts.
Central Office Operations.--The Committee recommends
$94,861,000 for central office operation, $4,500,000 below the
budget request and $25,282,000 above the fiscal year 2003
enacted level, including an increase above the budget request
of $500,000 to restore funding to the branch of acknowledgement
and a decrease of $5,000,000 for ADP central program
management.
The Committee is aware of the significant information
technology needs of the Bureau both from the perspective of
managing their day-to-day operations and for the need to
continue to move forward on its trust reform efforts. This
reduction to the significant increase proposed in the budget
request is a result of the current fiscal and budget situation
and should not be viewed as a repudiation of the Bureau's
information technology initiative. The Committee appreciates
that the Bureau is taking a Bureau-wide comprehensive approach
to its information technology needs.
Regional Office Operations.--The Committee recommends
$64,481,000 for regional office operations, the same as the
budget request and $676,000 above the fiscal year 2003 enacted.
Special Programs and Pooled Overhead.--The Committee
recommends $280,819,000 for special programs and pooled
overhead, $8,221,000 above the budget request and $11,647,000
above the fiscal year 2003 enacted level including increases
above the budget request of $3,500,000 for detention center
operations for facilities that are constructed by the
Department of Justice but operated by the Bureau, $3,000,000
for the United Tribes Technical College, $521,000 for the
national ironworkers training program, and $1,200,000 for the
Crownpoint Institute of Technology.
The Committee is concerned about the growing number of
tribes with an existing reservation in one State that are
attempting to claim reservation rights that would allow them to
engage in gaming operations in States where they have no
reservation or trust land status. For example, the Seneca-
Cayuga tribe of Oklahoma is attempting to open a gaming
operation in the State of New York. Trust status for gaming
purposes on non-contiguous lands requires that a tribe engage
in a rigorous approval process requiring approval by the
Governor of an affected State as well as input and support from
the local community. The Committee expects the Department of
the Interior and the National Indian Gaming Commission to
implement fully the existing rules and regulations governing
these types of gaming operations.
Bill Language.--Bill language is included under operation
of Indian programs establishing a separate fund similar to the
Indian Self Determination Fund to enable the conversion of
Bureau operated schools without compromising funding for
tribally operated schools.
CONSTRUCTION
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $345,988,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 345,154,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 345,154,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... -834,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
The Committee recommends $345,154,000 for construction, the
same as the budget request and $834,000 below the fiscal year
2003 enacted level.
Education.--The Committee recommends $292,634,000 for
education construction, the same as the budget request and
$1,161,000 below the fiscal year 2003 enacted level. The
funding for replacement school construction is sufficient to
build seven replacement schools.
Public Safety and Justice.--The Committee recommends
$5,044,000 for public safety and justice, the same as the
budget request and $31,000 above the fiscal year 2003 enacted.
Resources Management.--The Committee recommends $39,162,000
for resources management, the same as the budget request and
$244,000 above the fiscal year 2003 enacted.
General Administration.--The Committee recommends
$8,314,000 for general administration, the same as the budget
request and $52,000 above the fiscal year 2003 enacted.
INDIAN LAND AND WATER CLAIM SETTLEMENTS AND MISCELLANEOUS PAYMENTS TO
INDIANS
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $60,552,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 51,375,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 60,551,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... -1,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. +9,176,000
The Committee recommends $60,551,000 for Indian land and
water claim settlements and miscellaneous payments to Indians,
$9,176,000 above the budget request and $1,000 below the 2003
enacted level. Funding includes $629,000 for White Earth,
$252,000 for Hoopa-Yurok, $21,467,000 for the Ute settlement,
$143,000 for Pyramid Lake, $33,000 for Rocky Boys, $123,000 for
the Schiviwtz Band, $9,884,000 for Santo Domingo Pueblo,
$8,052,000 for Colorado Ute, $10,000,000 for Arkansas Riverbed,
and $9,968,000 for the North Boundary Settlement Agreement of
which $4,968,000 is derived by transfer from the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service land acquisition account.
Bill Language.--Language is included providing $9,968,000
for payment to the Quinault Indian Nation for the North
Boundary Settlement Agreement of which $4,968,000 is derived by
transfer from prior year appropriations to the U.S. the Fish
and Wildlife Service land acquisition account.
INDIAN GUARANTEED LOAN PROGRAM ACCOUNT
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $5,457,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 6,497,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 6,497,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +1,040,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $6,497,000 for the Indian
guaranteed loan program account, the same as the budget request
and $1,040,000 above the fiscal year 2003 enacted level.
Departmental Offices
Insular Affairs
ASSISTANCE TO TERRITORIES
The Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) was established on
August 4, 1995 through Secretarial Order No. 3191, which also
abolished the former Office of Territorial and International
Affairs. The OIA has important responsibilities to help the
United States government fulfill its responsibilities to the
four U.S. territories of Guam, American Samoa, U.S. Virgin
Islands and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands
(CNMI) and also the three freely associated States: the
Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), the Republic of the
Marshall Islands (RMI) and the Republic of Palau. The permanent
and trust fund payments to the territories and the compact
nations provide substantial financial resources to these
governments.
The existing authorities for permanent funding for the
Compacts of free association with the FSM and the RMI expire in
fiscal year 2003 although these two nations and the U.S.
government have agreed to terms to extend the financial
portions of the compacts. This requires new authorizing
legislation, yet to be finalized. This Committee recommendation
assumes that the new authorization will be completed on time
and will provide funding for certain activities which in recent
years were funded from annual accounts.
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $75,903,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 71,343,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 74,343,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... -1,560,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. +3,000,000
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
The Committee recommends $74,343,000 for assistance to
territories, $1,560,000 below the fiscal year 2003 level and
$3,000,000 above the budget request.
Territorial Assistance.--The Committee recommends
$23,523,000 for territorial assistance, $1,710,000 below the
fiscal year 2003 level and $3,000,000 above the budget request.
Increases to the budget request include $2,000,000 for urgent
water system rehabilitation needed in the CNMI and $1,000,000
for technical assistance, which should focus on financial
management or economic development problems of all the
territories.
American Samoa.--The Committee recommends $23,100,000 for
American Samoa as requested, an increase of $150,000 above the
2003 level.
Northern Mariana Islands/Covenant grants.--The Committee
recommends $27,720,000 for CNMI covenant grants as requested
and enacted in 2003, and the Committee directs the Office of
Insular Affairs to implement the allocation in the budget
request. This includes $11,000,000 for CNMI construction,
$580,000 for disaster assistance, $5,000,000 for court mandated
infrastructure improvements in the U.S. Virgin Islands,
$1,000,000 for the CNMI law enforcement initiative, and
$10,140,000 for American Samoa construction. The Committee
directs the OIA to work with the governments of the CNMI, Guam,
Palau, FSM and RMI, as well as with representatives of the
Prior Service Benefits Board of Directors, to establish a
funding mechanism through appropriate pension or social
security systems, which would replace the prior service trust
fund for the former employees of the Trust Territories.
Guam.--The Committee notes that the new financial
arrangements for the compacts will include the payment of
$15,000,000 per year, split between Guam, Hawaii, and the CNMI,
to compensate governments for the impact of migration from the
compact nations.
COMPACT OF FREE ASSOCIATION
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $20,926,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 16,125,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 16,354,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... -4,572,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. +229,000
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
The Committee recommends $16,354,000 for the compact of
free association, $229,000 above the request and $4,572,000
below the 2003 level. The Committee notes that this
appropriation assumes that the new financial titles to the
Compacts of Free Association will be signed into law before the
end of fiscal year 2003. The new compact provisions provide
additional financial assistance, and, over time, provide for
the FSM and the RMI to fund trust funds, which will eventually
provide substantial resources for important government
functions.
Departmental Management
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $71,957,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 97,140,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 79,027,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +7,070,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. -18,113,000
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
The Committee recommends $79,027,000 for departmental
management, a decrease of $18,113,000 below the budget request
and an increase of $7,070,000 above the 2003 enacted level.
Changes from the budget request include an increase of $600,000
for the transfer of the Public Lands Volunteers Program from
the National Park Service, and decreases of $200,000 for
promoting management excellence, $800,000 for strategic human
capital management planning, $405,000 for the Office of
Planning and Performance, $200,000 for collaborative action/
dispute resolution, $3,272,000 for DOI workers compensation
costs, and $13,836,000 for the financial management system
migration project. Departmental programs that are denied
requested increases in this appropriation should not be
augmented with staffing and funds from individual bureaus or
any other source to achieve the requested level of activity.
Given the budget constraints for fiscal year 2004, the
Committee encourages the Department and the Office of
Management and Budget to take a critical look at the amount of
funding being spent to track and measure program performance.
The Committee believes that much of that funding would be
better used for critical agency programs that directly benefit
the American public.
The Committee is reluctantly taking the IT Security
reductions proposed in the budget request, despite the fact
that these reductions will not result in the reported savings
in fiscal year 2004. The Committee is also concerned that the
reductions were differentially applied to bureaus in the
Department. The Department should report to the Committee by
March 1, 2004, on how and when these savings will be achieved
and the impact on bureau programs in fiscal year 2004.
The Committee has not provided the requested amount to
begin the conversion of DOI bureaus to a new financial
accounting system due to budget constraints.
The Committee has provided the requested increase for
Departmental law enforcement. These funds are provided with the
understanding that detailed bureau personnel will be returned
to their original positions in the bureaus.
The Committee is concerned that the Department has not
complied with language in the report accompanying the 2003
appropriations bill that directed that any unbudgeted funding
requirements for airport operations at Midway Atoll National
Wildlife Refuge be derived from departmental management funds.
The Committee understands that a short-term contract for the
operation of the airport has been secured. The Committee
expects the Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
to terminate operation of the airport at the end of this
contract if full funding from benefiting agencies and private
entities for the operation of the airport is not available.
The Committee is concerned that the Department's Office of
Aircraft Safety (OAS) has not provided sufficient support to
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in replacing survey aircraft
that are operating under safety waivers. The replacement of
these aircraft with new or refurbished aircraft that meet the
weight requirements for low level survey flights and have
sufficient range for performing long distance surveys in remote
areas should be a high priority for OAS. The Committee directs
OAS to match the funding provided for aircraft replacement in
the FWS budget with OAS replacement funds. The OAS and FWS
should report annually to the Committee on progress in
replacing these aircraft.
The Committee further directs OAS to report on the progress
made in addressing the negative findings from the recent GAO
report, including progress on the strategic plan being
developed by OAS. The Committee expects OAS to consider options
for recovering the full replacement cost, with inflationary
increases, for all new aircraft as they enter the fleet,
including the option of allowing individual bureaus to manage
independently their aircraft fleets. Additionally, the
Committee expects bureaus that currently operate aircraft to
adequately budget for the replacement of existing aircraft.
WORKING CAPITAL FUND
The Committee recommends the cancellation of $20,000,000 in
unobligated balances (as identified by the Inspector General)
from the working capital fund.
Over the past several years, the Committee has raised
concerns about the oversight and management of the Working
Capital Fund as well as noticeable increases in assessments to
the bureaus either through the Working Capital Fund,
reimbursable support agreements or other mandates from the
Administration or the Department. In addition, the Committee
believes that the Department is in violation of Section 305 of
the Appropriations Act, which requires Committee notification
of assessments not detailed in the budget.
Last year, the Committee asked the Inspector General to
review the Working Capital Fund. While this review was
underway, the Committee did its own review of reimbursable
support agreements and other mandates.
The Inspector General report disclosed areas of concern
including, but not limited to, a $20 million surplus that was
unknown to the Department; the over and under charging of
customers due to a system that cannot track costs and revenues
by products and services; and no standardized billing process.
The Inspector General also reported that the Working Capital
Fund continues to function as three separate organizations
using three separate billing methods, despite the fact that
consolidation to achieve efficiencies was the chief reason the
Committee agreed in 1999 to merge the three separate service
centers into the Working Capital Fund.
The Committee agrees with the Inspector General's concerns
that the Department is not utilizing the two authorized reserve
accounts for accrued annual leave and equipment replacement.
The Committee is concerned that the Department feels that it
has the authority to establish four other reserves. The
Committee has included bill language under administrative
provisions, which prohibits the establishment of other reserves
without Committee approval.
The GAO reports that the Working Capital Fund does not
provide comprehensive reports to the bureaus that identify
which services are mandatory or optional, the amount of the
services being provided, or the methodology used to charge the
bureaus. The Committee directs that such comprehensive reports
be developed and made available to each bureau and the
Committee at the beginning of each fiscal year.
The Committee directs the Department to implement fully the
nine recommendations made by the Inspector General and report
to the Committee by February 1, 2004 on specific timetables for
compliance.
The Committee is also concerned about the possible overuse
of reimbursable support agreements and other mandates. These
are difficult fiscal times and there have been many expenses
that the bureaus have had to absorb including pay, fixed
expenses and costs associated with Homeland Security needs that
have not been reimbursed by the Administration. The Committee
cautions the Department not to impose additional assessments on
the bureaus without advance justification and funding through
the budget process.
The Committee has carried for years bill language, which
requires that the Department not impose assessments against
programs, budget activities or subactivities without prior
approval from the Committee. Because the Department has not
enforced this provision, the Committee has rewritten the
language to avoid any ambiguity.
To summarize, bill language is included under Departmental
Management Administrative Provisions, which prohibits the
establishment of any additional reserve funds other than the
two authorized by law. The Committee has modified reprogramming
guidelines to make clear that the Department may not charge
bureaus above the amounts listed in the budget justification or
institute any additional assessments without formal approval.
These revised guidelines are contained in the front of this
report. The Committee has revised a long-standing provision
carried in Title III dealing with notification of assessments
to include charges or billings of any kind, without regard to
whether or not the action benefits the individual bureaus. The
Committee expects the Department to comply fully with the
letter and the spirit of the law.
PAYMENTS IN LIEU OF TAXES
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $218,570,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 200,000,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 225,000,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +6,430,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. +25,000,000
Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) provides for payments to
local units of government containing certain federally owned
lands. These payments are designed to supplement other Federal
land receipt sharing payments that local governments may be
receiving. The recipients may use payments received for any
governmental purpose.
The Committee recommends $225,000,000 for PILT, an increase
of $25,000,000 above the budget request and $6,430,000 above
the fiscal year 2003 level.
Office of the Solicitor
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $47,462,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 50,374,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 50,374,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +2,912,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $50,374,000 for the Office of the
Solicitor, the same as the budget request and $2,912,000 above
the fiscal year 2003 enacted level.
Office of Inspector General
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $36,003,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 39,049,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 39,049,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +3,046,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $39,049,000 for the Office of the
Inspector General, the same as the budget request and
$3,046,000 above the fiscal year 2003 enacted level.
Office of Special Trustee for American Indians
FEDERAL TRUST PROGRAMS
The Office of Special Trustee for American Indians (OST)
was established by the American Indian Trust Fund Management
Reform Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-412). The Special Trustee is
charged with general oversight of Indian trust asset reform
efforts Department-wide to ensure proper and efficient
discharge of the Secretary's trust responsibilities to Indian
Tribes and individual Indians. The Office of the Special
Trustee was created to ensure that the Department of the
Interior establishes appropriate policies and procedures,
develops necessary systems, and takes affirmative actions to
reform the management of Indian trust funds. In carrying out
the management and oversight of the Indian trust funds, the
Secretary has a responsibility to ensure that trust accounts
are properly maintained, invested and reported in accordance
with the American Indian Trust Fund Management Reform Act of
1994, Congressional action, and other applicable laws.
The Special Trustee for American Indians also has
responsibility for the related financial trust functions
including deposit, investment, and disbursement of trust funds.
The Department has responsibility for what may be the largest
land trust in the world. Indian trust lands today encompass
approximately 56 million acres of land--over 10 million acres
belonging to individual Indians and nearly 45 million acres
owned by Indian Tribes. On these lands, Interior manages over
100,000 leases for individual Indians and Tribes. Leasing, use
permits, sale revenues, and interest of approximately $226
million per year are collected for approximately 230,000
individual Indian money accounts, and about $530 million per
year is collected for about 1,400 tribal accounts per year. In
addition, the trust manages approximately $2.8 billion in
tribal funds and $400 million in individual Indian funds.
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $140,359,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 274,641,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 219,641,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +79,282,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. -55,000,000
The Committee recommends $219,641,000 for the office of
special trustee for American Indians, $55,000,000 below the
budget request and $79,282,000 above the fiscal year 2003
enacted level.
Executive Direction.--The Committee recommends $1,294,000
for executive direction the same as the budget request and
$244,000 below the 2003 enacted.
Operation and Support.--The Committee recommends
$52,424,000 for operations and support, the same as the budget
request and $919,000 below the 2003 enacted level.
Trust Accountability.--The Committee recommends $51,970,000
for trust accountability, the same as the budget request and
$6,346,000 above the 2003 enacted level.
Field Operations.--The Committee recommends $24,324,000 for
field operations, the same as the budget request and
$15,168,000 above the 2003 enacted level.
Trust Services.--The Committee recommends $14,629,000 for
trust services, the same as the budget request and $172,000
below the 2003 enacted level.
Historical Accounting.--The Committee recommends
$75,000,000 for historical accounting, a decrease of
$55,000,000 below the budget request and an increase of
$65,844,000 above the 2003 enacted level.
The Committee approved the Department's proposed
reorganization of the trust functions for the Bureau of Indian
Affairs and Office of Special Trustee for American Indians by
letter dated December 10, 2002. The Committee urges the
Department to move as expeditiously as possible in implementing
this reorganization so that trust reform can continue to move
forward.
Bill Language.--After six years of litigation in the Cobell
v. Norton class action law suit, the Committee has appropriated
hundreds of millions of dollars in litigation related
activities. These funds could have been better used to fund
health and education programs in Indian country or directed
towards reforming the outdated trust systems in the Department.
The Committee still faces the likelihood of appropriating
hundreds of millions of dollars, or possibly billions, for a
historical accounting. The result of this process will likely
provide more and more money to accountants and lawyers with
little benefit for the individual account holders. To date, not
a single dollar has reached the Indian people.
The Committee's concern is reinforced by the results of the
recent Ernst and Young report on the historical accounting of
the five named plaintiffs and their predecessors, and other
studies that indicate the likely error rate for the more than
300,000 individual Indian money accounts is not significant.
These studies also provide insight into the Department's
ability to conduct an historical accounting based on a sound
statistical methodology.
The Committee believes that this contentious litigation has
prevented any rational resolution regarding the individual
Indian money accounts. Accordingly, the Committee has included
a legislative solution that would benefit Indian country and
the United States by providing a prompt, fair, and just
resolution to these longstanding claims.
The Secretary would have the authority to resolve any
claims through a voluntary settlement process with holders of
individual Indian money accounts. All other accounting claims
would be resolved using a sound statistical sampling
methodology. Based on this statistical sampling, the Secretary
would estimate a rate of past accounting error and apply that
error rate to each account. This would conclusively resolve all
claims regarding an account, subject to judicial review.
Individual account holders would have the right to appeal
account adjustments to the Court of Appeals for the District of
Columbia. The Secretary would have four years to complete this
accounting and would be required to report to the Congress
annually.
This process is similar to accounting solutions implemented
elsewhere to solve complicated situations. Absent such a
solution, all participants will suffer through years of
continued litigation and millions of dollars will continue to
be spent on a process that doesn't help Indian country.
INDIAN LAND CONSOLIDATION
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $7,928,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 20,980,000
Recommended, 2004................................. 20,980,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +13,052,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $20,980,000 for Indian land
consolidation the same as the budget request and $13,052,000
above the fiscal year 2003 enacted level.
Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration
NATURAL RESOURCE DAMAGE ASSESSMENT FUND
The purpose of the Natural Resource Damage Assessment Fund
is to provide the basis for claims against responsible parties
for the restoration of injured natural resources. Assessments
ultimately will lead to the restoration of injured resources
and reimbursement for reasonable assessment costs from
responsible parties through negotiated settlements or other
legal actions. Operating on a ``polluter pays'' principle, the
program anticipates recovering over $44 million in receipts in
fiscal year 2003, with the vast majority to be used for the
restoration of injured resources. The program works to restore
sites ranging in size from small town landfills to the Exxon
Valdez oil spill of 1989 in Alaska.
Prior to fiscal year 1999, this account was included under
the United States Fish and Wildlife Service appropriation. The
account was moved to the Departmental Offices appropriation
because its functions relate to several different bureaus
within the Department of the Interior.
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $5,501,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 5,633,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 5,633,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +132,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $5,633,000, the budget request,
for the natural resource damage assessment fund, an increase of
$132,000 above the fiscal year 2003 level.
GENERAL PROVISIONS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
The Committee recommends continuing several provisions
carried in previous bills as follows. Sections 101 and 102
provide for emergency transfer authority with the approval of
the Secretary. Section 103 provides for warehouse and garage
operations and for reimbursement for those services. Section
104 provides for vehicle and other services. Section 105
provides for uniform allowances. Section 106 provides for
twelve-month contracts. Sections 107 through 110 prohibit the
expenditure of funds for Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) leasing
activities in certain areas. These OCS provisions are addressed
under the Minerals Management Service in this report. Section
111 limits the investment of Federal funds by tribes and tribal
organizations to obligations of the United States or
obligations insured by the United States. Section 112 prohibits
the National Park Service from reducing recreation fees for
non-local travel through any park unit. Section 113 permits the
transfer of funds between the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the
Office of Special Trustee for American Indians.
Section 114 provides for the renewal of grazing permits
under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 as
amended until the Department completes its environmental
analysis.
Section 115 continues a provision allowing the hiring of
administrative law judges to address the Indian probate
backlog.
