64–637

106TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 106–646

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND RELATED AGENCIES

APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2001

JUNE 1, 2000.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of

the Union and ordered to be printed

Mr. REGULA, from the Committee on Appropriations,

submitted the following

REPORT

together with

DISSENTING VIEWS

[To accompany H.R. 4578]

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, 2001. 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 7

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ........................................................... 10 18

National Park Service ......................................................................... 15 28

U.S. Geological Survey ....................................................................... 20 44

Minerals Management Service .......................................................... 22 48

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement ................. 24 50

Bureau of Indian Affairs .................................................................... 27 54

Departmental Offices .......................................................................... 35 63

General Provisions .............................................................................. 42 71

2

Related Agencies:

Forest Service, USDA ......................................................................... 52 72

Department of Energy ........................................................................ 66 96

Clean Coal Technology ....................................................................... 66 96

Energy Conservation .......................................................................... 67 97

Fossil Energy Research and Development ........................................ 67 97

Alternative Fuels Production ............................................................. 68 104

Naval Petroleum and Oil Shale Reserves ......................................... 68 105

Economic Regulation ........................................................................... 69 107

Strategic Petroleum Reserve .............................................................. 69 107

Energy Information Administration .................................................. 69 108

Indian Health Service, DHHS ................................................................... 71 108

Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation ........................................... 78 114

Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development ................................................................................................ ........ 115

Smithsonian Institution ............................................................................. 79 115

National Gallery of Art .............................................................................. 82 118

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts ................................... 84 121

Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars ................................ 84 121

National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities ........................... 85 122

Institute of Museum and Library Services .............................................. 86 127

Commission of Fine Arts ........................................................................... 87 129

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation .............................................. 87 130

National Capital Planning Commission ................................................... 88 130

United States Holocaust Memorial Council ............................................. 88 130

Presidio Trust ............................................................................................. 88 131

Title III—General Provisions .................................................................... 89 131

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 ............................................................ $14,742 59 $14,742 58

Outlays ........................................................................... 15,262 70 15,322 70

*Includes House-passed supplemental appropriations.

Note.—The outlays in this bill are technically in excess of the subcommittee section 302(b) suballocation. However, pursuant to section 314 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as amended, increases to the Committee’s section 302(a) allocation are authorized for funding

designated as emergency requirements. After the bill is reported to the House, the Chairman of the Committee on the Budget will provide an

increased section 302(a) allocation consistent with the funding provided in the bill. That new allocation wil eliminate the technical difference prior to floor consideration.

SUMMARY OF THE BILL

The Committee has conducted extensive hearings on the programs and projects provided for in the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations bill for 2001. The hearings are contained in 11

published volumes totaling nearly 11,000 pages.

During the course of the hearings, testimony was taken at 23

hearings on 21 days from more than 500 witnesses, not only from

agencies which come under the jurisdiction of the Interior SubVerDate 11-MAY-2000 04:55 Jun 02, 2000 Jkt 064637 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR646.XXX pfrm01 PsN: HR646
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committee, but also from Members of Congress, State and local

government officials, and private citizens.

The bill that is recommended for fiscal year 2001 has been developed after careful consideration of all the facts and details available to the Committee.

BUDGET AUTHORITY RECOMMENDED IN BILL BY TITLE

Activity Budget estimates,

fiscal year 2001

Committee bill, fiscal

year 2001

Committee bill Compared with budget

estimates

Title I, Department of the Interior: New Budget (obligational)

authority ............................................................................... $8,405,904,000 $7,263,152,000 ¥$1,142,752,000

Title II, related agencies: New Budget (obligational) authority 7,913,868,000 7,346,268,000 ¥567,600,000

Grand total, New Budget (obligational) authority ...... 16,319,772,000 14,609,420,000 ¥1,710,352,000

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 2000, these activities are estimated to total

2,861,378,000. The estimate for fiscal year 2001 is $2,777,202,000.