Section 116 continues a provision permitting the
redistribution of tribal priority allocation and tribal base
funds to alleviate funding inequities.
Section 117 continues a provision requiring the allocation
of Bureau of Indian Affairs postsecondary schools funds
consistent with unmet needs.
Section 118 continues a provision limiting the use of the
Huron Cemetery in Kansas City to religious purposes.
Section 119 continues a provision permitting the conveyance
of the Twin Cities Research Center of the former Bureau of
Mines for the benefit of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Section 120 continues a provision authorizing a cooperative
agreement with the Golden Gate National Parks Association.
Section 121 continues a provision permitting the Bureau of
Land Management to retain funds from the sale of seeds and
seedlings.
Section 122 continues a provision permitting the sale of
improvements and equipment at the White River Oil Shale Mine in
Utah and the retention and use of those funds by the Bureau of
Land Management and the General Services Administration.
Section 123 continues a provision authorizing the Secretary
of the Interior to use helicopter or motor vehicles to capture
and transport horses and burros at the Sheldon and Hart
National Wildlife Refuges.
Section 124 authorizes federal funds for Shenandoah Valley
Battlefield NHD and Ice Age NST to be transferred to a State,
local government, or other governmental land management entity
for acquisition of lands.
Section 125 continues a provision prohibiting the closure
of the underground lunchroom at Carlsbad Caverns NP, NM.
Section 126 continues a provision preventing the demolition
of a bridge between New Jersey and Ellis Island.
Section 127 continues a provision prohibiting the posting
of signs at Canaveral National Seashore as clothing optional
areas if it is inconsistent with county ordinance.
Section 128 continues a provision limiting compensation for
the Special Master and Court Monitor appointed by the Court in
Cobell v. Norton to 200 percent of the highest Senior Executive
Service rate of pay.
Section 129 continues a provision allowing the Secretary to
pay private attorney fees for employees and former employees
incurred in connection with Cobell v. Norton.
Section 130 continues a provision dealing with the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service's responsibilities for mass marking
of salmonid stocks.
Section 131 continues a provision permitting the transfer
of Departmental Management funds for operational needs at the
Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge airport.
Section 132 continues a provision prohibiting the use of
funds to study or implement a plan to drain or reduce water
levels in Lake Powell.
Section 133 amends section 122 of Division F of Public Law
108-7 to allow schools that are not funded by the Bureau of
Indian Affairs to participate in the tribal school
demonstration program with the understanding that only
construction funds and no funding for school operations or
facilities operations and maintenance will be provided to these
schools.
Section 134 requires the Secretary of the Interior to
report to the Committee within 180 days of enactment on the
educational facilities of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
and land availability for new or replacement facilities.
Section 135 provides for a land exchange at the Mojave
National Preserve.
Section 136 establishes the Blue Ridge National Heritage
Area.
Section 137 establishes a resolution process regarding
individual Indian money account claims. Claims would be
resolved either through a voluntary settlement process with
account holders, or by using a sound statistical methodology to
estimate a rate of past accounting error, which would be
applied to each account. In no case would there be any downward
adjustment to any account and account holders would have the
right to appeal any account adjustment to the Court of Appeals
for the District of Columbia.
Section 138 limits the use of funds for the Klamath Fishery
Management Council. The Council has overstepped its legislative
mandate by advocating policy positions that are outside the
scope of its authority.
Section 139 permits the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to
use funds to encourage public participation in Service programs
and for contracts for employment-related legal services.
TITLE II--RELATED AGENCIES
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
The U.S. Forest Service manages 192 million acres of public
lands for multiple use Nationwide, including lands in 44 States
and Puerto Rico, and cooperates with States, other Federal
agencies, Tribes and others to sustain the Nation's forests and
grasslands. The Forest Service administers a wide variety of
programs, including forest and rangeland research, State and
private forestry assistance, wildfire suppression and fuels
reduction, cooperative forest health programs, and human
resource programs. The National Forest System (NFS) includes
155 National forests, 20 National grasslands, 20 National
recreation areas, a National tallgrass prairie, 5 National
monuments, and 6 land utilization projects. The NFS is managed
for multiple use, including timber production, recreation,
wilderness, minerals, grazing, fish and wildlife habitat
management, and soil and water conservation.
The Committee notes that February 1, 2005 will be the
centennial of the transfer of the forest reserves from the
General Land Office in the Department of the Interior to the
newly named, U.S. Forest Service in the Department of
Agriculture. At its inception, President Theodore Roosevelt
convened the Joint Conservation Congress to provide guidance to
the Forest Service as it formed the multiple use mission which
continues to guide it today. The Committee recognizes this
historic past, and encourages the Forest Service to continue
its plans to commemorate appropriately this centennial with a
forward-looking process utilizing the historic sites so
relevant in the development of the agency mission. During
fiscal year 2004, the Committee expects the Administration to
establish a consensus-based approach analogous to that original
session to discuss and help determine a vision and strategic
plan, on a cooperative basis with the American public, for the
management of the Nation's forests and rangelands over the next
century. The Forest Service shall keep the Committee informed
in a timely manner of plans to accomplish this, resource needs
which may become apparent, and a strategy to involve a wide
array of the public and partners to help determine future goals
for the national forest system and the role of the Forest
Service in the Nation's natural resource and conservation
fabric. The Committee expects that the Forest Service, along
with its partners, will treat the centennial as an important
milestone deserving appropriate celebration and recognition.
FOREST AND RANGELAND RESEARCH
Forest and rangeland research and development sponsors
basic and applied scientific research. This research provides
both credible and relevant knowledge about forests and
rangelands and new technologies that can be used to sustain the
health, productivity, and diversity of private and public lands
to meet the needs of present and future generations. Research
is conducted across the U.S. through six research stations, the
Forest Products Laboratory, and the International Institute of
Tropical Forestry in Puerto Rico as well as cooperative
research efforts with many of the Nation's universities. The
Committee stresses that this research and development should
support all of the Nation's forests and rangelands and that
technology transfer and practical applications are vital.
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $250,049,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 252,170,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 267,230,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +17,181,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. +15,060,000
The Committee recommends $267,230,000 for forest and
rangeland research, $15,060,000 above the budget request and
$17,181,000 above the 2003 funding level. This funding level
includes a transfer of $6,200,000 from the NFS appropriation
for the forest inventory and analysis (FIA) program as well as
$3,100,000 for partial payment of fixed cost increases. The
Committee does not accept the proposed budget; allocations are
presented relative to the final fiscal year 2003 enacted
levels.
The Committee has consolidated funding for the FIA program
and also provided bill language clarifying the precise level
for this program under this heading. FIA funding within the
research account is $49,428,000, which includes a transfer of
$6,200,000 from the inventory and monitoring activity within
the NFS account and a program increase of $2,000,000.
Additional FIA funding consolidation is also recommended within
the State and private forestry account as discussed under that
heading. That account includes a total of $9,000,000 for the
forest resource information and analysis activity of the FIA
program, bringing the overall total for the Federal
contribution to the FIA program to $58,448,000. The Committee
encourages States and commercial users to help cost-share the
program.
The overall allocation maintains the fiscal year 2003
enacted research projects except the Morgantown, WV and
Baltimore, MD increases are discontinued and the funding for
the International Arid Lands Consortium has been consolidated
under the State and private forestry heading. Funding for the
projects added in fiscal year 2003 should be: $500,000 for the
Joe Skeen Institute for Rangeland Research, NM, $500,000 for
global climate change research in the northeast, $1,500,000 for
the advanced housing research consortium, $1,500,000 for
adelgid and other insects research in the east, $2,000,000 for
sudden oak death research, and $528,000 for the PNW
administrative alignment (which should hereafter be part of the
PNW station base). The Committee also has included increases of
$1,300,000 for invasive species research described in the
request, $300,000 for hemlock wooly adelgid research at
Coweeta, NC, $300,000 for technology transfer at Coweeta, NC,
$300,000 for Cumberland plateau silviculture research through
the Bent Creek project, NC, and $1,500,000 for the southern
pine beetle initiative. The Committee directs that $1,000,000
be provided for forestry related aspects of the biotechnology
initiative at Western Carolina University.
STATE AND PRIVATE FORESTRY
Through cooperative programs with State and local
governments, forest industry, conservation organizations, and
non-industrial private forest landowners, the Forest Service
supports the protection and management of the nearly 500
million acres of non-Federal forests in the country. Technical
and financial assistance is offered to improve wildland fire
management and protect communities from wildfire; control
insects and disease; improve harvesting and processing of
forest products; conserve environmentally important forests;
and enhance stewardship of urban and rural forests. The Forest
Service provides special expertise and disease suppression for
all Federal and tribal lands, as well as cooperative assistance
with the States for State and private lands.
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $284,712,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 315,823,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 290,758,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +6,047,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. -25,065,000
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
The Committee recommends $290,758,000 for State and private
forestry, $25,065,000 below the budget request and $6,047,000
above the 2003 funding level. All funding for this
appropriation should follow the fiscal year 2003 enacted levels
unless otherwise directed.
Forest Health Management.--The Committee recommends
$103,000,000 for forest health management, $20,981,000 above
the request and $22,117,000 above the enacted level. The
Committee emphasizes its concern with forest health in the
broad sense and has added bill language to clarify that forest
health activities may include treatments to restore and
rehabilitate forests damaged by pests or invasive plants. The
Committee once again rejects the request for an emerging pest
fund that came with unrealistic restrictions. Instead, the
Committee has added this funding to the base program. This
should fully fund the slow-the-spread gypsy moth program and
provide additional resources for work to control and manage the
Asian long-horned beetle, emerald ash borer and other pests in
urban settings and adelgids in the east, as well as various
mountain pine beetles throughout the Rockies and the west. The
previous funding within this activity for the FIA program
($2,810,000) has been transferred to the forest resource
information and analysis program as described below. Funding is
not provided for the Vermont forest health cooperative program
funded in fiscal year 2003. The Committee is concerned about
invasive exotic pests, which have proven to have huge impacts
on American forests and trees. Some funds may be retained at
headquarters in order to respond to new, urgent pest problems.
The Forest Service should expand its joint early detection
network with the APHIS to cover more ports and more pests, and
work with the research program and the international program to
expand cooperative projects overseas, especially in eastern
Asia, to deal with forest pests.
The Committee has added $10,000,000 for southern pine
beetle forest health activities, including forest
rehabilitation, disease prevention, and education. This
consists of $3,000,000 within the Federal lands activity and
$7,000,000 within the cooperative lands activity for help with
State and private forests. The Committee expects that the
Forest Service will establish a priority setting system to
direct southern pine beetle initiative funds to the most urgent
areas, as well as performance criteria which favor areas with
proven success. Use of this funding should be closely
coordinated with the complementary allocation within research
and development. In addition, the Committee is very concerned
about the condition of forests in the mountains of southern
California and expects this area to be given special
consideration with both Federal and cooperative forest health
funding. Discreet allocations for this urgent situation are
also provided within State fire assistance and hazardous fuels.
The recommendation of $56,000,000 for Federal lands forest
health management, includes the 2003 enacted funding (minus the
FIA transfer of $1,405,000) plus $1,447,000 for fixed cost
increases, $3,000,000 for the southern pine beetle initiative
described above, and a general increase of $2,911,000. The
recommendation of $47,000,000 for cooperative lands forest
health management, includes the 2003 enacted funding (minus the
FIA transfer of $1,405,000) plus $585,000 for fixed cost
increases, $7,000,000 for the southern pine beetle initiative
described above, and a general increase of $9,984,000.
Cooperative Fire Protection.--The Committee recommends
$41,100,000 for cooperative fire protection in the State and
private forestry account, $10,672,000 above the request and
$10,607,000 above the 2003 funding level. The Committee has
included an increase of $10,514,000 above the enacted level for
State fire assistance. Within this increase is $5,000,000 to
cost-share treatments in the mountains of southern California,
especially on State and private lands near the San Bernardino
NF, where a terrible pest outbreak has created an extremely
dangerous situation. Other funding for the southern California
situation is provided for work on Federal lands within the
wildland fire management account. The remainder of the increase
for State fire assistance above the fiscal year 2003 level
includes $485,000 for fixed cost increases and a program
increase of $5,029,000, which should focus on national fire
plan activities. No special allocation is provided for the Cook
Inlet Tribal Council. The recommendation includes $5,100,000
for volunteer fire assistance, an increase of $93,000 above the
enacted level. The Committee also notes that the cooperative
fire portion of the national fire plan within the wildland fire
management account includes a total of $51,000,000 for State
fire assistance and $8,240,000 for volunteer fire assistance.
Cooperative Forestry.--The Committee recommends
$140,658,000 for cooperative forestry, $57,659,000 below the
budget request and $26,965,000 below the 2003 funding level.
Forest Stewardship.--The Committee recommends $32,683,000
for forest stewardship, $32,926,000 below the request and
$671,000 above the enacted level. The proposed new initiatives
are not funded with discretionary appropriations. Instead, the
Committee has put healthy forest initiative funding increases
within the forest health management, State fire assistance, and
hazardous fuels activities. The Committee notes the large
infusion of new mandatory funding from the Farm Security and
Rural Investment Act of 2002, which includes $25,000,000 in
2003 and $20,000,000 in 2004 for the Forest Land Enhancement
program. The Committee expects that the Forest Service and the
State foresters will collaborate to use these funds for the
purposes of the healthy forests initiative. The Committee
directs the Forest Service to include in its subsequent budget
justifications a clear exposition, within the discussion on
cooperative forestry, of plans for integrating this mandatory
funding with other important cooperative forestry
appropriations. Within the allocation for forest stewardship,
the Committee continues funding of $500,000 for watershed
activities in the New York City watershed and $750,000 for the
Chesapeake Bay program but other earmarks added in fiscal year
2003 are discontinued.
Forest Legacy Program.--The Committee recommends
$45,575,000 for the forest legacy program, $45,234,000 below
the request and $22,805,000 below the enacted level. The
allocation also includes an additional $5,000,000 from prior
year funds; several previously designated projects have either
failed or received funding from other sources. The Committee
recommends the following distribution of funds:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Committee
State Project name FY04 request recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
AL Mobile Tensaw Delta.. $3,300,000 $3,300,000
CA Dofflemeyer Ranch.... 2,500,000 2,500,000
CA Six Rivers to the Sea 1,350,000 1,350,000
CT Peaceful Hill........ 200,000 200,000
CT Nipmuck.............. 350,000 350,000
DE Green Horizons....... 2,000,000 2,000,000
GA Rocky Creek at 1,500,000 1,500,000
Broxton Rocks.
IA Canyons.............. 290,000 290,000
ID St. Joe Basin/Mica 3,000,000 3,000,000
Creek Phase I.
IL Byron Rock River..... 1,200,000 1,200,000
IN Shawnee Hills........ 3,150,000 2,000,000
MA Belmont Springs...... 1,400,000 1,400,000
MA Bush Hill............ 227,000 227,000
ME Machias River Project 2,000,000 2,000,000
Phase I.
MN Lester River......... 500,000 500,000
NC Cool Springs......... 1,500,000 1,500,000
NH Pillsbury/Sunapee 2,530,000 2,530,000
Highlands.
NJ Upper Delaware River 5,500,000 5,125,000
Watershed.
NM Lagunas Bonitas...... 3,000,000 3,000,000
RI Great Grass Pond..... 28,000 328,000
SC Cooper River Corridor 10,000,000 4,000,000
TN Ray Gettelfinger 1,000,000 1,000,000
(Rugby).
UT Chalk Creek/South 2,700,000 800,000
Fork.
UT Cedar Project........ 1,550,000 1,550,000
VA Dragon Run........... 3,000,000 3,000,000
VA The Cove............. 1,125,000 1,125,000
WA Raging River Forest 1,000,000 1,000,000
Headwaters.
Other requested 30,782,000 .................
projects.
-------------------------------------
Project Subtotal... 86,982,000 46,775,000
Admin, Acq Mgment & 3,827,000 3,800,000
AON Planning.
Use of prior year ................. -5,000,000
funds.
-------------------------------------
Total.............. 90,809,000 45,575,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Committee has examined the forest legacy program
closely and has evaluated the progress being made on the
management problems described last year. The Forest Service has
made substantial progress but it is too soon to determine if
reforms are being effectively implemented. The Committee
directs the Forest Service to continue with the reforms begun
last year. The Committee remains particularly concerned about
potential problems with cost-share contributions being obscured
and with proper appraisal for interests in lands. The Committee
is committed to maintaining public access to lands protected
with public funds. The Committee believes it is imperative that
a transparent project selection process be maintained, and that
funding be favored for projects of national significance.
Funding for new States is not provided because the forest
legacy program has grown too quickly and should not be expanded
until a proven record of accomplishment is established. The
Committee notes that there is already over $100,000,000 in
previously appropriated funds for forest legacy projects which
have not been expended to date.
Urban and Community Forestry.--The Committee recommends
$36,000,000 for urban and community forestry, $1,893,000 below
the request and $1,000 above the 2003 funding level. This
recommendation includes $700,000 to support the northeastern
Pennsylvania community forestry program but other previous
Congressional allocations are discontinued. The Committee
directs the Forest Service to devise a new and different
funding allocation method for this program. The existing system
discriminates against States with large urban areas and directs
funds to States with many tiny communities, and it has no
performance based allocation criteria. The Committee directs
the new methodology used by the Forest Service to consider
State population and metropolitan area statistics, consider the
increased demand for assistance to large urban centers, as well
as devise performance criteria which help determine State
allocations. The Committee also directs that the new allocation
methodology should include competitive funding for nationally
or regionally significant projects. The Committee directs the
Forest Service to notify the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations, in writing, of this new allocation methodology
prior to allocating fiscal year 2004 funds. The Committee feels
that, after 11 years, this program no longer needs to require
certain specific staffing levels by a State as a condition to
getting a grant, and the Forest Service and the State foresters
should evaluate whether or not minimum State allocations should
be continued.
Economic Action Programs.--The Committee recommends
$17,400,000 for economic action programs, $8,868,000 below the
2003 level. This program was not included in the request.
Within the economic action program the Committee recommends the
following distribution of funds:
[In thousands of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Committee
Program component 2003 enacted recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Economic recovery base program.... $4,967 $5,000
Rural development base program.... 3,974 4,700
Forest products, conservation & 1,291 1,300
recycling........................
Wood in transportation............ 993 0
-------------------------------------
Programs subtotal........... 11,225 11,000
=====================================
Special projects:
Alabama rural economic action. 0 600
Arid Lands Research Consortium 298 400
Cradle of Forestry conserv. 586 650
ed, NC.......................
Gonzaga Univ. Inland NW 894 625
Natural Resources Center, WA.
KY mine waste reforestation... 993 750
Lake Tahoe erosion control 2,484 1,000
grants, CA NV................
Education & Research 0 1,000
Consortium of Western NC.....
Rural forestry technology for 596 625
State of WA..................
Woody biomass applications, 0 750
SUNY Syracuse, NY............
Wood Education & Resource 2,681 0
Center, WV...................
Other items....................... 6,511 0
-------------------------------------
Subtotal special projects... 15,043 6,400
=====================================
Total economic action....... 26,268 17,400
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Committee disagrees with the Administration's proposal
to eliminate entirely the economic action programs. These cost-
share efforts provide vital capacity building for rural
communities, which can greatly aid forest dependent
communities. This forestry capacity building is important as it
complements the national fire plan and the healthy forest
initiative. The conservation education funding for the Cradle
of Forestry is for the Education and Research Consortium of
Western North Carolina, of which $250,000 is for the Pisgah
Forest Institute and $400,000 is for the Cradle of Forestry,
USDA Forest Service. The funds for the Education and Research
Consortium of Western NC are for a new, Pisgah Forest
Institute, national earth and environmental education
initiative to teach educators by using several regional forest
locations as labs for instruction.
Forest Resource Information and Analysis.--The Committee
recommends $9,000,000 for forest resource information and
analysis, $4,994,000 above the request and $4,036,000 above the
2003 enacted level. This includes transfers of $1,405,000 from
both the Federal and cooperative forest health accounts, and a
program increase of $1,304,000 for this activity. This
consolidates all FIA activities in this activity, and in one
account within the research and development account. These
funds should be used in partnership with the State foresters
and others to enhance the forest inventory and analysis
program, which is managed within the forest research and
development branch. The funds should be used to accelerate the
inventory cycle time.
International Program.--The Committee recommends $6,000,000
for the international program, $941,000 above the request and
$287,000 above the fiscal year 2003 funding level. The
Committee is encouraged by the successful partnerships in the
international program and the growing importance of maintaining
expertise in this arena.
NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM
Within the National Forest System, which covers 192 million
acres, there are 51 Congressionally designated areas, including
20 National recreation areas, and 7 National scenic areas. The
NFS includes a substantial amount of the Nation's softwood
inventory. In fiscal year 2002 over 208,000 acres of national
forest vegetation was managed through timber sale activities,
which produced 1.7 billion board feet of timber products.
Nearly 8,800 farmers and ranchers pay for permits to graze
cattle, horses, sheep and goats on 90 million acres of
grassland, open forests, and other forage-producing acres of
the National forest system. The NFS includes over 133,000 miles
of trails and 23,000 developed facilities, including 4,389
campgrounds, 58 major visitor centers, and about one-half of
the Nation's ski-lift capacity. Wilderness areas cover 35
million acres, nearly two-thirds of the wilderness in the
contiguous 48 States. The Forest Service also has major habitat
management responsibilities for more than 3,000 species of
wildlife and fish, and 10,000 plant species and provides
important habitat and open space for over 400 threatened or
endangered species. Half of the Nation's big game habitat and
coldwater fish habitat, including salmon and steelhead, is
located on National forest system lands and waters. In
addition, in the 16 western States, where the water supply is
sometimes critically short, about 55 percent of the total
annual yield of water is from National forest system lands.
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $1,353,444,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 1,369,573,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 1,400,792,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +47,348,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. +31,219,000
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
The Committee recommends $1,400,792,000 for the National
forest system, $31,219,000 above the budget request and
$47,348,000 above the 2003 funding level.
Land Management Planning.--The Committee recommends
$73,929,000 for land management planning, $3,061,000 above the
request and $2,203,000 above the 2003 level. The Committee
remains concerned that forest plans need to be updated, but
that management activities should not be unduly delayed further
due to process-oriented litigation dealing with the age of a
forest plan. Bill language in Title III addresses this
situation.
Inventory and Monitoring.--The Committee recommends
$173,496,000 for inventory and monitoring, $4,300,000 below the
request, and $720,000 below the 2003 level. The Committee notes
that $6,200,000 has been transferred to the research and
development appropriation account for FIA activities, which
were previously funded under this heading. Within the
allocation, the Committee has included $500,000 for watershed
assessments and adaptive management activities at the Lake
Tahoe Basin, and $180,000 for the National Forests of North
Carolina for inventories of potentially harvestable plants. The
Committee notes that bill language is included in Title III
amending and extending the pilot forest botanical product
harvest program established in fiscal year 2000 but never
implemented. The Committee recommends that botanists and other
inventory specialists help implement this program so it can
actually be started to aid sustainable management of plant
resources.
Recreation, Heritage and Wilderness.--The Committee
recommends $262,282,000 for recreation heritage and wilderness,
$7,341,000 above the request and $9,740,000 above the 2003
level. Volunteer work and contributions by the recreation
community are impressive and accordingly the Committee has
provided funding increases in support of these efforts. Within
the increase, the Committee has included $100,000 for the
Colville NF, WA, for an EIS on the 49 Degrees North Ski Hill,
and $150,000 for the Finger Lakes NF, NY, for an EIS covering
potential building for visitor services.
The Committee directs continued funding above the request,
and reporting requirements, for national scenic and historic
trails as in fiscal year 2003, including $1,500,000 for trails
where the Forest Service has prime responsibility and $400,000
for trails where the Forest Service shares responsibility. In
addition, the Forest Service should maintain a full time
Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) manager, provide funds to work with
the Pacific Crest Trail Association, and aid PCT trail
relocation reviews. The Forest Service should make every effort
to work with volunteer groups, which contribute work, time, and
money to enhance Federal resources.
The Committee is particularly concerned about the situation
affecting outfitting and guide operations on national forest
system wilderness areas in the High Sierra range on the Inyo
and Sierra National Forests, CA. Outfitting and guide
operations provide an important service to the public. The
Forest Service should work to assure that these activities are
managed at sustainable levels to achieve an appropriate balance
of recreation opportunities for both the guided and non-guided
public. The Forest Service should use an appropriate amount of
the funding increase for recreation and wilderness to support
and continue outfitter and guide operations on these two
forests for the benefit of the public. Forest managers should
work closely with the outfitters and others to see that permits
are renewed as fast as possible and that public use of
wilderness is not diminished. Bill language is included within
Administrative provisions to require a report which will aid
the outfitter and guide permitting process on these two
national forests.
The Committee appreciates the efforts of the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) and the Forest Service to assess the current
status of access to the lands that they manage. The Committee
feels strongly that the agencies should continue to take
proactive steps to provide adequate public access for
recreation. Therefore, the Committee directs the BLM and the
Forest Service to submit to the Committee, by May 30, 2004, a
coordinated strategic plan which indicates how the agencies
will: (1) inventory and identify the ownership of roads,
trails, access points and existing public rights-of-way within
their units; (2) identify a priority list of perpetual access
easements needed to provide adequate permanent legal access to
enhance the recreation potential of public lands; and (3)
establish a process and timeline for developing up-to-date
recreational access plans for individual forest and public land
units.
Wildlife and Fish Habitat Management.--The Committee
recommends $138,325,000 for wildlife and fish habitat
management, an increase of $3,531,000 above the request and
$5,389,000 above the 2003 level. Included in the increase above
the request is $150,000 to continue the threatened, endangered
and sensitive species inventory work on the National Forests in
North Carolina; the remainder is for fixed costs.
Grazing Management.--The Committee recommends $46,871,000
for grazing management, $3,691,000 above the request and
$6,287,000 above the 2003 funding level. The Committee has
provided this large increase to help the forests get on track
with NEPA work required for updating allotment management plans
and for providing important rangeland project inventories.
Within Title III--General Provisions, the Committee has
included bill language which provides continuity for permitees
while these environmental assessments are being completed.
Forest Products.--The Committee recommends $273,504,000 for
forest products, $5,485,000 above the request and $9,876,000
above the 2003 funding level. The increase includes a $300,000
increase to the base program on the National Forests in North
Carolina. The Committee encourages the Forest Service to use
the expanded stewardship end-result contracting authority as an
important tool to help manage and improve forestland. As the
service expands this implementation, it should keep track of
these projects and report regularly to the Congress, and the
Service should include provisions for independent, outside
second party monitoring.
Vegetation and Watershed Management.--The Committee
recommends $198,387,000 for vegetation and watershed
management, $5,781,000 above the budget request and $8,684,000
above the 2003 funding level. The increase above the request
includes $1,000,000 for watershed recovery efforts on the Wayne
NF, OH, $1,000,000 for priority forest improvement work on the
Colville NF, WA, $300,000 for noxious weed work in eastern
Washington, $200,000 to complete the Waldo Lake, OR, scientific
watershed assessment, and $600,000 for watershed improvement
activities in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Managers on the Colville NF
are encouraged to use categorical exclusions for projects using
this new funding.
Minerals and Geology Management.--The Committee recommends
$54,065,000 for minerals and geology management as requested,
an increase of $1,772,000 above the 2003 funding level.
Land Ownership Management.--The Committee recommends
$95,337,000 for land ownership management, $3,645,000 above the
request and $2,926,000 above the 2003 funding level. The
Committee provides this increase because of the huge
operational backlog and shortfall in this program area, which
provides vital, basic public service. The Committee expects the
Forest Service to maintain the full-time lands team to work on
the Pacific Crest Trail project and other similar projects.
Law Enforcement Operations.--The Committee recommends
$83,612,000 for law enforcement operations, $2,984,000 above
the budget request and $3,337,000 above the 2003 funding level.
This funding allocation should maintain funding at the fiscal
year 2003 levels for the Daniel Boone National Forest, KY, and
the Mark Twain NF, MO.
Other.--The Committee has provided $984,000 as requested
for management of the Valles Caldera National Preserve, NM, but
notes that if there are specific infrastructure needs, such
funding should be requested under the capital improvement and
maintenance appropriation and compete with other Forest Service
projects.
The Committee directs that overall funding for Land Between
the Lakes NRA (KY and TN) be no less than $8,400,000. The
Forest Service should determine the appropriate funding mix
from all accounts, not just the NFS appropriation.
The Committee recommendation includes the full funding
requested by the Administration for the Quincy Library Group
project in California.
Challenge Cost Share Program.--The Committee remains
concerned that the Forest Service has allowed the partnership
activities of the Challenge Cost Share program and similar
efforts to languish. The Committee directs the Forest Service
to continue implementing the instructions provided in fiscal
year 2003 for these activities, including incorporating such
work into the budget, by budget line item, and displaying this
in subsequent budget justifications.
WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $2,006,968,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 1,541,775,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 1,624,632,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... -382,336,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. +82,857,000
The Committee recommends $1,624,632,000 for wildland fire
management, $82,857,000 above the budget request and
$382,336,000 below the 2003 funding level (which included
$636,000,000 to repay partially previous emergency fire
suppression expenditures). The Committee recognizes the serious
situation concerning wildland fire management and the need for
a sustained commitment of resources and talent throughout the
Nation to implement the National fire plan. This effort
requires an integrated approach utilizing skills across the
entire spectrum of the agency and from many partners,
especially the States.
The national fire plan directed by the Congress and agreed
to by the Administration and the Nation's governors includes
four major areas of focus, as well as the need for
accountability and research and development for all aspects.
The Administration's budget request recognizes only two
aspects, fighting fires and reducing hazardous fuels; the
request nearly ignores the other two critical aspects:
restoration and rehabilitation, and community assistance. The
Committee has used the scarce resources available to support
these latter aspects, as well as insist on adequate
accountability and support for research and development for
this multi-billion dollar endeavor.
Bill Language.--The Committee has continued bill language
from fiscal year 2003, which provides expanded contracting and
cooperative agreement authorities that facilitate wildfire
management and hazardous fuels reduction activities, especially
in the wildland-urban interface. The Committee has also
included bill language allowing the transfer between the
Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior of
up to $12,000,000 to facilitate joint projects. The Committee
remains very concerned that the Knutson-Vandenberg (KV)
reforestation fund has been used to fund emergency fire
suppression operations and that these funds have not been
repaid. The Committee expects the Administration to make a good
faith effort to repay the KV-fund so that vital reforestation
and land improvement activities are not put at jeopardy.
Wildfire Preparedness.--The Committee recommends
$698,000,000 for wildfire management preparedness, an increase
of $88,253,000 above the request and $20,004,000 above the
enacted level. The Committee notes that the Forest Service with
Congressional encouragement reprogrammed $66,000,000 into this
account from the suppression activity, in order to maintain an
adequate fire-fighting work force and initial attack
capability. The Committee understands that it is imperative to
maintain fire-fighting readiness so that initial attack has a
greater chance of putting fires out while they are small, less
destructive and less expensive to suppress. Accordingly, the
Committee has realigned some of the fire suppression funding
into the preparedness activity in order to help prevent run-
away, large fire incidents which command so much emergency
funding and are so destructive to the environment, property,
and lives.
The Committee is concerned that the allocation of funds
between preparedness and suppression operations may not
maintain the levels of readiness needed for public safety that
were established in fiscal years 2001 and 2002. The Committee
believes that decisive action is necessary to manage escalating
fire suppression costs. An important component of reducing such
costs is maintaining initial attack capability so that more
fires can be contained before they escape and cause serious
loss of life and property as well as natural resource damage.
Accordingly, the Committee directs the Forest Service to
analyze current readiness levels to determine whether
maintaining preparedness resources in the field at a level not
less than that established in fiscal year 2002, will, based on
the best information available, result in lower overall
firefighting costs. If the agency makes such a determination,
the Committee directs the Forest Service to adjust the levels
for preparedness and suppression funding accordingly and report
on these adjustments to the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations. The Department should advise the House and
Senate Committees on Appropriations in writing prior to their
decision.
Wildfire Suppression Operations.--The Committee recommends
$520,000,000 for wildfire suppression operations, $84,580,000
below the request but an increase of $168,036,000 above the
non-emergency funding for this activity in fiscal year 2003.
The Committee remains concerned about rising suppression
costs and the lack of incentives to consider costs during
large-fire incidents. The Forest Service, along with the
Department of the Interior, should be sure that cost
containment is an important priority when suppressing wildland
fires. Therefore, the Committee directs the Forest Service and
the Department of the Interior to continue reports directed in
fiscal year 2003, and also to contract with the National
Academy of Public Administration to continue their work to help
reform fire procurement procedures and develop joint planning
with States and regions which are coordinated with Department
of Homeland Security emergency procedures.
The Committee is encouraged by the Forest Service's use of
a private contract with commercial providers of off-duty or
trained personnel with law enforcement backgrounds to provide
security services in firefighting camps. The Committee believes
that a long-term contract for fire camp security services is
desirable from an operational and cost perspective. Such a
contract would go to an experienced commercial provider of such
personnel, and it should include a base level deployable
security team and additional on-call or standby security teams
as needed in fire camps.
Other Wildfire Operations.--The Committee recommends
$406,632,000 for other wildfire operations, an increase of
$79,184,000 above the request and an increase of $65,624,000
above the fiscal year 2003 level. The Committee recommends the
following distribution of funds for these vital portions of the
national fire plan:
OTHER WILDFIRE OPERATIONS
[In thousands of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Committee
Request recommendation
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hazardous Fuels................... $231,392 $246,392
Rehabilitation and restoration.... 0 40,000
Fire Facilities Backlog........... 0 0
Research and Development.......... 21,427 22,000
Joint Fire Science................ 8,000 8,000
State Fire Assistance............. 46,455 51,000
Volunteer Fire Assistance......... 8,240 8,240
Forest Health--Federal Lands...... 6,955 10,000
Forest Health--Cooperative Lands.. 4,979 15,000
Economic Action Programs.......... 0 6,000
-------------------------------------
Subtotal--Other Wildfire 327,448 406,632
Operations.................
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Committee has provided $246,392,000 for hazardous fuels
reduction work, an increase of $15,000,000 above the budget
request and an increase of $19,765,000 above the fiscal year
2003 level. The Committee has included an increase above the
base of $5,000,000 for urgent treatments on the San Bernardino
NF, CA, caused by drought and a catastrophic bark beetle
outbreak. The overall allocation also continues the previous
funding of $5,000,000 for the Community Forest Restoration Act
and up to $15,000,000 for use on adjacent non-Federal lands
when hazard reduction activities are planned on national forest
system lands, and no less than $3,500,000 for work in Arizona.
The Committee has also restored $40,000,000 for the burned
area rehabilitation and restoration program first proposed in
fiscal year 2001. The Committee expects the Forest Service, in
close partnership with the Department of the Interior, to
continue the native plant program with at least $2,000,000.
This expanded program is designed to go beyond emergency
stabilization to include the reintroduction of native plants
into these burned over areas before exotic species can gain a
foothold, and to encourage rural industries to produce plant
materials.
The Committee has provided $8,000,000 for the joint fire
science program, the same as the enacted level. This program is
producing important scientific and technical information, often
in collaboration with the Nation's forestry schools, that is
needed to support the large effort concerning hazardous fuels
and other fire management issues. The Committee has also
provided funding for research and development activities within
the national fire plan.
The Committee has provided $51,000,000 for State fire
assistance, $4,545,000 above the request and $4,748,000 above
the enacted level. This funding is in addition to the
$36,000,000 provided under the State and private forestry
heading. The Committee has also included $8,240,000 for
volunteer fire assistance as requested; this brings the
volunteer fire funding to a total of $13,340,000. Other
community assistance funding provided in support of the
national fire plan is $6,000,000 for economic action programs;
this funding was not requested by the Administration but it
supports important forestry capacity building to help develop
markets for wood products.
The Committee has provided $25,000,000 for the forest
health portion of the national fire plan, including $10,000,000
for Federal lands and $15,000,000 for cooperative efforts with
the States and others. This funding level is $13,066,000 above
the request and $8,176,000 above the enacted level. This
funding should be used in conjunction with the similar funding
in State and private forestry to establish a more integrated
approach to forest health, including prevention, and
restoration and rehabilitation of forests and rangelands. The
Committee expects the Forest Service to focus on major
problems, such as southern pine beetles, western mountain bark
beetles, adelgids, and other pests and pathogens, which harm
forests and subsequently increase wildfire hazards.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND MAINTENANCE
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $548,450,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 524,571,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 560,473,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +12,023,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. +35,902,000
The Committee recommends $560,473,000 for capital
improvement and maintenance, $12,023,000 above the enacted
level and $35,902,000 above the request.
The Committee agrees to the following distribution of
funds:
[In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FY 2003 2004 budget Committee Change from
Activity or project enacted request recommendation request
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Facilities:
Maintenance.......................................... $93,315 $97,942 $97,942 0
Capital improvement.................................. 85,441 102,934 93,993 -$8,941
Congressional priorities:
Allegheny NF recreation projects, PA............. ........... ........... 975 975
Bradford RD office completion, PA................ ........... ........... 190 190
Cherokee NF, Chilhowee rec area I & II, TN....... ........... ........... 674 674
Cradle Forestry rehab & exhibits, NC............. ........... ........... 175 175
D. Boone NF, recreation improvements, KY......... ........... ........... 795 795
Nantahala NF Santeetlah Lake boat ramp ........... ........... 1,250 1,250
improvements, NC................................
Nantahala NF Jackrabbit rec area, NC............. ........... ........... 1,030 1,030
Pisgah NF, Lake Powhatan cmpgrd rehab, NC........ ........... ........... 1,660 1,660
Pisgah NF, Mortimer Recreation Area, NC.......... ........... ........... 200 200
San Bernardino NF sanitation rehab, CA........... ........... ........... 725 725
Southern Research Station, global change bldg p&d ........... ........... 500 500
Waldo Lake sanitation improvements, OR........... ........... ........... 450 450
Subtotal Congressional priorities.................... 23,556 0 8,624 8,624
------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal Facilities................................ 202,312 200,876 200,559 -317
======================================================
Roads:
Maintenance.......................................... 152,361 160,568 157,000 -3,568
Capital improvement.................................. 70,538 84,790 79,000 -5,790
Caribbean NF emergency repairs, PR............... ........... ........... 525 525
Chattahooche NF Rich Mtn rd, GA.................. ........... ........... 318 318
Coweeta research center improvements, NC......... ........... ........... 125 125
Lake Tahoe basin, rehab & decommissioning, CA NV. ........... ........... 1,350 1,350
Mt. Hood NF, Cloud Cap & Hood River Meadows, OR.. ........... ........... 396 396
Subtotal Congressional priorities.................... 8,445 ........... 2,714 2,714
------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal Roads..................................... 231,344 245,358 238,714 -6,644
======================================================
Trails:
Maintenance.......................................... 36,426 42,592 39,000 -3,592
Capital improvement.................................. 29,969 35,745 33,000 -2,745
Congressional priorities:
D. Boone NF, Cave Run & Laurel Lake horse trails, ........... ........... 500 500
KY..............................................
Florida National scenic trail.................... ........... ........... 500 500
Pacific Crest trail improvements, CA OR WA....... ........... ........... 850 850
Mount Yonah and Pinhoti Trails, GA............... ........... ........... 350 350
------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal Congressional priorities.................... 2,831 ........... 2,200 2,200
------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal Trails.................................... 69,226 78,337 74,200 -4,137
======================================================
Infrastructure Improvement:
Fish passage barriers................................ 4,968 0 7,000 7,000
Deferred Maintenance................................. 40,600 0 40,000 40,000
------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal Infrastructure Improvement................ 45,568 0 47,000 47,000
======================================================
Total.............................................. $548,450 $524,571 $560,473 $35,902
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Facilities.--The Committee recommends $200,559,000 for
facilities maintenance and capital improvement, $317,000 below
the request and $1,753,000 below the fiscal year 2003 level.
The Committee has fully funded the request for facility
maintenance. The Committee has funded the capital improvement
request but no funding is provided for the Rapid City, SD or
Juneau/ANM, AK buildings. The recreation projects on the
Allegheny NF, PA, include $150,000 to finish the Buckaloons
campground, $400,000 to rehabilitate the Kiasatha campground,
$300,000 to update the Red Bridge campground, and $125,000 for
the Kinzua dam recreational pier. The recreation improvements
on the Daniel Boone NF, KY, include $325,000 for the Cave Run-
Caney site, $270,000 for the Natural Arch scenic area, and
$200,000 for the wilderness gateway and canoe launch.
The Forest Service is encouraged to negotiate with the Air
Force or the Inland Valley Development Agency to establish a
lease for Building 3 (Norton) for the headquarters of the San
Bernardino NF, CA.
Roads.--The Committee recommends $238,714,000 for road
maintenance and capital improvement, $6,644,000 below the
request and $7,370,000 above the fiscal year 2003 level. The
Committee has maintained the road decommissioning authority at
$15,000,000. Funds provided for emergency repairs on the
Caribbean NF, PR, may be transferred to the national forest
system appropriation as needed for environmental assessments
required for this purpose. The Committee expects to continue to
receive regular updates, and a continued display in the budget
justification, on progress in addressing the huge backlog of
deferred maintenance and repair, especially as it relates to
the activities funded through the road and trails fund, the
pilot conveyance authority and the infrastructure improvement
funds provided in the conservation spending category.
Trails.--The Committee recommends $74,200,000 for trails
maintenance and capital improvement, $4,137,000 below the
request and $4,974,000 above the fiscal year 2003 level. Under
the national forest system account specific directions are
included for National scenic and historic trails operations.
Infrastructure Improvement.--The Committee has included
$47,000,000 for infrastructure improvement, which was not
requested this year, $1,432,000 above the fiscal year 2003
enacted level. This includes $40,000,000 for deferred
maintenance, a decrease of $600,000 from the enacted level. The
Committee also recommends $7,000,000 to continue the program to
help remediate salmonid fish passage problems at road
crossings. This funding should be allocated for priority
projects in regions 6 and 5, and activities should be
coordinated with States, other Federal agencies, watershed
councils and others to help determine priority projects.
LAND ACQUISITION
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $132,945,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 44,130,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 29,288,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... -103,657,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. -14,842,000
The Committee recommends $29,288,000 for land acquisition,
a decrease of $14,842,000 below the budget request and
$103,657,000 below the enacted level. This amount includes
$11,000,000 for land acquisition projects, $14,914,000 for
acquisition management, $1,374,000 for cash equalization, and
$2,000,000 for inholdings.
The Committee is concerned with the expenditure of land
acquisition management funds in the National Forest Service.
The Committee directs the Forest Service to provide a detailed
report by March 1, 2004 that includes all expenditures
including overhead, salaries, appraisals, survey and other
acquisition related costs paid for by acquisition management
funds for the last three fiscal years. In addition, the report
should include details of any other funding sources used to pay
land acquisition management and support costs.