The following table reflects the total budget (obligational) authority contained both in this bill and in permanent appropriations for

fiscal years 2000 and 2001.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND RELATED AGENCIES TOTAL BUDGET AUTHORITY FOR FISCAL

YEARS 2000–2001

Item Fiscal year 2000 Fiscal year 2001 Change

Interior and related agencies appropriations bill .................... $14,911,650,000 $14,609,420,000 ¥$302,230,000

Permanent appropriations, Federal funds ................................ 2,215,134,000 2,158,004,000 ¥57,130,000

Permanent appropriations, trust funds .................................... 646,244,000 619,198,000 ¥27,046,000

Total budget authority ................................................. 17,773,028,000 17,386,622,000 ¥386,406,000

REVENUE GENERATED BY AGENCIES IN BILL

The following tabulation indicates total new obligational authority to date for fiscal years 1999 and 2000, and the amount recommended in the bill for fiscal year 2001. It compares receipts generated by activities in this bill on an actual basis for fiscal year

1999 and on an estimated basis for fiscal years 2000 and 2001. The

programs in this bill are estimated to generate $8.5 billion in revenues for the Federal Government in fiscal year 2001. Therefore, the

expenditures in this bill will contribute to economic stability rather

than inflation.

Item

Fiscal year—

1999 2000 2001

New obligational authority ........................................................ $14,297,803,0000 $14,911,650,000 $14,609,420,000

Receipts:

Department of the Interior ............................................... 6,138,188,000 6,509,697,000 7,898,558,000

4

Item

Fiscal year—

1999 2000 2001

Forest Service ................................................................... 588,094,000 648,608,000 626,382,000

Naval Petroleum Reserves ............................................... 5,236,000 4,432,000 3,976,000

Total receipts ............................................................... 6,731,518,000 7,162,737,000 8,528,908,000

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 2001, 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 2001.

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.

LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND

Following is a comparison of the Land and Water Conservation

Fund by agency. More specific information can be found in each

agency’s land acquisition account.

LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND

[In thousands of dollars]

Enacted fiscal

year 2000

Estimated fiscal

year 2001 Recommended

Assistance to States:

Matching grants .......................................................................... $20,000 $145,000 $20,000

Administrative expenses .............................................................. 1,000 5,000 1,000

Subtotal, assistance to States ................................................ 21,000 150,000 21,000

Federal programs:

Bureau of Land Management ...................................................... 15,500 60,900 19,000

Fish and Wildlife Service ............................................................. 50,513 111,632 30,000

National Park Service .................................................................. 99,700 147,468 44,000

Forest Service ............................................................................... 79,835 130,265 50,000

Subtotal, Federal programs ..................................................... 245,548 350,265 143,000

5

LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND—Continued

[In thousands of dollars]

Enacted fiscal

year 2000

Estimated fiscal

year 2001 Recommended

Total LWCF ............................................................................... 265,548 500,265 164,000

The Committee has included $164,000,000 to cover the land acquisition needs of the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service, National Park Service, and the Forest Service.

INDIAN PROGRAMS

Spending for Indian services by the Federal Government in total

is included in the following table:

FEDERAL FUNDING OF INDIAN PROGRAMS

[In thousands of dollars]

Budget authority Fiscal year 1999

actual

Fiscal year 2000,

enacted

Fiscal year 2001,

budget estimate

Department of Agriculture .......................................................................... $196,905 $197,512 $229,105

Department of Commerce ........................................................................... 6,651 5,796 54,146

Department of Defense ............................................................................... 16,000 16,000 16,000

Department of Justice ................................................................................. 181,928 194,686 278,563

Department of Education ............................................................................ 1,530,000 1,576,932 1,702,665

Department of HHS ..................................................................................... 2,543,818 2,744,400 3,050,070

Department of HUD ..................................................................................... 693,000 693,000 725,000

Department of Veterans Affairs .................................................................. 515 520 532

Department of the Interior .......................................................................... 2,013,981 2,195,343 2,549,274

Department of Labor ................................................................................... 88,655 68,815 80,337

Department of Transportation .................................................................... 283,902 250,089 375,089

Environmental Protection Agency ............................................................... 158,884 170,109 187,859

Small Business Administration .................................................................. 0 0 5,750

Smithsonian Institution .............................................................................. 25,000 32,000 41,000

Army Corps of Engineers ............................................................................ 21,940 19,460 20,343

Department of Treasury .............................................................................. 0 0 5,000

Other Independent Agencies ....................................................................... 44,937 36,741 59,043

Total ............................................................................................... 7,806,116 8,201,403 9,379,776

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 is concerned that the agencies funded by this Act

are not following a standard methodology for allocating approVerDate 11-MAY-2000 04:55 Jun 02, 2000 Jkt 064637 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR646.XXX pfrm01 PsN: HR646
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priated 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. In the future, 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.