The Committee agrees to the following distribution of
funds:
Project Amount
Land Acquisition Projects............................... $11,000,000
Acquisition Management.................................. 14,914,000
Cash Equalization....................................... 1,374,000
Inholdings.............................................. 2,000,000
--------------------------------------------------------
____________________________________________________
Total............................................. 29,288,000
ACQUISITION OF LANDS FOR NATIONAL FORESTS SPECIAL ACTS
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $1,062,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 1,069,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 1,069,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +7,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $1,069,000 for acquisition of
lands for National forests, special acts, as requested. These
funds are used pursuant to several special acts, which
authorize appropriations from the receipts of specified
National forests for the purchase of lands to minimize erosion
and flood damage to critical watersheds needing soil
stabilization and vegetative cover.
ACQUISITION OF LANDS TO COMPLETE LAND EXCHANGES
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $232,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 234,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 234,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +2,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $234,000 as requested for
acquisition of lands to complete land exchanges under the Act
of December 4, 1967 (16 U.S.C. 484a). Under the Act, deposits
made by public school districts or public school authorities to
provide for cash equalization of certain land exchanges can be
appropriated to acquire similar lands suitable for National
forest system purposes in the same State as the National forest
lands conveyed in the exchanges.
RANGE BETTERMENT FUND
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $3,380,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 3,000,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 3,000,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... -380,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $3,000,000, as requested, for the
range betterment fund, to be derived from grazing receipts from
the National forests (Public Law 94-579, as amended) and to be
used for range rehabilitation, protection, and improvements
including seeding, reseeding, fence construction, weed control,
water development, and fish and wildlife habitat enhancement in
16 western States.
GIFTS, DONATIONS AND BEQUESTS FOR FOREST AND RANGELAND RESEARCH
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $91,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 92,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 92,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +1,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $92,000, the budget estimate, for
gifts, donations and bequests for forest and rangeland
research, an increase of $1,000 above the fiscal year 2003
level. Authority for the program is contained in Public Law 95-
307 (16 U.S.C. 1643, section 4(b)). Amounts appropriated and
not needed for current operations may be invested in public
debt securities. Both the principal and earnings from the
receipts are available to the Forest Service.
MANAGEMENT OF NATIONAL FOREST LANDS FOR SUBSISTENCE USES
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $5,506,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 5,535,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 5,535,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +29,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $5,535,000, the same as the
request and $29,000 above the enacted level, for the management
of national forest lands for subsistence uses in Alaska.
ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS, FOREST SERVICE
The Committee has retained administrative provisions
contained in previous years. The Committee has provided for a
program of $2,000,000 for the Youth Conservation Corps. The
Committee has also continued the authority for transfers to the
National Forest Foundation and the National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation. The Committee is encouraged by these partnership
efforts. The Committee is allowing $300,000 in administrative
funds to be used by the National Forest Foundation for one more
year despite the Administration's request to end this support.
The Committee has also continued the wildland fire transfer
authority, which allows use of funds from other accounts
available to the Forest Service during wildfire emergencies
when other wildfire emergency funds are not available. The
Committee expects the Administration to prepare promptly
supplemental budget requests when they transfer funds from
other appropriations during wildfire emergencies.
The Committee is very concerned by the recent announcement
by the Department of Labor that it intends to reduce the
allocation of Title V Older Worker Employment funds for the
Forest Service. The June 5, 2003 announcement proposed a
funding level of $20,500,000, approximately a 25 percent
reduction below current staffing levels for this long-standing
and successful partnership. Such an allocation would
dramatically reduce the number of senior citizens in the
National Forest System and would significantly affect services
to the public. The Committee urges the Labor Department to
reconsider this proposal as it completes its fiscal year 2003
funding plans for the Older Workers Employment program.
The Committee is very concerned about the Forest Service
implementation of the Administration's ``Competitive Sourcing''
initiative. This issue is discussed in general terms in the
front of this report and bill language is included under Title
III--General Provisions limiting the use of funds for
competitive sourcing to those currently underway. In
particular, the Committee is concerned that the Department of
Agriculture has moved much too quickly, spent large sums which
should have gone for resource programs, and has paid inadequate
attention to a previous Committee directive on this issue.
House Report 107-564, which was supported by the statement of
the managers for the Omnibus Appropriations Act for 2003 (House
Report 108-10), specifically directed the Forest Service to re-
do the Field Decisions Leadership Initiative which had directed
specific, annual reductions in FTEs. The Committee understands
that the Forest Service has continued on its proposed path,
despite the proposal being rejected by the Congress, and
expects to expend $10 million during fiscal year 2003 on direct
contracts for competitive sourcing studies. Furthermore, the
Committee understands that all forests and most contracting
officers are heavily impacted by this work effort at a time
when they should concentrate their attentions to responding to
the disruption caused by last year's severe fiscal situation
when most available funds were borrowed for emergency
firefighting.
Another Committee concern deals with the issue of primary
and ancillary duties of the Federal workforce of this land
managing agency. Many of these employees perform their primary
job, which may include several unrelated tasks, for most of the
year, but during the wildland fire season they are shifted into
wildfire related activities. All outsourcing studies need to
take a government-wide perspective so potential adverse impacts
to the government's emergency response capability are fully
considered.
In addition to these issues, concerns have been raised to
the Committee about the affect this competitive sourcing
initiative may have on employment levels in rural economies,
particularly in the west.
The Forest Service should follow the bill-wide instructions
presented in the front of this report, and in addition, should
update the ``Forest Service Strategy for Improving Organization
Efficiency'' so it reflects this direction and does not follow
any arbitrary targets for outsourcing studies. The Committee
directs the Forest Service to provide the House and Senate
Committees on Appropriations quarterly reports detailing
competitive sourcing expenditures and activities, including
costs of contracts and costs of agency personnel time, by
budget line item, and include explanations of the resource
programs which are not being implemented due to this increase
in indirect costs. The Forest Service should provide local,
public notice at least 30 days before beginning competitive
sourcing studies, which could reduce staffing by less than 65
persons in any single, rural office.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
CLEAN COAL TECHNOLOGY
(DEFERRAL)
The Committee recommends the deferral of $86,000,000 in
clean coal technology funding until fiscal year 2005. These
funds are needed for the successful conclusion of existing
clean coal projects but will not be required for obligation in
fiscal year 2004.
The Committee has directly appropriated funding for the
continued administration of this program and the follow-on
clean coal power initiative under the fossil energy research
and development account. It is important that these funds
become a part of the recurring base budget for fossil energy
research and development.
The Committee continues to support the U.S./China Energy
and Environmental Center, which supports and assists the
efforts of U.S. companies to promote the use of American clean
energy technology in China. This technology will greatly reduce
emissions and improve energy efficiency. Up to $1,000,000 in
clean coal technology funding may be used for this purpose in
fiscal year 2004.
FOSSIL ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Fossil energy research and development programs make
prudent investments in long-range research and development that
help protect the environment through higher efficiency power
generation, advanced technologies and improved compliance and
stewardship operations. These activities safeguard our domestic
energy security. This country will continue to rely on
traditional fuels for the majority of its energy requirements
for the foreseeable future, and the activities funded through
this account ensure that energy technologies continue to
improve with respect to emissions reductions and control and
energy efficiency.
Fossil fuels, especially coal, are this country's most
abundant and lowest cost fuels for electric power generation.
They are why this country enjoys the lowest cost electricity of
any industrialized economy. The prospects for technology
advances for coal and other fossil fuels are just as bright as
those for alternative energy sources such as solar, wind, and
geothermal. The power generation technology research funded
under this account has the goal of developing virtually
pollution-free power plants within the next 15 or 20 years and
doubling the amount of electricity produced from the same
amount of fuel.
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $620,837,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 514,305,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 609,290,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... -11,547,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. +94,985,000
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
The Committee recommends $609,290,000 for fossil energy
research and development, an increase of $94,985,000 above the
budget request and a decrease of $11,547,000 below the fiscal
year 2003 level. The increase above the budget request is due,
in part, to the fact that the budget assumed the use of
$19,000,000 in prior year funds that are not available and did
not include $15,000,000 for administration of the clean coal
power initiative and its predecessor programs. Changes to the
budget request are detailed below.
Clean Coal Power Initiative.--The Committee recommends
$130,000,000, the budget request for the clean coal power
initiative. The Committee is concerned that the $20,000,000
reduction to this program may delay achievement of program
goals and asks the Department and the Administration to
consider carefully a substantial increase for the program in
fiscal year 2005.
Fuels and Power Systems.--The Committee recommends
$268,860,000 for fuels and power systems including an increase
of $5,000,000 for advanced systems/combustion systems including
hybrids to replace the pressurized fluidized bed program. In
sequestration research, there is a decrease of $21,200,000
including decreases of $8,000,000 for the ongoing fossil energy
climate change programs and $13,200,000 for the proposed
National climate change technology initiative. In
transportation fuels and chemicals, increases include
$6,000,000 for syngas membrane technology and $10,500,000 for
the ultra clean fuels program. In solid fuels and feedstock,
increases include $1,000,000 for premium carbon products,
$3,000,000 for advanced separation technology, $2,000,000 for
coal-derived jet fuels, and $60,000 for program support. In
advanced fuels research there is an increase of $3,000,000
including $2,000,000 for the C-1 chemistry program. In advanced
research, there is an increase of $2,000,000 in technology
crosscut for the focus area for computational energy science
and decreases of $2,000,000 for university coal research and
$1,000,000 for historically black colleges and universities
education and training. In distributed generation systems there
is an increase of $23,000,000 including increases of $3,000,000
for fuel cell systems development to continue the molten
carbonate program including the hybrid program, $8,000,000 for
the vision 21 hybrids program to continue solid oxide fuel cell
development including the hybrid program, and $12,000,000 for
innovative systems to continue solid state energy conversion
alliance programs.
Natural Gas Technologies.--The Committee recommends
$36,480,000 for natural gas technologies. In exploration and
production, there is a net increase of $5,480,000 including
increases of $10,000,000 for advanced drilling, completion and
stimulation, $4,000,000 for advanced diagnostics and imaging
systems, $2,000,000 for National laboratory/industry
partnerships, $1,200,000 for stripper well revitalization,
$500,000 for technology transfer, $1,500,000 for Deep Trek, and
$140,000 for program support, and a decrease of $13,860,000 for
sustainable supply. The Committee notes that all of the
existing programs support sustainable supply. Other increases
include $2,000,000 for the gas hydrates program and $9,000,000
in natural gas infrastructure including $2,000,000 for storage
technology and $7,000,000 for delivery reliability. There is
also a decrease of $6,555,000 in emerging processing technology
for research on producing hydrogen from natural gas.
Oil Technology.--The Committee recommends $32,200,000 for
oil technology. In exploration and production supporting
research, increases include $2,000,000 for advanced drilling,
completion and stimulation, $5,000,000 for advanced diagnostics
and imaging systems, $2,000,000 for National laboratory/
industry partnerships, $5,000,000 for reservoir efficiency
processes, $1,000,000 for cooperative research with Russia, and
$200,000 for program support. There is also an increase of
$2,000,000 for the reservoir life extension program.
Other.--The Committee recommends increases of $2,000,000
for cooperative research and development, $15,000,000 for
administration of the clean coal power initiative and its
predecessor programs (to be divided appropriately between
headquarters program direction and field office (National
Energy Technology Laboratory) program direction), $14,000,000
because prior year funds (as proposed for us by the
Administration to offset 2004 requirements) are not available,
$5,000,000 because funds are not available to transfer from the
Strategic Petroleum Reserve petroleum account and $500,000 for
ongoing program reviews by the National Academy of Sciences.
The Committee agrees to the following:
1. The Committee recognizes the importance of research
competitions involving university students as a cost effective
strategy, and expects the Department to incorporate this
strategy in its fossil energy fuel cells research programs and
other important research areas. The Department should establish
such university competitions to stimulate private sector
research, innovation, and technology deployment to enhance the
accomplishments of mission-essential, core technology goals.
2. The Administration's recently announced ``Future Gen''
program is an interesting concept, but it needs to be fully
justified in future budgets before it can be considered for
funding by the Committee. The funding for this program cannot
come at the expense of other import fossil energy research and
development programs.
3. Funds for administration of the remaining clean coal
technology projects and the new clean coal power initiative
projects need to remain in the base budget for fossil energy
research and development. The $15,000,000 recommended by the
Committee should be appropriately divided between headquarters
and field office (NETL) program direction.
4. Oil and natural gas research is critical to improving
current technology and ensuring the best use of our domestic
oil and gas reserves. These research areas need more serious
consideration in future budgets.
5. The Russia technology program should include the
expansion of seismic data from four Arctic basins, the
identification of potential reservoir classes where
technologies could add the greatest volumes of economically
recoverable oil, and the development of operational practices
for production, transportation, and export that adhere to
international standards.
6. In general plant projects, $2,000,000 is provided for
NETL and $1,000,000 is for the Albany, OR research center.
7. The proposed use of prior year funds and the transfer of
Strategic Petroleum Reserve account funds to offset fossil
energy research and development requirements in fiscal year
2004 are not agreed to. Congress rescinded the SPR account
funds in fiscal year 2003.
8. The National Climate Change Technology Initiative is not
recommended for funding. NCCTI should be more clearly defined.
The concerns expressed in the recent National Academies review
should be addressed and the program should be fully justified
and funding requested in future budgets as a separate account
in the Energy and Water appropriations bill.
9. Several programs funded in the energy conservation
account need to be closely coordinated with fossil energy
programs so that the highest priority energy research projects
are funded. They include the cooperative programs with States
and the energy efficiency science initiative. Half of the
funding for the energy efficiency science initiative is managed
by fossil energy, as legislated in the fiscal year 2003
Interior and Related Appropriations Act, so that the highest
priority energy research projects are funded. This same
direction applies to the mining industry of the future program,
the industrial gasification program and the reciprocating
engines program.
10. The $500,000 for the National Academy of Sciences
review of programs should remain in the base for a continuing
annual review by the Academy of programs, using the Academy's
matrix, to measure the relative benefits expected to be
achieved and to inform decision making on what programs should
be continued, expanded, scaledback, or eliminated.
NAVAL PETROLEUM AND OIL SHALE RESERVES
The Naval Petroleum and Oil Shale Reserves are managed by
the Department of Energy to achieve the greatest value and
benefit to the Government. In fiscal year 1998, NPR-1 (Elk
Hills) was sold as mandated by the National Defense
Authorization Act for fiscal year 1996. That Act also directed
the Department to conduct a study of the remaining properties--
3 Naval Oil Shale Reserves and NPR-2 and NPR-3. The National
Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 1998 directed the
transfer of two of the oil shale reserves (NOSR-1 and NOSR-3)
to the Department of the Interior. On January 14, 2000, the
Department announced it would return a portion of the NOSR-2
property in Utah to the Ute Indian Tribe. Two properties remain
under the jurisdiction of the Department of Energy. They are
NPR-2 in Kern County, CA and NPR-3 in Natrona County, WY. The
DOE continues to be responsible for routine operation and
maintenance of NPR-3, management of the Rocky Mountain Oilfield
Testing Center at NPR-3, lease management at NPR-2, and
continuing environmental and remediation work at Elk Hills. For
several years after the sale of Elk Hills, these programs were
operated largely with prior year unobligated balances. Those
balances were mostly exhausted by fiscal year 2003 and
appropriations to the account were restored in that year.
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $17,715,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 16,500,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 20,500,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +2,785,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. +4,000,000
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
The Committee recommends $20,500,000 for the operation of
the naval petroleum and oil shale reserves, an increase of
$4,000,000 above the budget request and $2,785,000 above the
fiscal year 2003 level. The increase to the budget is to
restore funding for the Rocky Mountain Oilfield Testing Center,
including $3,000,000 for production and operations and
$1,000,000 for management.
ELK HILLS SCHOOL LANDS FUND
Payment to the Elk Hills school lands fund was part of the
settlement associated with the sale of Naval Petroleum Reserve
Numbered 1. Under the settlement, payments to the fund are to
be made over a period of seven years.
The Committee recommends $36,000,000 for the Elk Hills
school lands fund, which is equal to amount available for
fiscal year 2003. The Committee recommends that these funds be
made available on October 1, 2004, rather than on October 1,
2003 as proposed in the budget. The Committee's recommendation
is consistent with the payment of these funds in each of the
past few years. This represents the sixth of seven payments to
the fund, which was established as a part of the sale of the
Elk Hills Naval Petroleum Reserve in California (to settle
school lands claims by the State).
ENERGY CONSERVATION
The energy conservation program of the Department of Energy
conducts cooperative research and development projects aimed at
sustaining economic growth through more efficient energy use.
Activities financed through this program focus on improving
existing technologies and developing new technologies related
to residential, commercial, industrial and transportation
energy use. In fiscal year 2001, funds and programs were
transferred from the building sector and industry sector
research activities to establish a new distributed generation
activity that addresses critical energy needs for next
generation clean, efficient, fuel flexible technologies for
industrial, commercial and institutional applications. These
technologies use the waste heat energy rejected during
electricity generation from microturbines, reciprocating
engines, and fuel cells in the form of cooling, heating and
power. This waste heat utilization is referred to as ``combined
heat and power''. Also funded under the energy conservation
heading are the Federal energy management program, which
focuses on improving energy efficiency in Federal buildings,
the low-income weatherization assistance program, and State
energy program grants.
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $891,769,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 875,793,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 879,487,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... -12,282,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. +3,694,000
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
The Committee recommends $879,487,000 for energy
conservation, an increase of $3,694,000 above the budget
request and a decrease of $12,282,000 below the fiscal year
2003 level. Changes to the budget request are detailed below.
Vehicle Technologies.--The Committee recommends
$184,423,000 for vehicle technologies. There is an increase of
$500,000 in innovative concepts for graduate automotive
technology education and a decrease of $5,000,000 in hybrid and
electric propulsion/energy storage for exploratory technology.
In advanced combustion engine, increases include $9,000,000 for
combustion and emissions control in light and heavy-duty
vehicles, $6,000,000 for heavy truck engines, and $3,500,000
for off-highway vehicles. There is an increase of $1,600,000 in
materials technology for the High Temperature Materials
Laboratory. In fuels technology, increases include $9,400,000
for advanced petroleum based fuels, $3,000,000 for
environmental impacts, and a net increase of $1,100,000 for
non-petroleum fuels including increases of $500,000 for medium
trucks, $600,000 for heavy trucks, and $800,000 for fueling
infrastructure, and a decrease of $800,000 for renewable and
synthetic fuels. In technology introduction, there are
decreases of $800,000 for legislative and rulemaking
activities, $500,000 for testing and evaluation, and $100,000
for advanced vehicle competitions. There is also a decrease of
$900,000 for the biennial FreedomCAR peer review.
Fuel Cell Technologies.--The Committee recommends
$56,500,000 for fuel cell technologies including decreases of
$1,000,000 for transportation systems, $5,000,000 for stack
component research, and $15,000,000 for technology validation/
demonstrations.
Weatherization and Intergovernmental Activities.--The
Committee recommends $307,642,000 for weatherization and
intergovernmental activities including a decrease of
$63,200,000 for weatherization assistance and increases of
$6,202,000 for State energy programs and $7,500,000 for gateway
deployment of which $2,000,000 is for Rebuild America,
$4,000,000 is for clean cities, and $1,500,000 is for
inventions and innovations.
Distributed Energy Resources.--The Committee recommends
$64,284,000 for distributed energy resources including
increases of $1,500,000 for industrial gas turbines, $6,000,000
for advanced reciprocating engines, $2,000,000 for advanced
materials and sensors, and $3,000,000 for thermally activated
technology.
Building Technologies.--The Committee recommends
$58,963,000 for building technologies. There are decreases of
$2,000,000 for residential buildings research (formerly
Building America) and $500,000 for commercial buildings
research. In emerging technologies, there are increases of
$1,500,000 for lighting, $2,700,000 for space conditioning and
refrigeration, $500,000 for appliances and emerging technology,
and $3,200,000 for building envelope research of which
$1,700,000 is for thermal insulation and building materials and
$1,500,000 is for windows including electrochromics, which
should be funded at the 2003 level. There is also an increase
of $1,000,000 in equipment and analysis for appliance
standards.
Industrial Technologies.--The Committee recommends
$97,729,000 for industrial technologies. In industries of the
future (specific) increases include $4,100,000 for forest and
paper products, $3,400,000 for steel, $3,400,000 for aluminum,
$2,100,000 for metalcasting, $1,700,000 for glass, $6,700,000
for chemicals, and $2,400,000 for mining. In industries of the
future (crosscutting), increases include $7,500,000 to continue
the black liquor gasification programs and $2,000,000 to
continue the program on robotics to replace repetitive
manufacturing tasks.
Biomass and Biorefinery Systems.--The Committee recommends
no funding for biomass and biorefinery systems, a decrease of
$8,808,000 below the budget request. These programs should be
funded through the energy and water appropriations bill. The
Committee has provided $7,500,000 in the industries of the
future (crosscutting) program to continue black liquor
gasification programs.
Federal Energy Management Program.--The Committee
recommends $19,962,000, the budget request, for the Federal
energy management program.
National Climate Change Technology Initiative.--The
Committee recommends no funding for the National Climate Change
Technology Initiative, a decrease of $9,500,000 below the
budget request. This program is addressed briefly below and
under the fossil energy research development account.
Program management.--The Committee recommends $90,164,000
for program management including increases of $500,000 for the
National Academy of Sciences program review, $3,000,000 for
cooperative programs on technology transfer from National
Laboratories with the Energy and Research Consortium of the
Western Carolinas, $5,000,000 for cooperative programs with
States, and $5,000,000 for the energy efficiency science
initiative.
Bill Language.--Bill Language is recommended earmarking
$225,000,000 for the weatherization assistance program and
$45,000,000 for State energy programs. These levels are
slightly above the fiscal year 2003 levels for those programs.
The Committee agrees to the following:
1. The Committee continues to expect that several positions
will be eliminated as a result of the consolidation of budget
and administration functions in last year's reorganization.
2. The National Academy of Public Administration is
conducting a continuing review of last year's reorganization
and its recommendations should be implemented fully as soon as
possible after receipt.
3. The budget justification for fiscal year 2005 should
include the program specific table provided separately to the
Committee for 2004. The official budget detail table should
contain stub entries for sub-activities within each of the
program areas. A few examples include, but are not limited to,
each of the industries of the future (specific) and
(crosscutting) programs, microcogeneration, advanced
reciprocating engines, thermally activated technologies, and
each of the major building, vehicle technology, and fuel cell
areas. The Department should consult with the Committee on the
budget presentation for fiscal year 2005 as soon as possible.
4. Vehicle combustion and emission control research should
focus on continuing critical homogenous charge compression
ignition programs.
5. The State Technologies Advancement Collaborative, a
cooperative program between the States and the Department of
Energy, should be continued. The $5,000,000 provided for
cooperative programs with States and $5,000,000 for the energy
efficiency science initiative should be supplemented with other
program funds where the States and the Department agree that
this collaborative will effectively leverage program funds and
reduce bureaucratic delay. One example of such a program is the
Rebuild America program. The Department should report to the
Committee no later than January 15, 2004, on what programs will
be included as part of the collaborative in fiscal year 2004.
6. The cooperative programs with the States and the energy
efficiency science initiative should be closely coordinated
with the fossil energy research and development program to
ensure the highest priority research needs across both the
fossil energy and energy conservation accounts are addressed.
Half of the funding for the energy efficiency science
initiative is to be managed by fossil energy as legislated in
the Interior Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2002. The
mining industry of the future program, the industrial
gasification program, and the reciprocating engines program
should also be coordinated closely with fossil energy.
7. The National climate change technology initiative is not
recommended for funding. NCCTI should be more clearly defined.
The concerns expressed in the recent National Academies review
should be addressed and the program should be fully justified
and funding requested in future budgets as a separate account
in the energy and water appropriations bill.
8. The $500,000 for the National Academy of Sciences review
of programs should remain in the base for a continuing annual
review by the Academy of programs, using the Academy's matrix,
to measure the relative benefits expected to be achieved and to
inform decision making on what programs should be continued,
expanded, scaled-back, or eliminated.
9. Funding for the industries of the future programs have
been only partially restored and the Committee expects the
Department to work closely with industry to determine how best
to use the limited funds.
ECONOMIC REGULATION
The economic regulation account funds the independent
Office of Hearings and Appeals, which is responsible for all of
the Department's adjudication processes except those that are
the responsibility of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
The amount funded by this Committee is for those activities
specific to this bill: mainly those related to petroleum
overcharge cases. All other activities are funded on a
reimbursable basis from the other elements of the Department of
Energy. Prior to fiscal year 1997, this account also funded the
Economic Regulatory Administration.
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $1,477,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 1,047,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 1,047,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... -430,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $1,047,000, the budget request,
for economic regulation, a decrease of $430,000 below the 2003
level. The Committee expects the Department to complete the
phasing out of direct funding for the Office of Hearings and
Appeals from the Interior bill no later than fiscal year 2005.
The Committee continues to be concerned about the high cost of
employees in this office and concerned that the casework,
funded by the Interior and related agencies appropriation, has
not been brought to a timely completion.
STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE
The Strategic Petroleum Reserve was created by the Energy
Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 to provide the United
States with adequate strategic and economic protection against
disruptions in oil supplies. The SPR program was established as
a 750 million-barrel capacity crude oil reserve with storage in
large underground salt caverns at five sites in the Gulf Coast
area. It is connected to major private sector distribution
systems and maintained to achieve full drawdown rate capability
within fifteen days of notice to proceed with drawdown. Storage
capacity development was completed in September 1991, providing
the capability to store 750 million barrels of crude oil in
underground caverns and to be ready to deploy at the
President's direction in the event of an emergency. As a result
of the decommissioning of the Weeks Island site in 1999, the
Reserve lost 70 million barrels of capacity. However, the
Department reassessed the capacities of the remaining storage
sites and estimates that those sites are currently capable of
storing a total of 700 million barrels. During 1998, an
inventory of 561 million barrels provided 60 days of net import
protection. In 2003, 628 million barrels provide 54 days of net
import protection. The decline in days of net import protection
is the result of the growth of U.S. requirements for imported
crude oil and the decline in domestic oil production.
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $171,732,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 175,081,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 175,081,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +3,349,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $175,081,000, the budget request,
for operation of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, an increase
of $3,349,000 above the fiscal year 2003 level.
NORTHEAST HOME HEATING OIL RESERVE
The acquisition and storage of heating oil for the
Northeast began in August 2000 when the Department of Energy,
through the Strategic Petroleum Reserve account, awarded
contracts for the lease of commercial storage facilities and
acquisition of heating oil. The purpose of the reserve is to
assure home heating oil supplies for the Northeast States
during times of very low inventories and significant threats to
immediate supply of heating oil. The Northeast Home Heating Oil
Reserve was established as a separate entity from the Strategic
Petroleum Reserve on March 6, 2001. The 2,000,000 barrel
reserve is stored in commercial facilities in New York Harbor,
Rhode Island, and New Haven, Connecticut.
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $5,961,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 5,000,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 5,000,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... -961,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $5,000,000, the budget request,
for the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve, a decrease of
$961,000 below the fiscal year 2003 level.
The Congress created the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve
to address heating oil shortages that have been experienced
over the years during the winter heating season in the
Northeast. To date, the reserve has never been used. While the
Committee appreciates that the heating oil reserve is for
addressing supply disruptions and not price spikes, it is
concerned that the Department of Energy may be defining the
term ``supply disruption'' too narrowly. Therefore, the
Committee asks that the Department report to the House and
Senate Committees on Appropriations on the circumstances under
which the reserve will be used. The Department should submit
the report no later than December 1, 2003, and it should
provide various scenarios and the underlying assumptions for
each of those scenarios.
ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION
The Energy Information Administration is a quasi-
independent agency within the Department of Energy established
to provide timely, objective, and accurate energy-related
information to the Congress, executive branch, State
governments, industry, and the public. The information and
analysis prepared by the EIA is widely disseminated and the
agency is recognized as an unbiased source of energy
information by government organizations, industry, professional
statistical organizations and the public.
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $80,087,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 80,111,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 82,111,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +2,024,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. +2,000,000
The Committee recommends $82,111,000 for the Energy
Information Administration, an increase of $2,000,000 above the
budget request and $2,024,000 above the fiscal year 2003 level.
The increase above the request is to cover partially fixed cost
increases and to make necessary data and analysis improvements
to maintain the quality of EIA products.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Indian Health Service
INDIAN HEALTH SERVICES
The provision of Federal health services to Indians is
based on a special relationship between Indian tribes and the
U.S. Government first set forth in the 1830s by the U.S.
Supreme Court under Chief Justice John Marshall. Numerous
treaties, statutes, constitutional provisions, and
international law have reconfirmed this relationship. Principal
among these is the Snyder Act of 1921, which provides the basic
authority for most Indian health services provided by the
Federal Government to American Indians and Alaska Natives. The
Indian Health Service (IHS) provides direct health care
services in 36 hospitals, 58 health centers, 4 school health
centers, and 44 health stations. Tribes and tribal groups,
through contracts with the IHS, operate 13 hospitals, 161
health centers, 3 school health centers, and 249 health
stations (including 170 Alaska Native village clinics). The
IHS, tribes and tribal groups also operate 11 regional youth
substance abuse treatment centers and 2,252 units of staff
quarters.
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $2,475,916,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 2,502,393,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 2,556,082,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +80,166,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. +53,689,000
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
The Committee recommends $2,556,082,000 for Indian health
services, an increase of $53,689,000 above the budget request
and $80,166,000 above the fiscal year 2003 level. Changes to
the budget request are discussed below.
Hospitals and Clinics.--The Committee recommends an
increase of $71,923,000 for hospital and health clinic
programs, including increases of $31,317,000 to restore base
program funding, $30,170,000 to restore the budget assessments
for management and information savings, $6,436,000 for
increased payments to the Department of Health and Human
Services for the unified financial management system,
$2,500,000 for the Indian health care improvement fund, and
$1,500,000 to complete the phase-in of new staffing at the
Lawton, OK hospital.
Dental Health.--The Committee recommends an increase of
$251,000 for dental health to expand the volunteer program.
Contract Health Care.--The Committee recommends a decrease
of $15,000,000 below the budget request for contract health
care services, which leaves an increase of more than $3,000,000
for these services in fiscal year 2004.
Urban Health Programs.--The Committee recommends an
increase of $446,000 for urban health programs to restore the
``management savings'' assessment proposed in the budget
request.
Indian Health Professions.--The Committee recommends a
decrease of $4,259,000 for Indian health professions, which
continues the program level provided in fiscal year 2003.
Direct Operations.--The Committee recommends an increase of
$4,864,000 for direct operations, which continues the fiscal
year 2003 program level.
Self-Governance.--The Committee recommends a decrease of
$4,536,000 for self-governance, which continues the fiscal year
2003 program level.
The Committee agrees to the following:
1. The Committee has not agreed with the unrealistic
management and information savings proposed in the budget,
which could only be achieved at the expense of critical,
ongoing health services and the Committee urges the Department
to refrain from proposing such reductions in the future.
2. The funding increase for the Lawton, OK hospital
staffing completes the phase-in of new staffing and operations
costs, which was begun last year.
3. Any costs paid by the Indian Health Service to any
entity within the Department of Health and Human Services
should be fully justified and explained in the budget request.
The Service should not be required to ``absorb'' any increases
in such costs.
4. The Committee should be kept fully informed of
consolidation efforts in HHS that affect the Indian Health
Service. Given the fact that the Indian Health Service's
staffing is far from adequate, the Committee does not agree
with FTE reductions for the Service. The current proposal to
consolidate human resources functions has not been sufficiently
explained or justified. Indeed, the Department has been unable
to identify the costs to the Service of the consolidation for
fiscal years 2003 or 2004. The Service should not pay any bills
to the Department for the consolidation of human resources
functions without Committee approval through the reprogramming
process. The cost to the Service of the consolidation should
not exceed what it currently costs to operate human resources
functions within the Indian Health Service.
5. Funds for the pharmacy residency program remain in the
base for fiscal year 2004.
6. The fiscal year 2001 direction on the use of loan
repayment program funding should continue to be followed in
fiscal year 2004.
7. The Service should consider expanding the use of Joslin
diabetes programs using the increase provided separately for
special diabetes program funding.
Bill language is recommended, under Title III--General
Provisions, continuing the demonstration program of the
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe in South Dakota, which provides
bonus payments to health professionals. The Committee has not
received a report on the effectiveness of this program even
though the Service was required to submit one by April 1, 2004.
INDIAN HEALTH FACILITIES
The need for new Indian health care facilities has not been
fully quantified but it is safe to say that many billions of
dollars would be required to renovate existing facilities and
construct all the needed new hospitals and clinics. Safe and
sanitary water and sewer systems for existing homes and solid
waste disposal needs currently are estimated to amount to over
$876 million for those projects that are considered to be
economically feasible.
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $373,745,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 387,269,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 392,560,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +18,815,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. +5,291,000
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
The Committee recommends $392,560,000 for Indian health
facilities, an increase of $5,291,000 above the budget request
and $18,815,000 above the fiscal year 2003 level. Changes to
the budget request include increases of $2,176,000 for
maintenance and improvement, $1,000,000 for equipment, and
$22,115,000 for hospital and clinic construction, and a
decrease of $20,000,000 for sanitation facilities construction.
The Committee agrees to the following distribution of
hospital and clinic construction funds:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Committee
Project 2004 request recommendation Difference
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pinon, AZ clinic....................................... $21,573,000 $19,577,000 -$1,996,000
Red Mesa, AZ clinic.................................... 30,000,000 30,000,000
St. Paul, AK clinic.................................... 0 6,520,000 6,520,000
Metlakatla, AK clinic.................................. 14,511,000 9,205,000 -5,306,000
Sisseton, SD clinic.................................... 3,863,000 17,960,000 14,097,000
Eagle Butte, SD clinic................................. 2,800,000 2,800,000
Bethel, AK staff quarters.............................. 5,000,000 5,000,000
Dental units........................................... 1,000,000 1,000,000
--------------------------------------------------------
Total............................................ $69,947,000 $92,062,000 $22,115,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Committee agrees to the following:
1. The funding recommended for the Bethel, St. Paul, and
Metlakatla, AK projects and for the Pinon, AZ clinic will
complete those construction projects. The funding recommended
for the Eagle Butte, SD clinic is for design.
2. The maintenance program funding increase needs to remain
in the base budget for 2004 and beyond. Further increases will
be necessary as existing facilities get older and as more
hospitals and clinics are built and expanded.
3. The increase for equipment should be focused on
replacing outdated analog medical devices with digital medical
devices and telemedicine equipment and should remain in the
base budget. Further increases will be necessary as existing
equipment becomes outdated and as more hospitals and clinics
are built and expanded.
4. The Service should continue to work on needed
improvements to the facilities priority system so that the full
range of need for facilities in Indian country is given
appropriate consideration.
5. The methodology used to distribute facilities funding
should address the fluctuating annual workload and maintain
parity among IHS areas and tribes as the workload shifts.
6. Funds for sanitation facilities for new and renovated
housing should be used to serve housing provided by the Bureau
of Indian Affairs Housing Improvement Program, new homes and
homes renovated to like-new condition. Onsite sanitation
facilities may also be provided for homes occupied by the
disabled or sick who have physician referrals indicating an
immediate medical need for adequate sanitation facilities at
home.
7. Sanitation funds should not be used to provide
sanitation facilities for new homes funded by the housing
programs of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The HUD should provide any needed funds to the IHS for that
purpose.
8. The IHS may use up to $5,000,000 in sanitation funding
for projects to clean up and replace open dumps on Indian lands
pursuant to the Indian Lands Open Dump Cleanup Act of 1994.
Bill language is included to complete the Bethel, AK staff
quarters project. Fiscal year 2004 is the final year of a four-
year commitment to this construction project.
OTHER RELATED AGENCIES
Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
The dispute between the Hopi and Navajo tribes is
centuries-old. The Hopi trace their origin on the land back to
the Anasazi race whose presence is recorded back to 1150 A.D.
Later in the 16th century Navajo settlement led to the
isolation of the Hopi Reservation as an island within the area
occupied by the Navajo reservation. In 1882, President Arthur
issued an Executive Order which granted the Hopi a 2.5 million
acre reservation to be occupied by the Hopi and such other
Indians as the Secretary of the Interior saw fit to resettle
there. Intertribal problems arose between the Navajo tribe and
the Hopi tribe revolving around the question of the ownership
of the land as well as cultural differences between the two
tribes. Efforts to resolve these conflicts were not successful
and led Congress to pass legislation in 1958 which authorized a
lawsuit to determine ownership of the land. When attempts at
mediation of the dispute as specified in an Act passed in 1974
failed, the district court in Arizona partitioned the Joint Use
Area equally between the Navajo and Hopi tribes under a decree
that has required the relocation of members of both tribes.
Most of those to be relocated are Navajo living on the Hopi
Partitioned Land.
At this time approximately 190 households remain to be
relocated, of which 16 are full-time residents on the Hopi
Partitioned Land. A total of 3,328 families have been relocated
from the Hopi Partitioned Land.
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $14,397,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 13,532,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 13,532,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... -865,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $13,532,000 for salaries and
expenses of the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation,
the same as the budget request and $865,000 below the 2003
enacted level.
Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts
Development
PAYMENT TO THE INSTITUTE
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $5,454,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 5,250,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 5,250,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... -204,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $5,250,000 for the Institute of
American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development,
the same as the budget request and $204,000 below the 2003
enacted level.
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is unique in the Federal
establishment. Established by the Congress in 1846 to carry out
the trust included in James Smithson's will, it has been
engaged for over 150 years in the ``increase and diffusion of
knowledge among men'' in accordance with the donor's
instructions. For some years, it used only the funds made
available by the trust. Then, before the turn of the century,
it began to receive Federal appropriations to conduct some of
its activities. With the expenditure of both private and
Federal funds over the years, it has grown into one of the
world's great scientific, cultural, and intellectual
organizations. It operates magnificent museums, outstanding art
galleries, and important research centers. Its collections are
among the best in the world. Its traveling exhibits bring
beauty and information throughout the country.
The Smithsonian attracted approximately 25,000,000 visitors
in 2002 to its museums, galleries, and zoological park.
Additional millions also view Smithsonian traveling
exhibitions, which appear across the United States and abroad,
and the annual Folklife Festival. As custodian of the National
Collections, the Smithsonian is responsible for more than 140
million art objects, natural history specimens, and artifacts.
These collections are displayed for the enjoyment and education
of visitors and are available for research by the staff of the
Institution and by hundreds of visiting students, scientists,
and historians each year. Other significant study efforts draw
their data and results directly from terrestrial, marine, and
astrophysical observations at various Smithsonian
installations.
The Smithsonian complex presently consists of 15 exhibition
buildings in Washington, DC and New York City in the fields of
science, history, technology and art; a zoological park in
Washington, DC and an animal conservation and research center
in Front Royal, Virginia; the new Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center,
the companion facility to the National Air and Space Museum
opening in December at Dulles International Airport; the
Anacostia Museum, which performs research and exhibit
activities in the District of Columbia; a preservation, storage
and air and spacecraft display facility in Suitland, Maryland;
a natural preserve in Panama and one on the Chesapeake Bay; an
oceanographic research facility in Fort Pierce, Florida;
astrophysical stations in Cambridge, Massachusetts and Mt.
Hopkins, Arizona and elsewhere; and supporting administrative,
laboratory, and storage areas.
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $446,096,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 476,553,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 489,748,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +43,652,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. +13,195,000
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
The Committee recommends $489,748,000 for salaries and
expenses, an increase of $13,195,000 above the budget request
and $43,652,000 above the enacted level. The Committee has
included the $12,795,000 increase to the base in fiscal year
2003 and the $400,000 base increase for the National Zoological
Park.
FACILITIES CAPITAL
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $98,779,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 89,970,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 93,970,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... -4,809,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. +4,000,000
The Committee recommends $93,970,000 for facilities
capital, a decrease of $4,809,000 below the enacted level and
$4,000,000 above the budget request. This account combines the
former construction and repair, restoration and alteration of
facilities accounts; bill language is recommended to permit the
merger of funds from the former accounts into this new account.
ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS, SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
Bill language is included under Administrative Provisions,
granting the Smithsonian authority to conduct a voluntary
separation incentive program similar to the program established
under section 1313(a) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002.
National Gallery of Art
The National Gallery of Art is one of the world's great
galleries. Its magnificent works of art are displayed for the
benefit of millions of visitors from across this Nation and
from other nations. The National Gallery of Art serves as an
example of a successful cooperative endeavor between private
individuals and institutions and the Federal Government. The
many special exhibitions shown in the Gallery and then
throughout the country bring great art treasures to Washington
and the Nation. In 1999, the Gallery opened a sculpture garden,
which provides a wonderful opportunity for the public to have
an outdoor artistic experience in a lovely, contemplative
setting.
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $76,717,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 88,849,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 88,849,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +12,132,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
The Committee recommends $88,849,000, the budget request,
for salaries and expenses of the National Gallery of Art, an
increase of $12,132,000 above the fiscal year 2003 level.
REPAIR, RESTORATION AND RENOVATION OF BUILDINGS
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $16,125,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 11,600,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 11,600,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... -4,525,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $11,600,000, the budget request,
for repair, restoration and renovation of buildings at the
National Gallery of Art, a decrease of $4,525,000 below the
fiscal year 2003 level.
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a
living memorial to the late President Kennedy and is the
National Center for the Performing Arts. The Center consists of
over 1.5 million square feet of usable floor space with
visitation averaging 10,000 on a daily basis.
OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $16,204,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 16,560,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 16,560,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +356,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $16,560,000 for operations and
maintenance, the same as the budget request and $356,000 above
the 2003 enacted level.
CONSTRUCTION
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $17,486,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 16,000,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 16,000,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... -1,486,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $16,000,000 for construction, the
same as the budget request and $1,486,000 below the enacted
2003 level.
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars is a
unique institution with a special mission to serve as a living
memorial to President Woodrow Wilson. The Center performs this
mandate through its role as an international institute for
advanced study as well as a facilitator for discussions among
scholars, public officials, journalists and business leaders
from across the country on major long-term issues facing
America and the world.
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $8,433,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 8,604,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 8,604,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +171,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $8,604,000 for salaries and
expenses, the same as the budget request and $171,000 above the
2003 enacted level.
National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities
National Endowment for the Arts
GRANTS AND ADMINISTRATION
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $115,732,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 117,480,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 117,480,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +1,748,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with
estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
The Committee recommends $117,480,000 for the National
Endowment for the Arts, an increase of $1,748,000 above the
2003 enacted level and equal to the budget request when the
Challenge America Arts Fund is included. The funding increase
above the enacted level is to offset partially fixed cost
increases. The Committee has continued to include the Challenge
America Arts Fund within the NEA appropriation as in fiscal
year 2003, for a total of $17,000,000. The Challenge America
grants include $6,800,000 for the State partnership portion and
$10,200,000 for the grants portion. The Committee expects that
the NEA will continue its recent progress with outreach to more
areas of the nation and for underserved populations, and will
include enhancements to arts education and youth involvement.