RECREATION ON THE PUBLIC LANDS

Public participation in recreation programs funded in this bill is

an important and growing aspect of the land management agencies

under the jurisdiction of this Committee. These agencies are responsible for the National Parks managed by the National Park

Service, the National Wildlife Refuge System managed by the

United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Nation’s public lands

managed by the Bureau of Land Management, and our National

Forests and Grasslands managed by the Forest Service. It is a little

known fact that recreation in the National Forests exceeds that of

the National Parks. The Forest Service manages 192 million acres,

has over 850 million visitors a year, and attracts 93 thousand volunteers. By contrast the National Park Service manages 78 million

acres, has about 284 million visitors, and attracts 115 thousand

volunteers. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages 93 million

acres, has 35 million visitors annually and attracts 29 thousand

volunteers. The Bureau of Land Management has the largest land

base of the land management agencies with 264 million acres. BLM

has about 65 million visitors annually and attracts 17 thousand

volunteers. The Committee continues to place a high priority on

maintaining these recreation programs, ensuring that the American public has safe and uplifting experiences on the Nation’s public lands. The Committee is grateful to all the volunteers who are

helping to make the public lands better places for the visiting public and for generations to come.

INVASIVE SPECIES CONTROL AND THE USE OF NATIVE PLANTS

In several hearings this year, the land management agencies testified regarding the widespread and very serious problem of

invasive exotic species. Many individuals and non-governmental organizations echoed those concerns in public witness testimony. In

addition, numerous members of Congress voiced their support for

increased efforts to control invasive species. Although a funding allocation lower than the fiscal year 2000 enacted level precludes the

Committee from recommending expensive new initiatives, the Committee does recognize that controlling invasive exotics is important

for natural resources management throughout the country.

The Committee is pleased with the efforts of the Bureau of Land

Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park

Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the Forest Service to address the issues of invasive non-native plants in their strategic

plans and to eradicate or control these species. The Committee

urges the land managing bureaus to be pro-active in providing

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their field managers and the public with information on acceptable

native alternatives to non-native plant material, to increase public

awareness of these issues, and to emphasize partnerships in the

eradication of invasive non-native plants. Successful efforts to manage lands to protect native fauna should likewise be continued and

expanded where possible. The Committee also urges all other entities that receive funding for facilities under this bill to increase

their use of native plants in landscaping.

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 264 million acres of the

Nation’s public lands and for management of 300 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, with an estimated 62 million visits totaling

788 million visitor hours of recreation use on the public lands

under the Bureau’s management.

Under the multiple-use and ecosystem management concept the

Bureau administers the grazing of approximately 4.3 million head

of livestock on some 164 million acres of public land ranges, and

manages over 47,000 wild horses and burros, some 264 million

acres of wildlife habitat, and over 150,000 miles of fisheries habitat. Grazing receipts are estimated to be about $14.2 million in fiscal year 2001, compared to an estimated $14.2 million in fiscal year

2000 and actual receipts of $14 million in fiscal year 1999. The Bureau also administers about 4 million acres of commercial forest

lands through the ‘‘Management of lands and resources’’ and ‘‘Oregon and California grant lands’’ appropriations. Timber receipts

(including salvage) are estimated to be $83.9 million in fiscal year

2001 compared to estimated receipts of $58.5 million in fiscal year

2000 and actual receipts of $65.5 million in fiscal year 1999. The

Bureau has an active program of soil and watershed management

on 175 million acres in the lower 48 States and 92 million acres

in Alaska. Practices such as revegetation, protective fencing, and

water developments 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, 2000 .............................................................. $644,134,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 715,191,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 674,571,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... +30,437,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥40,620,000

The Committee recommends $674,571,000 for management of

lands and resources, an increase of $30,437,000 from the fiscal year

8

2000 enacted level and a decrease of $40,620,000 from the budget

request.