The Committee has not provided funding for an office move, so
the Committee expects to see a supplemental budget request if
the General Services Administration proceeds with such an
action and additional funds are required.
Bill language is once again recommended under Title III--
General Provisions, retaining provisions in last year's bill
regarding restrictions on individual grants, subgranting, and
seasonal support (Sec. 309); and authority to solicit and
invest funds (Sec. 310); priority for rural and underserved
communities, priority for grants that encourage public
knowledge, education, understanding, and appreciation of the
arts, designation of a category for grants of national
significance, and a 15-percent cap on the total amount of grant
funds directed to any one State (Sec. 311).
National Endowment for the Humanities
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) was created
in 1965 to encourage and support National progress in the
humanities. The NEH provides, through a merit-based review
process, grants in support of education, research, document and
artifact preservation, and public service in the humanities.
GRANTS AND ADMINISTRATION
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $108,919,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 135,878,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 120,878,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +11,959,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. -15,000,000
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the
budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
The Committee recommends $120,878,000 for grants and
administration, $11,959,000 above the 2003 level and
$15,000,000 below the budget request. The Committee has
included a total of $10,000,000 of the $25,000,000 requested
for the new ``We the People'' American history initiative. The
allocation also includes $1,374,000 to partially off-set
increases to fixed costs of administration. The Committee has
not provided funding for an office move, so the Committee
expects to see a supplemental budget request if the General
Services Administration proceeds with such an action and
additional funds are required.
MATCHING GRANTS
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $16,017,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 16,122,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 16,122,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +105,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $16,122,000 for matching grants as
requested, an increase of $105,000 above the fiscal year 2003
level.
Commission of Fine Arts
The Commission of Fine Arts was established in 1910 to meet
the need for a permanent body to advise the government on
matters pertaining to the arts, and particularly, to guide the
architectural development of Washington, DC. Over the years the
Commission's scope has been expanded to include advice on areas
such as plans for parks, public buildings, location of National
monuments and development of public squares. As a result, the
Commission annually reviews approximately 500 projects. In
fiscal year 1988 the Commission was given responsibility for
the National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs program.
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $1,216,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 1,422,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 1,422,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +206,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $1,422,000 for salaries and
expenses of the Commission of Fine Arts as requested, an
increase of $206,000 over the enacted funding level. This
increase partially offsets fixed cost increases. The Committee
encourages the Commission to work with Federal agencies,
including the National Capital Planning Commission, and the
District of Columbia government when those entities are
designing new facilities, especially anti-terrorism related
structures.
NATIONAL CAPITAL ARTS AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $6,954,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 5,000,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 7,000,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +46,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. +2,000,000
The National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs program was
established in Public Law 99-190 to support artistic and
cultural programs in the Nation's Capital. The Committee
recommends $7,000,000, an increase of $46,000 above the 2003
level and $2,000,000 above the budget request.
ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISION
The Committee once again rejects the administration's
proposal to alter drastically this successful program.
Accordingly, to prevent the further waste of agency staff time
and resources on such initiatives, the Committee has continued
bill language from last year. This provision prevents any funds
to be expended to examine proposals to alter the National
Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs program except funds provided
to the Office of Management and Budget, which may spend its own
funds on this matter if the office continues to feel such
changes are worth pursuing despite repeated, clear,
Congressional disapproval.
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 established
the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. The Advisory
Council was reauthorized as part of the Omnibus Parks and
Public Lands Management Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-333). The
Council's mandate is to further the National policy of
preserving historic and cultural resources for the benefit of
present and future generations. The Council advises the
President and Congress on preservation matters and provides
consultation on historic properties threatened by Federal
action.
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $3,643,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 4,100,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 4,100,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +457,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $4,100,000 for salaries and
expenses of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation as
requested, an increase of $457,000 above the 2003 level. The
funding increase is to offset partially fixed cost increases
and continue ongoing programs.
National Capital Planning Commission
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
The National Capital Planning Act of 1952 designated the
National Capital Planning Commission as the central planning
agency for the Federal government in the National Capital
Region. The three major functions of the Commission are to
prepare and adopt the Federal elements of the National Capital
Comprehensive Plan, prepare an annual report on a five-year
projection of the Federal Capital Improvement Program, and
review plans and proposals submitted to the Commission.
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $7,206,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 8,230,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 7,730,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +524,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. -500,000
The Committee recommends $7,730,000, for salaries and
expenses of the National Capitol Planning Commission, a
decrease of $500,000 below the budget request and an increase
of $524,000 above the enacted level. The Committee discourages
funding the proposal for a new study on railroad locations
unless the Department of Homeland Security or other Federal
security agencies require such an effort. The Committee
encourages the security agencies to consider and fund such
important planning needs on a broad, multi-year basis. The
Committee welcomes the involvement of the NCPC in such efforts,
but major commitments of staff time should be contributed on a
reimbursable basis.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM
In 1980 Congress passed legislation creating a 65 member
Holocaust Memorial Council with the mandate to create and
oversee a living memorial/museum to victims of holocausts. The
museum opened in April 1993. Construction costs for the museum
came solely from donated funds raised by the U.S. Holocaust
Memorial Museum Campaign and appropriated funds were used for
planning and development of programmatic components, overall
administrative support, and annual commemorative observances.
Since the opening of the museum, appropriated funds have been
provided to pay for the ongoing operating costs of the museum
as authorized by Public Law 102-529 and Public Law 106-292.
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $38,412,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 39,997,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 39,997,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... +1,585,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $39,997,000 for the Holocaust
Memorial Museum, the same as the budget request and $1,585,000
above the 2003 enacted level.
Presidio Trust
PRESIDIO TRUST FUND
Appropriation enacted, 2003........................... $21,188,000
Budget estimate, 2004................................. 20,700,000
Recommended, 2004..................................... 20,700,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2003............................... -488,000
Budget estimate, 2004............................. 0
The Committee recommends $20,700,000 for the Presidio trust
fund, the same as the budget request and $488,000 below the
2003 enacted level.
TITLE III--GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 301 continues a provision providing for public
availability of information on consulting services contracts.
Section 302 continues a provision prohibiting activities to
promote public support or opposition to legislative proposals.
Section 303 continues a provision providing for annual
appropriations unless expressly provided otherwise in this Act.
Section 304 continues a provision limiting the use of
personal cooks, chauffeurs or servants.
Section 305 revises a provision regarding the Committee's
concern that agencies funded in the Interior and Related
Agencies appropriations bill have not rigorously complied with
the previous prohibition on program assessments. To ensure
compliance with the intent of this provision, the Committee has
revised the text of this section to require that assessments,
charges and billings levied against any program, budget
activity, subactivity, or project be presented to and approved
by the Committees on Appropriations. This requirement includes,
but is not limited to, working capital fund charges, billings
under intra-agency reimbursable support agreements, and any
charges or deductions, reserves or holdbacks from program
funding to support governmentwide, departmental, agency, or
bureau administrative functions or headquarters, regional or
central office operations.
Each department, agency and bureau should clearly delineate
proposed assessments, charges or billings in annual budget
justifications. For fiscal year 2004, any anticipated
assessments, charges or billings not so presented must be
submitted to the Committees for consideration within 30 days of
the date of enactment of this Act. Any additional fiscal year
2004 assessments, charges or billings proposed after this
initial report must be promptly submitted through the
established reprogramming procedures printed in the front of
this report.
Section 306 continues a provision limiting the sale of
giant sequoia.
Section 307 continues a limitation on accepting and
processing applications for patents and on the patenting of
Federal lands; permits processing of grandfathered
applications; and permits third-party contractors to process
grandfathered applications.
Section 308 continues a provision limiting payments for
contract support costs in past years to the funds available in
law and accompanying report language in those years for the
Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service.
Section 309 continues provision specifying reforms and
limitations dealing with the National Endowment for the Arts.
Section 310 continues a provision permitting the collection
and use of private funds by the National Endowment for the Arts
and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Section 311 continues direction to the National Endowment
for the Arts on funding distribution.
Section 312 continues a limitation on completing and
issuing the five-year program under the Forest and Rangeland
Renewable Resources Planning Act.
Section 313 continues a provision prohibiting the use of
funds to support government-wide administrative functions
unless they are justified in the budget process and approved by
the House and Senate Appropriations Committees.
Section 314 prohibits the use of funds for GSA
Telecommunication Centers.
Section 315 permits the Secretaries of Agriculture and
Interior to limit competition for watershed restoration project
contracts under the ``Jobs in the Woods'' program.
Section 316 continues a provision which permits the Forest
Service to use the roads and trails fund for backlog
maintenance and priority forest health treatments.
Section 317 continues a provision limiting the use of
answering machines during core business hours except in case of
emergency and requires an option of talking to a person. The
American taxpayer deserves to receive personal attention from
public servants.
Section 318 continues a provision carried last year
regulating the export of western redcedar from National forest
system lands in Alaska.
Section 319 continues a provision prohibiting the Forest
Service from using projects under the recreation fee
demonstration program to supplant existing concessions.
Section 320 continues a provision clarifying the Forest
Service land management planning revision requirements.
Section 321 continues a provision limiting preleasing,
leasing and related activities within the boundaries of
National monuments.
Section 322 extends the Forest Service Conveyances Pilot
Program.
Section 323 continues for 2004 and thereafter a provision
providing authority for the staff of Congressionally
established foundations to use GSA contract airfare rates and
Federal government hotel accommodation rates when on official
business.
Section 324 continues, with minor technical changes, a
provision providing the Secretary of the Interior and the
Secretary of Agriculture the authority to enter into reciprocal
agreements with foreign nations concerning the personal
liability of firefighters.
Section 325 continues a provision, as amended in the 2003
supplemental Appropriations Act, dealing with processing
expired grazing permits by the Bureau of Land Management and
the Forest Service.
Section 326 continues a provision authorizing a
demonstration program for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, which
permits the Eagle Butte service unit to pay higher salaries and
bonuses to attract health professionals, if they can do so at
no additional cost. The tribe has reported that part-time
contract employees currently are costing more than it would
cost the tribe to hire full-time permanent employees under this
demonstration program.
Section 327 continues a provision prohibiting the transfer
of funds to other agencies other than provided in this Act.
Section 328 continues a legislative provision limiting
funds for oil or gas leasing or permitting on the Finger Lakes
National Forest, NY.
Section 329 continues a provision limiting the use of funds
for the planning, design, or construction of Pennsylvania
Avenue in front of the White House.
Section 330 continues a provision which authorizes the
Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to
give consideration to rural communities, local and non-profit
groups, and disadvantaged workers in entering into contracts
for hazardous fuel and watershed projects.
Section 331 continues a provision which limits the use of
funds for filing of declaration of takings or condemnations.
This provision does not apply to the Everglades National Park
Protection and Environmental Act.
Section 332 extends the Recreation Fee Demonstration
program for two years.
Section 333 extends hereafter existing procurement
authorities for the Land Between the Lakes NRA, KY and TN.
Section 334 amends and extends the pilot program for the
harvest of botanical products on Forest Service lands.
Section 335 limits the use of funds for competitive
sourcing studies to those already initiated in fiscal years
2002 and 2003. An in-depth report should be submitted by each
agency no later than March 1, 2004, detailing the results of
completed studies, including schedules, plans, and cost
estimates for future outsourcing competitions.
Rescissions
Pursuant to clause 3(f)(2), rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the following table is submitted
describing the rescissions recommended in the accompanying
bill:
Department and activity Amounts recommended for rescission
Department of the Interior: Land and Water Conservation
Fund (contract authority)........................... $30,000,000
Transfers of Funds
Pursuant to clause 3(f)(2), rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the following table is submitted
describing the transfers of funds provided in the accompanying
bill.
APPROPRIATION TRANSFERS RECOMMENDED IN THE BILL
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Account to
Account from which transfer Amount which transfer Amount
is to be made is to be made
------------------------------------------------------------------------
United States Fish and $4,968,000 Bureau of $4,968,000
Wildlife Service, Land Indian
Acquisition. Affairs,
Indian Land
and Water
Claim
Settlements
and
Miscellaneous
Payments to
Indians.
National Park Service, Land 5,000,000 United States 5,000,000
Acquisition and State Fish and
Assistance. Wildlife
Service,
Resource
Management.
National Park Service, Land Indefinite U.S. Army Corps Indefinite
Acquisition and State of Engineers,
Assistance. Construction,
General.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Changes in Application of Existing Law
Pursuant to clause 3, rule XIII of the Rules of the House
of Representatives, the following Statements are submitted
describing the effect of provisions in the accompanying bill,
which directly or indirectly change the application of existing
law. In most instances these provisions have been included in
prior appropriations Acts.
The bill provides that certain appropriations items remain
available until expended or extends the availability of funds
beyond the fiscal year where programs or projects are
continuing in nature under the provisions of authorizing
legislation but for which that legislation does not
specifically authorize such extended availability. This
authority tends to result in savings by preventing the practice
of committing funds at the end of the fiscal year.
The bill includes, in certain instances, limitations on the
obligation of funds for particular functions or programs. These
limitations include restrictions on the obligation of funds for
administrative expenses, travel expenses, the use of
consultants, and programmatic areas within the overall
jurisdiction of a particular agency.
The Committee has included limitations for official
entertainment or reception and representation expenses for
selected agencies in the bill.
Language is included in the various parts of the bill to
continue ongoing activities of those Federal agencies, which
require annual authorization or additional legislation which to
date, has not been enacted.
Language is included under Bureau of Land Management,
Management of lands and resources, permitting the use of
receipts from the Land and Water Conservation Act of 1965;
providing funds to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
under certain conditions; permitting the use of fees from
communication site rentals; limiting the use of funds for
destroying wild horses and burros; and permitting the
collection of fees for processing mining applications and for
certain public land uses; permitting the use of these fees for
program operations, and providing for a Youth Conservation
Corp.
Language is included under Bureau of Land Management,
Wildland fire management, permitting the use of funds from
other accounts for firefighting; permitting the use of funds
for lodging and subsistence of firefighters; permitting the
acceptance and use of funds for firefighting; permitting the
use of grants, contracts and cooperative agreements for
hazardous fuels reduction, including cost-sharing and local
assistance; permitting reimbursement to the Fish and Wildlife
Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service for
consultation activities under the Endangered Species Act;
permits the use of firefighting funds for the leasing of
properties or the construction of facilities; providing for the
transfer of funds between the Department of the Interior and
the Department of Agriculture; and providing funds for support
of Federal emergency response actions.
Language is included under Bureau of Land Management,
Central hazardous materials fund, providing that sums received
from a party for remedial actions shall be credited to the
account, and defining non-monetary payments.
Language is included under Bureau of Land Management,
Oregon and California grant lands, authorizing the transfer of
receipts to the Treasury.
Language is included under Bureau of Land Management,
Forest ecosystems health and recovery fund, permitting the use
of salvage timber receipts.
Language is included under Bureau of Land Management,
Service charges, deposits, and forfeitures, allowing the use of
funds on any damaged public lands.
Language is included under Bureau of Land Management,
Administrative provisions, permitting the payment of rewards
for information on violations of law on Bureau lands; providing
for cost-sharing arrangements for printing services; and
permitting the use of fees offsetting the cost of mining law
administration.
Language is included under United States Fish and Wildlife
Service, Resource management, allowing for the maintenance of
the herd of long-horned cattle on the Wichita Mountains
Wildlife Refuge. Without this language, the long-horned cattle
would have to be removed from the refuge. Language also is
included providing for the Natural Communities Conservation
Planning program and for a Youth Conservation Corps; limiting
funding for certain Endangered Species Act listing programs;
permitting payment for information or rewards in the law
enforcement program; and earmarking funds for contaminant
analysis.
Language is included under United States Fish and Wildlife
Service, Land acquisition, prohibiting the use of project funds
for overhead expenses.
Language is included under United States Fish and Wildlife
Service, Landowner incentive program, providing matching grants
to States and territories.
Language is included under United States Fish and Wildlife
Service, Stewardship grants, providing for grants for private
conservation efforts.
Language is included under United States Fish and Wildlife
Service, State and tribal wildlife grants, specifying the
distribution formula and planning and cost-sharing requirements
and requiring that funds unobligated after two years be
reapportioned.
Language is included under United States Fish and Wildlife
Service, Administrative provisions, providing for repair of
damage to public roads; providing options for the purchase of
land not to exceed $1; providing for installation of certain
recreation facilities; and permitting the maintenance and
improvement of aquaria and other facilities, the acceptance of
donated aircraft, and cost-shared arrangements for printing
services. Language also is included limiting the use of funds
for establishing new refuges.
Language is included under National Park Service, Operation
of the National park system, allowing road maintenance service
to trucking permittees on a reimbursable basis. This provision
has been included in annual appropriations Acts since 1954.
Language also is included providing for a Youth Conservation
Corps program, and permitting reimbursement to the Park Police
for special events under limited circumstances.
Language is included under National Park Service, National
recreation and preservation, prohibiting the use of cooperative
agreements and any form of cash grant for the rivers, trail,
and conservation assistance program.
Language is included under National Park Service, Historic
preservation fund, providing grants for Save America's
Treasures to be matched by non-Federal funds; individual
projects are only eligible for one grant and are subject to
prior approval; and funds for Federal projects are available by
transfer to individual agencies.
Language is included under National Park Service,
construction, limiting salaries to no more than 160 FTE's for
the Denver Service Center; requiring approval of new facilities
in excess of $5,000,000; and conditioning moneys available for
modified water deliveries project.
Language is included under National Park Service, Land and
water conservation fund, rescinding $30,000,000 in contract
authority.
Language is included under National Park Service, Land
acquisition and State assistance, permitting the use of funds
to assist the State of Florida with Everglades restoration;
making the use of funds for Everglades contingent on certain
conditions; limiting the use of funds to establish a
contingency fund for State grants; and redirecting previously
appropriated grants to the State of Florida for environmental
projects for the South Florida Restoration Initiative.
Language is included under National Park Service,
Administrative provisions, preventing the implementation of an
agreement for the redevelopment of the southern end of Ellis
Island; limiting the use of funds for the United Nation's
Biodiversity Convention; permitting the use of funds for
workplace safety needs; and authorizing reimbursable agreements
in advance of receipt of funds.
Language is included under U.S. Geological Survey, Surveys,
investigations and research, providing for two-year
availability of funds for biological research and for the
operations of cooperative research units; prohibiting the
conduct of new surveys on private property without permission;
and requiring cost sharing for cooperative topographic mapping
and water resource data collection activities.
Language is included under U.S. Geological Survey,
Administrative provisions, permitting contracting for certain
mapping and surveys; permitting construction of facilities;
permitting acquisition of land for certain uses; allowing
payment of expenses for the National Committee on Geology;
permitting payments to interstate compact negotiators;
permitting the use of certain contracts, grants, and
cooperative agreements; and allowing cooperative agreements for
research with Federal, State, and academic partners including
the use of space and cooperator facilities.
Language is included under Minerals Management Service,
Royalty and offshore minerals management, permitting the use of
excess receipts from Outer Continental Shelf leasing
activities; providing for reasonable expenses related to
volunteer beach and marine clean-up activities; providing for
refunds for overpayments on Indian allottee leases; providing
for collecting royalties and late payment interest on amounts
received in settlements associated with Federal and Indian
leases; permitting the use of revenues from a royalty-in-kind
program; and provides that royalty-in-kind be equal to, or
greater than, royalty-in-value.
Language is included under Office of Surface Mining
Reclamation and Enforcement, Regulation and technology,
permitting the use of moneys collected pursuant to assessment
of civil penalties to reclaim lands affected by coal mining
after August 3, 1977 and permitting payment to State and tribal
personnel for travel and per diem expenses for training.
Language is included under Office of Surface Mining
Reclamation and Enforcement, Abandoned mine reclamation fund,
limiting the amounts available for emergency reclamation
projects; allowing the use of debt recovery to pay for debt
collection; and earmarking funds for acid mine drainage.
Language is included under Bureau of Indian Affairs,
Operation of Indian programs, limiting funds for contract
support costs and for administrative cost grants for schools;
permitting the use of tribal priority allocations for general
assistance payments to individuals, for contract support costs,
and for repair and replacement of schools; allowing the
transfer of certain forestry funds; and providing for an Indian
self-determination fund.
Language is included under Bureau of Indian Affairs,
Construction, providing that six percent of Federal Highway
Trust Fund contract authority may be used for management costs;
providing for the transfer of Navajo irrigation project funds
to the Bureau of Reclamation; providing Safety of Dams funds on
a non-reimbursable basis; requiring the use of administrative
and cost accounting principles for certain school construction
projects and exempting such projects from certain requirements;
requiring conformance with building codes and health and safety
standards; and specifying the procedure for dispute resolution.
Language is included under Bureau of Indian Affairs,
Administrative provisions, prohibiting funding of Alaska
schools; limiting the number of schools and the expansion of
grade levels in individual schools; limiting the use of funds
for contracts, grants and cooperative agreements; and allows
tribes to return appropriated funds for distribution to other
tribes.
Language is included under Departmental Offices, Insular
Affairs, Assistance to Territories, requiring audits of the
financial transactions of the Territorial governments by the
General Accounting Office; providing grant funding under
certain terms of the Agreement of the Special Representatives
on Future United States Financial Assistance for the Northern
Mariana Islands; providing a grant to the Close-Up foundation;
allowing appropriations for disaster assistance to be used as
non-Federal matching funds for hazard mitigation grants; and
providing for capital infrastructure in various Territories.
Language is included under Departmental Offices,
Departmental management, salaries and expenses, permitting
payments to former Bureau of Mines workers; limiting the
establishment of additional reserves in the working capital
fund, and cancelling $20,000,000 in unobligated balances in the
working capital fund.
Language is included under Departmental Offices, Payments
in lieu of taxes, to exclude any payment that is less than
$100.
Language is included under Departmental Offices, Office of
special trustee for American Indians, specifying that the
statute of limitations shall not commence on any claim
resulting from trust funds losses; exempting quarterly
statements for accounts less than $1; requiring annual
statements and records maintenance; and permitting the use of
recoveries from erroneous payments.
Language is included under Departmental Offices, Indian
land consolidation, permitting transfers of funds for
administration and permitting cooperative agreements with
tribes to acquire fractional interests.
Language is included under Departmental Offices,
Administrative provisions, prohibiting the use of working
capital or consolidated working funds to augment certain
offices and allowing the acquisition of aircraft through
various means and the sale of existing aircraft with proceeds
used to offset the purchase price of replacement aircraft.
Language is included under General Provisions, Department
of the Interior, allowing transfer of funds in certain
emergency situations and requiring replacement with a
supplemental appropriation request and designating certain
transferred funds as ``emergency requirements'' under the
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
Language is included under General Provisions, Department
of the Interior, permitting the Department to consolidate
services and receive reimbursement for said services. Language
also is included providing for uniform allowances.
Language is included under General Provisions, Department
of the Interior, allowing obligations in connection with
contracts issued for services or rentals for periods not in
excess of 12 months beginning at any time during the fiscal
year.
Language is included under General Provisions, Department
of the Interior, restricting various oil and gas preleasing,
leasing, exploration and drilling activities within the Outer
Continental Shelf in the Georges Bank-North Atlantic planning
area, Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic planning area, Eastern
Gulf of Mexico planning area, North Aleutian Basin planning
area, Northern, Southern and Central California planning areas,
and Washington/Oregon planning area.
Language is included under General Provisions, Department
of the Interior, limiting the investment of Federal funds by
Indian tribes, and prohibiting fee exemptions for non-local
traffic through National Parks.
Language is included under General Provisions, Department
of the Interior, permitting the transfer of funds between the
Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Office of Special Trustee for
American Indians; allowing for the renewal of grazing permits
based on certain terms and conditions; providing for
administrative law judges to handle Indian issues; permitting
the redistribution of certain Indian funds with limitations;
directing allocation of funds for Bureau of Indian Affairs
funded post-secondary schools; limiting the use of the Huron
Cemetery to religious and cultural activities; permitting the
conveyance of the Twin Cities Research Center; authorizing a
cooperative agreement with the Golden Gate National Parks
Association; permitting the Bureau of Land Management to retain
funds from the sale of seeds and seedlings; permitting the sale
of equipment and interests at the White River Oil Shale Mine in
Utah and the retention of receipts; and allowing the use of
helicopters and motor vehicles on Sheldon and Hart National
Wildlife refuge; authorizing funding transfers for Shenandoah
Valley Battlefield NHD and Ice Age NST; prohibiting the closure
of the underground lunchroom at Carlsbad Caverns NP.
Language is included under General Provisions, Department
of the Interior, prohibiting demolition of the bridge between
New Jersey and Ellis Island; prohibiting posting of clothing
optional signs at Canaveral NS; limiting compensation for the
Special Master and Court Monitor for the Cobell v. Norton
litigation; allowing payment of attorney fees for Federal
employees related to the Cobell v. Norton litigation; requiring
the Fish and Wildlife Service to mark hatchery salmon; and
allowing for the transfer of certain Departmental Management
funds to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for Midway Island
Refuge airport; and preventing funds to study or reduce the
water level at Lake Powell.
Language is included under General Provisions, Department
of the Interior, providing for expansion of a tribal school
demonstration program; requiring the Secretary of the Interior
to report to the Committee on educational facilities for the
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; providing for a land exchange
at the Mojave National Preserve; establishing the Blue Ridge
National Heritage Area in North Carolina; establishing a
resolution process regarding individual Indian money account
claims so that claims would be resolved either through a
voluntary settlement process or through a historical
accounting.
Language is included under General Provisions, Department
of the Interior, limiting the use of funds for the Klamath
Fishery Management Council and permitting the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service to use funds to encourage public participation
in Service programs and for contracts for employment-related
legal services.
Language is included under Forest Service, State and
private forestry, requiring House and Senate Appropriations
Committee notification before releasing forest legacy project
funds; requiring that each forest legacy grant be for a
specific project or task; and requiring that States demonstrate
cost-share on forest legacy grants.
Language is included under Forest Service, National forest
system, allowing 50 percent of the fees collected under the
Land and Water Conservation Fund Act to remain available until
expended; requiring the fiscal year 2005 budget justification
to display unobligated balances available at the start of
fiscal year 2005; and permitting the transfer of funds to the
Bureau of Land Management for wild horse and burro management
and for cadastral surveys.
Language is included under Forest Service, Wildland fire
management, allowing the use of funds to repay advances from
other accounts and requiring 50 percent of any unobligated
balances remaining at the end of fiscal year 2003, excepting
hazardous fuels funding, to be transferred to the Knutson-
Vandenberg Fund as repayment for past advances; permitting the
use of funds for the Joint Fire Science program; providing for
grants and cooperative agreements with local communities;
providing for use of funds on adjacent, non-Federal lands for
hazard reduction; providing contract authority for fuel
reduction projects; and providing for the transfer of funds
between the Department of Interior and the Department of
Agriculture.
Language is included under Forest Service, Capital
improvement and maintenance, allowing funds to be used for road
decommissioning and requiring that no road decommissioning be
funded until notice and an opportunity for public comment has
been provided.
Language is included under Forest Service, Range betterment
fund, providing that six percent of the funds may be used for
administrative expenses.
Language is included under Forest Service, Administrative
provisions, providing that proceeds from the sale of aircraft
may be used to purchase replacement aircraft; permitting the
transfer of funds for emergency firefighting from other Forest
Service accounts under certain circumstances; and allowing
funds to be used through the Agency for International
Development and the Foreign Agricultural Service for work in
foreign countries and to support other forestry activities
outside of the United States.
Language is included under Forest Service, Administrative
provisions, prohibiting the following without advance approval:
(1) the transfer of funds under the Department of Agriculture
transfer authority; (2) reprogramming of funds; and (3)
transfer of funds in excess of the level transferred during
fiscal year 2000 to the working capital fund of the Department
of Agriculture.
Language is included under Forest Service, Administrative
provisions, providing for a Youth Conservation Corps program;
providing for matching funds and administrative expenses for
the National Forest Foundation and also matching funds for the
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation; providing funds for
sustainable rural development; providing payments to counties
within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area; dealing
with a report on special use permits for outfitters and guides
on the Inyo and the Sierra National Forests; permitting limited
reimbursements to the Office of General Counsel in USDA;
allowing the limited use of funds for law enforcement
emergencies; authorizing the sale of buildings and facilities
on the Green Mountain National Forest; allowing the transfer of
funds to the Department of the Interior for endangered species
consultation; and providing Federal employee status for certain
individuals employed under the Older American Act of 1965.
Language is included under Department of Energy, Clean coal
technology, deferring certain funding for one year.
Language is included under Department of Energy, Fossil
energy, specifying certain conditions for the Clean Coal Power
Initiative; limiting the field testing of nuclear explosives
for the recovery of oil and gas; and permitting the use of
funds from other programs accounts for the National Energy
Technology Laboratory.
Language is included under Department of Energy, Naval
petroleum and oil shale reserves, permitting the use of
unobligated balances.
Language is included under the Department of Energy, Energy
conservation, providing allocations of grants for
weatherization and State energy conservation.
Language is included under Administrative provisions,
Department of Energy, providing for vehicle and guard services
and uniform allowances; limiting programs of price supports and
loan guarantees to what is provided in appropriations Acts;
providing for the transfer of funds to other agencies of the
Government; providing for retention of revenues by the
Secretary of Energy on certain projects; requiring certain
contracts be submitted to Congress prior to implementation;
prohibiting issuance of procurement documents without
appropriations; and permitting the use of contributions and
fees for cooperative projects.
Language is included under Indian Health Service, Indian
health services, providing that certain contracts and grants
may be performed in two fiscal years; exempting certain tribal
funding from fiscal year constraints; limiting funds for
catastrophic care, loan repayment and certain contracts;
capping contract support cost spending; providing for use of
collections under Title IV of the Indian Health Care
Improvement Act; and permitting the use of Indian Health Care
Improvement Fund monies for facilities improvement.
Language is included under Indian Health Service, Indian
health facilities, providing that funds may be used to purchase
land, modular buildings and trailers; providing for certain
staff quarters construction in Alaska; providing for certain
purchases and for a demolition fund; and providing authority
for contracts for small ambulatory facilities.
Language is included under Indian Health Service,
Administrative provisions, providing for payments for telephone
service in private residences in the field, purchase of
reprints, and purchase and erection of portable buildings and
allowing deobligation and reobligation of funds applied to
self-governance funding agreements.
Language is included under Indian Health Service,
Administrative provisions, providing that health care may be
extended to non-Indians at Indian Health Service facilities and
providing for expenditure of funds transferred to IHS from the
Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Language is included under Indian Health Service,
Administrative provisions, preventing the Indian Health Service
from billing Indians in order to collect from third-party
payers until Congress has agreed to implement a specific
policy.
Language is included under Indian Health Service,
Administrative provisions, allowing payment of expenses for
meeting attendance; specifying that certain funds shall not be
subject to certain travel limitations; prohibiting the
expenditure of funds to implement new eligibility regulations;
providing that funds be apportioned only in the appropriation
structure in this Act; prohibiting changing the appropriations
structure without approval of the Appropriations Committees;
and permitting the sale of goods and services for fees and for
the use of those fees.
Language is included under Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian
Relocation, Salaries and expenses, defining eligible
relocatees; prohibiting movement of any single Navajo or Navajo
family unless a new or replacement home is available; limiting
relocatees to one new or replacement home; and establishing a
priority for relocation of Navajos to those certified eligible
who have selected and received homesites on the Navajo
reservation or selected a replacement residence off the Navajo
reservation.
Language is included under Smithsonian Institution,
Salaries and expenses, allowing for advance payments to
independent contractors performing research services or
participating in official Smithsonian presentations; providing
that funds may be used to support American overseas research
centers; and permitting the use of certain funds for the Victor
Building.
Language is included under Smithsonian Institution,
facilities capital, permitting the Smithsonian Institution to
select contractors for certain purposes on the basis of
contractor qualifications as well as price.
Language is included under Smithsonian Institution,
Administrative provisions, precluding any changes to the
Smithsonian science program without prior approval of the Board
of Regents; limiting the design or expansion of current space
or facilities without prior approval of the Committee; limiting
reprogramming of funds and the use of funds for the Holt House;
and establishing a voluntary separation incentive program.
Language is included under National Gallery of Art,
Salaries and expenses, allowing payment in advance for
membership in library, museum, and art associations or
societies; providing uniform allowances and for restoration and
repair of works of art by contract without advertising; and
providing no-year availability of funds for special
exhibitions.
Language is included under National Gallery of Art, Repair,
restoration and renovation of buildings, permitting the Gallery
to perform work by contract or otherwise and to select
contractors for certain purposes on the basis of contractor
qualifications as well as price.
Language is included under National Endowment for the
Humanities, Matching grants, allowing obligation of current and
prior year funds of gifts, bequests, and devises of money for
which equal amounts have not previously been appropriated.
Language is included under National Foundation on the Arts
and the Humanities, Administrative provisions, requiring
certain language in contracts and grants permitting the use of
non-appropriated funds for reception expenses, and allowing the
chairperson of the NEA to approve small grants under limited
circumstances.
Language is included under Commission of Fine Arts,
Salaries and expenses, permitting the charging and use of fees
for its publications.
Language is included under National Capital Arts and
Cultural Affairs, Administrative Provisions, limiting the use
of funds to study the alteration or transfer of this program.
Language is included under Advisory Council on Historic
Preservation, Salaries and expenses, restricting hiring at
Executive Level V or higher.
Language is included under National Capital Planning
Commission, Salaries and expenses, providing a daily equivalent
pay level at the rate of Executive Level IV for all appointed
members for fiscal year 2004 and thereafter.
Language is included under Holocaust Memorial Council,
providing no-year funding availability for repair and
rehabilitation and museums exhibitions.
Language is included under Title III--General Provisions,
providing for availability of information on consulting
services contracts; prohibiting the use of funds to distribute
literature either to promote or oppose legislative proposals on
which Congressional action is incomplete; prohibiting the use
of funds to provide personal cooks, chauffeurs or other
personal servants to any office or employee; specifying that
funds are for one year unless provided otherwise; prohibiting
assessments against programs funded in this bill; and
prohibiting the sale of giant sequoia trees in a manner
different from 2002.
Language is included under Title III--General Provisions,
continuing a limitation on accepting and processing
applications for patents and on the patenting of Federal lands;
permitting processing of grandfathered applications; and
permitting third-party contractors to process grandfathered
applications.
Language is included under Title III--General Provisions,
limiting the use of funds for contract support costs on Indian
contracts.
Language is included under Title III--General Provisions,
making reforms in the National Endowment for the Arts,
including funding distribution reforms; permitting the National
Endowments for the Arts and the Humanities to collect, invest
and use private donations; limiting funds for completing or
issuing the five-year program under the Forest and Rangeland
Renewable Resources Planning Act; limiting the use of funds for
any government-wide administrative functions; permitting the
use of Forest Service road and trail funds for maintenance and
forest health; limiting the use of telephone answering
machines; and limiting the sale for export of western red cedar
in Alaska.
Language is included under Title III--General Provisions,
prohibiting the Forest Service from using projects under the
recreation fee demonstration program to supplant existing
concessions and permitting the use of Forest land management
plans pending completion of required revisions.
Language is included under Title III--General Provisions,
limiting leasing and preleasing activities within National
Monuments; extending and expanding the pilot program allowing
the Forest Service to dispose of certain excess structures and
reinvest the proceeds for maintenance and rehabilitation;
providing authority hereafter for the staff of Congressionally
established foundations to use GSA contract airfare rates and
Federal government hotel accommodation rates when on official
business; providing the Secretary of the Interior and the
Secretary of Agriculture the authority to enter into reciprocal
agreements with foreign nations concerning the personal
liability of firefighters; providing for processing expired
grazing permits by the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest
Service; authorizing a demonstration program for the Cheyenne
River Sioux Tribe, which permits the Eagle Butte service unit
to pay higher salaries and bonuses to attract health
professionals; prohibiting the transfer of funds to other
agencies other than provided in this Act; and limiting the use
of funds to prepare or issue a permit or lease for oil or gas
drilling in the Finger Lakes National Forest, NY.
Language is included under Title III, General Provisions
limiting funds on planning, design, and construction to
Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House; providing
contracting and grant authority for hazardous fuel projects in
forest-dependent rural communities; certain limitation on funds
for Federal land takings excluding Everglades National Park
Protection and Expansion Act; extending recreation fee program;
continues existing procurement authorities at the Land Between
the Lakes NRA; and extending a pilot botanical forest product
harvest program.
Language is included under Title III, General Provisions
limiting the use of funds for competitive sourcing studies to
those already initiated in fiscal years 2002 and 2003.
Appropriations Not Authorized by Law
Pursuant to clause 3(f)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the following table lists the
appropriations in the accompanying bill which are not
authorized by law:
[Dollars in thousands]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriations
Last year of in last year Appropriations
authorization Authorization level of in this bill
authorization
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
National Endowment for the Arts....... 1993 ``Such sums as may be $174,460 $117,480
necessary''.
National Endowment for the Humanities. 1993 ``Such sums as may be 177,413 137,000
necessary''.
Office of Navajo & Hopi Indian 2000 $30,000.................. 8,000 13,532
Relocation.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Resources Management:
Endangered Species Act Amendments 1992 $41,500.................. 35,721 134,469
of 1988.
Marine Mammal Protection Act 1999 $10,296.................. 2,008
Amendments of 1994.
Department of Energy
Energy Information Administration 1992 NA 76,300................... 82,111
Office of Fossil Energy:
Coal.............................. 1997 ``Such sums as may be 149,629 198,860
necessary''.
Enhanced Oil Recovery............. 1997 NA....................... 45,937 32,200
Natural Gas....................... 1997 NA....................... 23,614 36,480
Fuel Cells........................ 1997 NA....................... 50,117 70,000
Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy:
Transportation R&D................ 1994 $160,000................. 176,000 240,923
Buildings, Industry............... 1994 $275,000................. 255,700 528,438
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Committee notes that authorizing legislation for many
of these programs is in various stages of the legislative
process and these authorizations are expected to be enacted
into law later this year.
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the following is a statement of
general performance goals and objectives for which this measure
authorizes funding:
The Committee on Appropriations considers program
performance, including a program's success in developing and
attaining outcome-related goals and objectives, in developing
funding recommendations.
Full Committee Votes
Pursuant to the provisions of clause 3(b) of rule XIII of
the House of Representatives, the results of each roll call
vote on an amendment or on the motion to report, together with
the names of those voting for and those voting against, are
printed below: there were no recorded votes.
Compliance With Rule XIII, Cl. 3(e) (Ramseyer Rule)
In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new
matter is printed in italics, existing law in which no change
is proposed is shown in roman):
SECTION 1222 OF DIVISION F OF PUBLIC LAW 108-7 TRIBAL SCHOOL
DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM
Subsections (a)(4), (b)(1), and (c) of Sec.1222 of Division
F of Public Law 108-7 are amended as follows:
(a)(4) [Tribally Controlled School.--The term ``tribally
controlled school'' has the meaning given that term in section
5212 of the Tribally Controlled School Act of 1988 (25 U.S.C.
2511).] Tribally Controlled School._The term ``tribally
controlled school'' means a school that currently receives a
grant under the Tribally Controlled Schools Act of 1988, as
amended (25 U.S.C. 2501 et seq.) or is determined by the
Secretary to meet the eligibility criteria of section 5205 of
the Tribally Controlled Schools Act of 1988, as amended (25
U.S.C. 2504).
(b)(1) In General.--Subject to the availability of
appropriations, in carrying out the demonstration program under
subsection (b), the Secretary shall award a grant to each
Indian tribe that submits an application that is approved by
the Secretary under paragraph (2). [The Secretary shall ensure
that an Indian tribe that agrees to fund all future operation
and maintenance costs of the tribally controlled school
constructed under the demonstration program from other than
federal funds receives the highest priority for a grant under
this section.] The Secretary shall ensure that applications for
funding to replace schools currently receiving funding for
facility operation and maintenance from the Bureau of Indian
Affairs receive the highest priority for grants under this
section. Among such applications, the Secretary shall give
priority to applications of Indian tribes that agree to fund
all future facility operation and maintenance costs of the
tribally controlled school funded under the demonstration
program from other than Federal funds.
(c) Effect of a Grant.--(1) Except as provided in paragraph
(2) of the subsection. A grant received under this section
shall be in addition to any other funds received by an Indian
tribe under any other provision of law. The receipt of a grant
under this section shall not affect the eligibility of an
Indian tribe receiving funding, or the amount of funding
received by the Indian tribe, under the Tribally Controlled
Schools Act of 1988 (25 U.S.C. 2501 et seq.) or the Indian
Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450
et seq).
(2) A tribe receiving a grant for construction of a
tribally controlled school under this section shall not be
eligible to receive funding from the Bureau of Indian Affairs
for that school for education operations or facility operation
and maintenance if the school that was not at the time of the
grant (i) a school receiving funding for education operations
or facility operation and maintenance under the Tribally
Controlled Schools Act or the Indian Self-Determination and
Education Assistance Act or (ii) a school operated by the
Bureau of Indian Affairs.''
SECTION 28(a) OF TITLE 30 UNITED STATES CODE HARD ROCK MINING HOLDING
FEE
Section 28f(a) of title 30 U.S.C. is amended as follows:
(a) Claim Maintenance Fee.--The holder of each unpatented
mining claim, mill, or tunnel site, located pursuant to the
mining laws of the United States, whether located before, on or
after enactment of this Act, shall pay to the Secretary of the
Interior, on or before September 1 of each year for years [2002
through 2003] 2004 through 2008, a claim maintenance fee of
$100 per claim or site.
Section 28g of title 30 U.S.C. is amended as follows:
Location Fee.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law,
for every unpatented mining claim, mill or tunnel site located
after August 10, 1993, and before September 30, [2003] 2008,
pursuant to the mining laws of the United States, the locator
shall, at the time the location notice is recorded with the
Bureau of Land Management, pay to the Secretary of the Interior
a location fee, in addition to the claim maintenance fee
required by section 28f of this title, of $25.00 per claim.
SECTION 315 OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND RELATED AGENCIES
APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1996
SEC. 315. RECREATIONAL FEE DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.
(a) * * *
(f) The authority to collect fees under this section shall
end on September 30, [2004] 2006. Funds in accounts established
shall remain available through September 30, [2007] 2009.
SECTION 551 OF THE LAND BETWEEN THE LAKES PROTECTION ACT OF 1998
SEC. 551. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) * * *
[(c) Transition.--Until September 30, 2004, the Secretary
of Agriculture may expend amounts appropriated or otherwise
made available to carry out this title in a manner consistent
with the authorities exercised by the Tennessee Valley
Authority, before the transfer of the Recreation Area to the
administrative jurisdiction of the Secretary, regarding
procurement of property, services, supplies, and equipment.]
(c) Use of Funds.--The Secretary of Agriculture may expend
amounts appropriated or otherwise made available to carry out
this title in a manner consistent with the authorities
exercised by the Tennessee Valley Authority before the transfer
of the Recreation Area to the administrative jurisdiction of
the Secretary, including campground management and visitor
services, paid advertisement, and procurement of food and
supplies for resale purposes.