The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the

budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:

9

10

11

Land resources.—The Committee recommends $173,622,000 for

land resources a decrease of $16,830,000 from the budget request

and an increase of $11,882,000 above the 2000 enacted level, including increases above the 2000 level of $4,632,000 for fixed costs,

$9,000,000 for wild horse and burro management, and $1,000,000

for the San Pedro Partnership initiative in Cochise County, Arizona, and decreases of $500,000 from the Montana State University weed program, $750,000 from the Idaho weed program,

$500,000 from the Pacific Northwest lab, and $1,000,000 from the

Colorado plateau.

Wildlife and fisheries.—The Committee recommends $36,469,000

for wildlife and fisheries, a decrease of $4,243,000 from the budget

request and an increase of $96,000 above the 2000 enacted level,

including increases above the 2000 level of $996,000 for fixed costs

and a decrease of $900,000 for Yukon river salmon.

Threatened and endangered species.—The Committee recommends $19,352,000 for threatened and endangered species, a decrease of $4,320,000 from the budget request and an increase of

$541,000 above the 2000 enacted level for fixed costs.

The Committee understands that the Bureau is anticipating significant impacts to its ability to complete land health and watershed improvements and to respond to public land use authorization

requests as a result of additional species listings under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), particularly in the sagebrush and prairie

ecosystems managed by the Bureau. For example, recent and potential species listings including those of the Canada lynx, blacktailed prairie dog, sage grouse, mountain plover, lesser prairie

chicken, and swift fox, will affect all activities in sagebrush and

grassland habitats on BLM public lands. The Bureau anticipates

that these new listings will result in the need to revise or complete

additional land use plans, complete more consultations with the

Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service,

result in an increased level of litigation, result in the Bureau being

less responsive to the permitting process, and increase overall Bureau costs.

The Committee expects the Bureau to submit as part of its fiscal

year 2002 budget request the results of its ongoing analysis and review of the impacts of ESA listings on the ability of the Bureau to

accomplish its mission while at the same time responding to the

growing demand for use authorization requests. The Committee expects the Bureau to provide a detailed roadmap of how it intends

to address these impacts, including the level of funds and other resources that would be required to address these problem areas.

Recreation management.—The Committee recommends

$53,239,000 for recreation management, a decrease of $9,280,000

from the budget request and an increase of $2,086,000 above the

2000 enacted level, including increases above the 2000 level of

$1,486,000 for fixed costs and $600,000 for desert rangers.

The Committee understands that no funds were requested by the

Bureau of Land Management for wilderness reinventory activities

in its fiscal year 2001 budget request to the Congress. The Committee further understands that the Bureau has completed all of its

wilderness reinventory activities begun in prior years. The Committee directs that, should the Department or the Bureau decide

that additional wilderness reinventory activities are warranted, it

12

must first notify the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations through the normal reprogramming process.

Energy and minerals.—The Committee recommends $78,587,000

for energy and minerals including Alaska minerals. This is a decrease of $3,500,000 from the budget request and an increase of

$2,135,000 above the 2000 enacted level for fixed costs.

The Committee remains concerned that the Bureau is introducing new burdensome and questionable requirements on domestic oil and gas applications for permits to drill, and directs the Bureau to cease requiring companies to apply paint to ground that

will be disturbed by drilling activities.

Realty and ownership management.—The Committee recommends $76,603,000 for realty and ownership management, a decrease of $3,392,000 from the budget request and a decrease of

$1,091,000 below the 2000 enacted level, including an increase

above the 2000 level of $1,309,000 for fixed costs and a decrease

of $2,400,000 from the Alaska conveyance program.

Resource protection and maintenance.—The Committee recommends $42,860,000 for resources protection and maintenance, an

increase of $3,985,000 above the budget request and $9,229,000

above the 2000 enacted level, including increases above the 2000

level of $979,000 for fixed costs, and $9,000,000 for land management planning, and a decrease of $750,000 from the Coeur d’Alene

Basin Commission.

The Committee is very concerned about the increased litigation

the Bureau now faces because they have not kept pace in updating

their land management plans. Therefore, the Committee has provided an additional $9,000,000 for planning activities and directs

that the Bureau reallocate these funds to the highest-priority land

management plans based on the Bureau’s planning priority list.

Transportation and facilities maintenance.—The Committee recommends $47,353,000 for transportation and facilities maintenance, a decrease of $3,040,000 from the budget request and an increase of $1,402,000 above the 2000 enacted level for fixed costs.