SECTION 339 OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND RELATED AGENCIES
APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2000
SEC. 339. PILOT PROGRAM OF CHARGES AND FEES FOR HARVEST OF FOREST
BOTANICAL PRODUCTS.
(a) * * *
(b) Recovery of Fair Market Value for Products.--The
Secretary of Agriculture shall develop and implement a pilot
program to charge and collect [not less than the fair market
value] fees under subsection (c) for forest botanical products
harvested on National Forest System lands. [The Secretary shall
establish appraisal methods and bidding procedures to ensure
that the amounts collected for forest botanical products are
not less than fair market value.] The Secretary shall establish
appraisal methods and bidding procedures to determine the fair
market value of forest botanical products harvested under the
pilot program.
(c) Fees.--
[(1) Imposition and Collection.--Under the pilot
program, the Secretary of Agriculture shall also charge
and collect fees from persons who harvest forest
botanical products on National Forest System lands to
recover all costs to the Department of Agriculture
associated with the granting, modifying, or monitoring
the authorization for harvest of the forest botanical
products, including the costs of any environmental or
other analysis.]
(1) Imposition and collection.--Under the pilot
program, the Secretary of Agriculture shall charge and
collect from a person who harvests forest botanical
products on National Forest System lands a fee in an
amount established by the Secretary to recover at least
a portion of the fair market value of the harvested
forest botanical products and a portion of the costs
incurred by the Department of Agriculture associated
with granting, modifying, or monitoring the
authorization for harvest of the forest botanical
products, including the costs of any environmental or
other analysis.
* * * * * * *
(e) Waiver Authority.--
(1) Personal use.--The Secretary of Agriculture shall
establish a personal use harvest level for each forest
botanical product, and the harvest of a forest
botanical product below that level by a person for
personal use shall not be subject to [charges and fees
under subsections (b) and] a fee under subsection (c).
(f) Deposit and Use of Funds.--
(1) Deposit.--Funds collected under the pilot program
in accordance with [subsections (b) and] subsection (c)
shall be deposited into a special account in the
Treasury of the United States.
(2) Funds available.--Funds deposited into the
special account in accordance with paragraph (1) [in
excess of the amounts collected for forest botanical
products during fiscal year 1999] shall be available
for expenditure by the Secretary of Agriculture under
paragraph (3) without further appropriation, and shall
remain available for expenditure until the date
specified in subsection (h)(2).
(3) Authorized uses.--The funds made available under
paragraph (2) shall be expended at units of the
National Forest System in proportion to the [charges
and fees collected at that unit under the pilot program
to pay for--
[(A) in the case of funds collected under
subsection (b), the costs of conducting
inventories of forest botanical products,
determining sustainable levels of harvest,
monitoring and assessing the impacts of harvest
levels and methods, and for restoration
activities, including any necessary vegetation;
and
[(B) in the case of fees collected under
subsection (c), the costs described in
paragraph (1) of such subsection.] fees
collected at that unit under subsection (c) to
pay for the costs of conducting inventories of
forest botanical products, determining
sustainable levels of harvest, monitoring and
assessing the impacts of harvest levels and
methods, conducting restoration activities,
including any necessary vegetation, and
covering costs of the Department of Agriculture
described in subsection (c) (1).
(4) Treatment of fees.--Funds collected under
[subsections (b) and] subsection (c) shall not be taken
into account for the purposes of the following laws:
(A) * * *
(g) Reporting Requirements.--As soon as practicable after
the end of each fiscal year in which the Secretary of
Agriculture collects [charges and fees under subsections (b)
and] fees under subsection (c) or expends funds from the
special account under subsection (f), the Secretary shall
submit to the Congress a report summarizing the activities of
the Secretary under the pilot program, including the funds
generated under [subsections (b) and] subsection (c), the
expenses incurred to carry out the pilot program, and the
expenditures made from the special account during that fiscal
year.
(h) Duration of Pilot Program.--
[(1) Charges and fees.--The Secretary of Agriculture
may collect charges and fees under the authority of
subsections (b) and (c) only during fiscal years 2000
through 2004.]
(1) Collection of fees.--The Secretary of Agriculture
may collect fees under the authority of subsection (c)
until September 30, 2009.
SECTION 329 OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND RELATED AGENCIES
APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2002
Sec. 329. (a) * * *
(b) Limitation.--Conveyances on not more than [20] 30 sites
may be made under the authority of this section, and the
Secretary of Agriculture shall obtain the concurrence of the
Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and
the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate in advance of
each conveyance.
(c) Use of Proceeds.--The proceeds derived from the sale of
a building or other structure under this section shall be
retained by the Secretary of Agriculture and shall be available
to the Secretary, without further appropriation until expended,
for maintenance and rehabilitation activities within the Forest
Service Region in which the building or structure is located.
Additionally, proceeds from the sale of conveyances on no more
than [3] eight sites shall be available for construction of
replacement facilities.
(d) Duration of Authority.--The authority provided by this
section expires on September 30, [2006] 2007.
Five-Year Projection of Outlays
In compliance with section 308(a)(1)(B) of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-344), as
amended, the following table contains five-year projections
associated with the budget authority provided in the
accompanying bill:
[In millions]
Budget authority (discretionary)........................ 19,627
Outlays:
Fiscal year 2004.................................... 13,224
Fiscal year 2005.................................... 4,105
Fiscal year 2006.................................... 1,463
Fiscal year 2007.................................... 632
Fiscal year 2008 and future years................... 253
Assistance to State and Local Governments
In accordance with section 308(a)(1)(C) of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-344), as
amended, the financial assistance to State and local
governments is as follows:
[In millions]
New budget authority.................................... 2,561
Fiscal year 2004 outlays resulting therefrom............ 1,564
Full Committee Votes
Pursuant to the provisions of clause 3(b) of rule XIII of
the House of Representatives, the results of each roll call
vote on an amendment or on the motion to report, together with
the names of those voting for and those voting against, are
printed below:
ROLLCALL NO. 1
Date: June 25, 2003.
Measure: Department of the Interior and Related Agencies
Appropriations Bill, FY 2004.
Motion by: Mr. Obey.
Description of motion: To increase certain conservation
spending category programs by $568.6 million; increases are
offset by a reduction to tax cuts for certain income groups.
Results: Rejected 26 yeas to 32 nays.
Members Voting Yea Members Voting Nay
Mr. Berry Mr. Aderholt
Mr. Bishop Mr. Bonilla
Mr. Boyd Mr. Crenshaw
Mr. Clyburn Mr. Cunningham
Mr. Cramer Mr. Doolittle
Ms. DeLauro Mrs. Emerson
Mr. Dicks Mr. Frelinghuysen
Mr. Farr Mr. Goode
Mr. Fattah Ms. Granger
Mr. Hinchey Mr. Istook
Mr. Hoyer Mr. Kingston
Ms. Kaptur Mr. Knollenberg
Mr. Kennedy Mr. LaHood
Ms. Kilpatrick Mr. Latham
Mrs. Lowey Mr. Lewis
Mr. Mollohan Mr. Nethercutt
Mr. Moran Mrs. Northup
Mr. Obey Mr. Peterson
Mr. Olver Mr. Regula
Mr. Pastor Mr. Rogers
Mr. Price Mr. Sherwood
Mr. Rothman Mr. Simpson
Ms. Roybal-Allard Mr. Sweeney
Mr. Sabo Mr. Taylor
Mr. Serrano Mr. Tiahrt
Mr. Visclosky Mr. Vitter
Mr. Walsh
Mr. Wamp
Dr. Weldon
Mr. Wicker
Mr. Wolf
Mr. Young
ADDITIONAL VIEWS OF DAVID OBEY AND NORMAN DICKS
We appreciate that the FY 2004 Interior Appropriations bill
reported by the Committee includes important increases in
certain areas. The $335 million increase over the FY 2003 base
funding for the National Fire Plan is critically important.
These funds will improve this nation's ability to both fight
and prevent catastrophic forest fires. Likewise, the $243
million increase for Indian health, education and trust reform
efforts, while still less than is needed, is to be commended.
Funding to address the most urgent needs within Indian Country
represents a shared priority of all members of the Committee.
Beyond these two specific areas, the bill also has made a
commendable effort to provide funding to at least partially
offset the uncontrollable costs, principally pay and rent, for
the agencies under its jurisdiction.
Beyond funding, we also endorse a number of policy
initiatives in this bill. The limitation in section 335 of the
bill on the Administration's poorly designed competitive
sourcing programs, in particular those at the National Park
Service and the U.S. Forest Service, will stop an irrational
and costly process until it can be redesigned and further
justified to the Congress. Section 137 attempts to address the
longstanding problems created by the Cobell v. Norton
individual Indian trust accounts court case by encouraging a
settlement process which we hope will direct scarce resources
away from lawyers and accountants to the benefit of Native
American peoples through a responsible and responsive system of
Indian trust management. While this language is controversial
and may require further amendment after consultation with the
authorizing Committees of both the House and the Senate, the
effort to move the process towards settlement and away from an
enormously costly and unproductive litigation process is
clearly the right policy and should be encouraged.
Unfortunately, despite the positive aspects of this
Interior bill, it is our view that the FY 2004 appropriations
bill reported by the Committee remains critically flawed in
many areas. These failings, which are discussed in more detail
later in these remarks, include, principally:
A wholesale retreat from the Committee's
previous commitment to adequately fund conservation
programs to protect public lands and cultural
artifacts, to preserve endangered and threatened
species, and to assist States in their own conservation
and recreation programs. These conservation programs
are funded at a level $208 million below the current
year and $569 million below the level authorized in the
conservation trust agreement less than three years ago;
Failure to provide adequate funds to address
funding shortfalls for the FY 2002 and FY 2003
firefighting seasons. The bill fails, for instance, to
repay any of the $373 million borrowed from other
Forest Service and Interior Department programs during
the fiscal year 2002 fire seasons;
A continuing policy of freezing funding for
the National Endowment for the Arts at levels 30
percent less than provided a decade ago, despite
repeated votes on the floor of the House in support of
increased funding; and
Rejection of the president's request to
increase funding for the Department of Energy's
weatherization program, which is critical in helping
poor families reduce their energy costs. This program
is funded at a level $63 million below the president's
request of $288 million.
CONSERVATION FUNDING SHORTFALL
Our greatest concern with the bill as reported is that it
completely abandons the conservation trust agreement which the
leadership of the House and Senate and the leadership of this
Committee voted for 3 years ago as a part of the FY 2001
Interior Appropriations Act. That agreement was reached and
enacted into law in response to the 315 Members of the House
who voted for the CARA legislation (H.R. 701) during the1 106th
Congress as a statement of commitment to preserving the great
lands and places of America, to saving endangered and
threatened species, and to helping States and local communities
with their conservation and recreation programs through
creative partnerships. While it is true that no Congress may
bind a future Congress, we believe the conservation trust
agreements which was included in the 2001 bill represented a
promise by the Congress and this Committee that conservation
programs would be given their highest priority. Unfortunately,
the FY 2004 Interior bill reported by the Committee
insteadgives conservation spending its lowest priority. If anyone
doubts this evaluation of the Committee bill, the numbers speak for
themselves:
Conservation spending.--The Committee bill funds
conservation related programs in FY 2004 at a level of $991
million--$569 million below the $1,560 million authorized for
FY 2004, $208 million below 2003 and approximately $200 million
below the president's 2004 request. (See conservation spending
table below.)
Federal land acquisition.--Federal land
acquisition programs, a critical part of our conservation
commitment, are funded at only $100 million, the lowest level
in two decades. This is $213 million below the 2003 level and
$87 million below the president's request. Members may be
tempted to think of this as an abstract argument about vast
lands in the undeveloped West or about places which only a few
people care about. But it is very real. It is the nine acre
tract in the middle of Valley Forge, which will be developed
next year if we don't buy it; it is Yellowstone and Grant
Teton; it is the Great Smoky Mountains and the Blue Ridge
Parkway. It is the national park, wildlife refuge or forest in
each Member's Congressional District.
In honesty this cut is no surprise. The Chairman of the
Interior Subcommittee has clearly stated his opposition to
Federal ownership of land. But we do not believe that most
Members of the House agree with that policy. We urge Members
during the amendment process on the floor to reject the
implicit policy of the bill as currently drafted that the
Federal government largely abandon its efforts to preserve the
great spaces of America for our children and our grandchildren.
Forestry Legacy.--The retreat from preserving
public land does not stop with our national parks and refuges.
93 Members of the House wrote the Committee in support of the
Forest Legacy program which helps States preserve forest lands
threatened by development. These 93 Members asked for an
increase from $68 million to $150 million. This bill instead
funds Forest Legacy grants to States at $45 million, a level
almost 30 percent lower than last year and $41 million below
the president's budget.
North American Wetlands Conservation Fund.--225
Members of the House wrote this Committee and encouraged us to
increase funding for the North American Wetlands Conservation
program. In response the bill funds this small but important
program at a level of $25 million, 35 percent below the current
year and less than half of the president's request. Instead of
increasing this program modestly as requested by 225 Members of
both parties, the Committee bill cuts it by a third. This
doesn't make any sense.
Statewide assistance.--The National Park Service's
Stateside assistance grants which support state recreation and
conservation programs are funded at a level of $98 million, $63
million below the president's request.
Urban parks.--The urban parks program receives no
funding despite requests by 104 Members that it be restored.
The shortfalls in funding for conservation are displayed in
more detail on the following table. This table shows all
conservation funding in the bill based on the definitions
established by the Committee in the FY 2001 Interior
Appropriations Act. The first section of the table displays the
subset of these programs which are financed from the Land and
Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). This fund was created in 1964
to channel receipts from the then newly authorized oil and gas
leases on the Outer Continental Shelf into conservation
programs with a guarantee that at least $900 million be spent
each year on Federal land acquisition and state recreation and
conservation assistance programs as defined in the 1964 Act.
Because the LWCF programs have never been fully funded, the
Land and Water Conservation Fund has accumulated an unexpended
balance of $13.2 billion:
CONSERVATION SPENDING--FY 2004 COMMITTEE BILL
[In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FY 2004 Cmmittee
Subcategory/appropriation account FY 2000 FY 2001 FY 2002 FY 2003 Committee vs. 03
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lands and Water Conservation Fund
Federal Land Acquisition:
BLM Federal Land Acquisition.. 15,500 47,265 49,920 33,233 14,000 -19,233
FWS Federal Land Acquisition.. 50,513 121,188 99,135 72,893 23,058 -49,835
NPS Federal Land Acquisition.. 78,700 124,840 130,117 73,984 33,654 -40,330
FS Federal land Acquisition... 79,835 150,872 149,742 132,945 29,288 -103,657
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Federal Land 224,548 444,165 428,914 313,055 100,000 -213,055
Acquisition................
NPS Stateside LWCF Grants......... 21,000 90,301 144,000 97,364 97,500 136
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Federal and State 245,548 534,466 572,914 410,419 197,500 -212,919
LWCF.......................
=============================================================================
State and Other Conservation
Programs
State Wildlife Grants............. 0 49,890 85,000 64,577 75,000 10,423
FWS Incentive Grant Programs...... 0 ........... 0 39,740 40,000 260
FWS Stewardship Grants Program.... 0 ........... 0 9,935 10,000 65
FWS Coop. Endangered Species 23,000 104,694 96,235 80,473 86,614 6,141
Conserv. Fund....................
FWS North American Wetlands 14,957 39,912 43,500 38,309 24,560 -13,749
Conserv. Fund....................
FWS Neotropical Migratory bird 0 0 3,000 2,981 5,000 2,019
fund.............................
FWS Multinational species fund.... 2,391 3,243 4,000 4,768 5,000 232
USGS State Planning Partnerships.. 24,945 24,945 25,000 19,976 19,976 0
Cooperatrive Conservation Init.,
BLM, FWS, NPS:
BLM Challenge Cost Share...... 0 0 4,968 13,882 16,882 3,000
FWS Challenge Cost Share...... 0 0 4,968 6,831 9,831 3,000
NPS Challenge Cost Share...... 0 0 6,980 11,902 14,902 3,000
FS, Forest Legacy................. 30,896 59,868 65,000 68,380 45,575 -22,805
FS, inventory and monitoring NFS.. ........... 19,956 ........... ........... ........... ...........
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, State and Other 96,189 302,508 338,651 361,754 353,340 -8,414
Conserv....................
=============================================================================
Urban and Historic Preservation
Programs
NPS Historic Preservation Fund.... 74,793 94,239 75,500 68,552 71,000 2,448
NPS Urban Parks & Recreation 2,000 29,934 30,000 298 305 7
Recovery Grants..................
FS Urban and Community Forestry... 30,896 35,642 36,000 35,999 36,000 1
BLM Youth Conservation Corps...... 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 0
FWS Youth Conservation Corps...... 1,000 1,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 0
NPS Youth Conservation Corps...... 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 0
FS Youth Conservation Corps....... 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 0
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Urban & Historic.. 113,689 165,815 147,500 111,849 114,305 2,456
=============================================================================
Payments in Lieu of Taxes--BLM ........... 64,980 65,000 74,610 90,000 15,390
Increase.........................
=============================================================================
Federal Infrastructure Improvement
Programs
BLM--Mgmt. of Lands & Resources 0 24,945 28,000 31,422 29,913 -1,509
increase.........................
FWS--Resource Management increase. 0 24,945 29,000 45,542 52,664 7,122
NPS--Construction increase........ 0 49,890 66,851 85,538 61,025 -22,513
FS--Capital Improvement and Maint. 0 49,890 61,000 79,882 91,905 12,023
increase.........................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Fed. 0 149,670 184,851 240,384 235,507 -4,877
Infrastructure Improvement.
=============================================================================
Total, Conservation Spending 455,426 1,217,439 1,308,916 1,199,016 990,652 -208,364
Category, comm.............
=============================================================================
Total, Conservation Spending ........... 1,200,000 1,320,000 1,440,000 1,560,000 ...........
Category authorization.....
Committee vs. authorization. ........... 17,439 -11,084 -240,984 569,348 ...........
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FISCAL YEAR 2002 AND 2003 FIREFIGHTING FUNDING SHORTFALLS
During Committee consideration of the bill, an amendment
was offered by Mr. Dicks to add $550 million for the additional
cost of fighting forest fires during the FY 2003 fire season.
The Committee was informed by the U.S. Forest Service in early
June that these costs would likely exceed currently available
appropriations for firefighting by this amount, thus triggering
another round of disruptive borrowing of funds from other
Department of Interior and Forest Service programs. During the
debate on the amendment, the Chairman of the Committee
expressed support for the additional amounts in 2003 but asked
that consideration be postponed until it could be considered in
the context of a FY 2003 Supplemental. Given these assurances,
the amendment was withdrawn but we wish to make clear that we
consider enactment of this supplemental to be the highest
priority in order to avoid another disastrous round of
borrowing to pay emergency firefighting costs.
SUPPORT OF THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENTS FOR THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES
We are pleased that the Committee bill includes a $10
million increase for the president's ``We the People''
initiative at the National Endowment for the Humanities to
improve knowledge of U.S. history and civics. While not the
full $25 million requested by the president, we appreciate that
the Committee has chosen to begin this important educational
effort and to provide the NEH with its largest increase in its
history. At the same time, however, we were dismayed that the
Committee failed to provide even a modest programmatic increase
for the National Endowment for the Arts, despite roll call
votes in the House on June 15, 2000, June 21, 2001, and July
17, 2002 in favor of such increases. We believe that the NEA
has implemented all of the reforms requested by the Congress,
that its leadership is strong and responsible, and that the
programs of the NEA are widely valued by the people of this
country. There is no longer any excuse for keeping funding at
the NEA at a level 30 percent below the FY 1994 level. We
encourage Members to support efforts on the floor to provide a
modest real increase for the NEA and to more adequately fund
NEH's new ``We the People'' program.
WEATHERIZATION
We have been pleased to see the president's leadership in
making the Department of Energy's weatherization program a
priority and for his commitment to increasing the program in
each of the three budgets which he has presented to the
Congress. His request to increase funding for weatherization in
FY 2004 to $288 million from its current funding level of $223
million would have permitted an additional 25,000 poor and
elderly families to be served. It is estimated that each home
weatherized will generate $275 in annual saving and $4,650 of
life-cycle savings per household. These savings are critical
for families living near or below the federal poverty level.
Given these savings and given the strong support from the
president, we do not understand why the Committee has chosen to
fund this program at a level $63 million below the president's
FY 2004 budget request.
CONCLUSION
We believe that the shortfalls in funding which we have
enumerated represented a serious retreat from the priorities
which Congress has supported in the past and which in many
cases the president has supported in his FY 2004 budget
request. We do not have an easy answer for how to fix these
problems, but we do not believe the bill as reported by the
Appropriations Committee represents the true will of the House.
During floor consideration of the Interior bill, we, as well as
other Members of the House, expect to offer amendments to more
adequately fund conservation programs, to increase support for
the arts and the humanities and to assist more poor and elderly
families with the weatherization program. The cost will be
offset by an amendment offered unsuccessfully in Committee that
would scale back the tax cut going to high-income individuals,
those with adjusted gross income above $1 million, by $3,000
per year. This means that the tax cut enacted earlier this year
would be reduced from $88,000 to $85,000 for these very high-
income families. Surely this represents a reasonable
realignment of priorities. We urge Members of both parties to
think of your own values and those of your constituents when
you consider these amendments. The House of Representatives is
not a parliamentary system where Members are required to vote
the party line. Each of us has our own election certificate and
a duty to our own constituents which comes above party loyalty.
We urge all Members to cast their votes based on what they
truly see as the best interest of their constituents.
Dave Obey.
Norm Dicks.