Land and resource information systems.—The Committee recommends $19,586,000 for land resource information systems, the

same as the budget request and an increase of $549,000 above the

2000 enacted level for fixed costs.

Mining law administration.—The Committee recommends

$33,366,000 for mining law administration. This activity is supported by offsetting fees equal to the amount made available.

The Committee directs that no later than January 31, 2001 the

Bureau provide a report regarding underground mines on public

lands in New Mexico and what can be done to provide a safer experience for visitors to the public lands where mines present a safety

problem.

Workforce and organizational support.—The Committee recommends $126,900,000 for workforce and organizational support,

the same as the budget request and an increase of $3,608,000

above the 2000 enacted level for fixed costs.

The Committee understands that dramatic population and community growth throughout the west, and major advances in technology, are having the effect of increasing the number of authorizations the Bureau is issuing for uses on public lands including

rights-of-way, oil, gas, and coalbed methane drilling. Authorizing

13

these and other uses of the public lands creates long-term commitments on the part of the Bureau to conduct environmental monitoring, inspections, and compliance reviews to ensure sustainable

public land health and resource availability. The Committee expects the Bureau to balance appropriately the need to issue public

land use authorizations and to conduct required monitoring, inspection, and compliance reviews within available funding.

The Committee once again commends the Bureau’s efforts to leverage its funds with non-Federal partners through its challenge

cost share (CCS) program. The Committee concurs with BLM’s current policy of not using CCS funds for purposes other than establishing joint activities with tribal, State, and private partners. Because each Federal dollar available for cost sharing results in two

or more dollars available for on-the-ground activities, the Committee directs that a cap of 10 percent be placed on allowable BLM

internal charges against CCS funds. As a result, at least 90 percent

of the funds appropriated for CCS shall be available for matching

partners at the field level.

Bill language has been included under title III General Provisions to allow the Bureau and the Forest Service to pilot test their

Service First initiative as a means of improving customer service

and efficiency.

WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $290,957,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 297,197,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 292,197,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... +1,240,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥5,000,000

The Committee recommends an appropriation of $292,197,000 for wildland fire management, which is a decrease of $5,000,000 below

the budget request and an increase of $1,240,000 above the 2000

enacted level.

The appropriation includes $182,090,000 for preparedness and

fire use, the same as the budget request and an increase of

$6,240,000 above the 2000 enacted level for fixed costs. The Committee has provided $110,107,000 for suppression and operations,

a decrease of $5,000,000 from both the budget request and the

2000 enacted level. Within the funds provided for wildland fire

management $9,300,000 is available for renovation or construction

of fire facilities.

The Committee has included an additional $200,000,000 for

emergency wildland fire management under Title IV—Fiscal Year

2000 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations.

The Committee remains very concerned about the hazardous fuel

conditions on Federal lands and the potential impact these conditions can have on neighboring State and private lands. The Committee continues to support the interagency fire science and management program, created by this Committee three years ago,

which has developed nation-wide fuel loading maps and maps indicating areas having high risk of catastrophic fire. The Committee

directs the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior to

keep these maps up-to-date and publicly available. The Committee

also directs the Secretaries to make these maps available to States

and counties which contain areas of high risk of catastrophic fires.

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CENTRAL HAZARDOUS MATERIALS FUND

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $9,955,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 10,000,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 10,000,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... +45,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ 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 $10,000,000 for the central hazardous materials fund, which is the same as the budget request

and an increase of $45,000 above the 2000 enacted level.

CONSTRUCTION

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $11,196,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 11,200,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 5,300,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... ¥5,896,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥5,900,000

The Committee recommends $5,300,000 for construction, which

is a decrease of $5,900,000 from the budget request and $5,896,000

below the 2000 enacted level. The Committee has provided

$5,300,000 for the construction of the Grand Staircase-Escalante

National Monument science center.

PAYMENTS IN LIEU OF TAXES

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $134,385,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 135,000,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 134,385,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥615,000

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 local governments may be receiving. Payments received may be used by the recipients for any governmental

purpose. The Committee recommends $134,385,000 for PILT, a decrease of

$615,000 from the budget request and the same as the 2000 enacted level.

LAND ACQUISITION

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $15,500,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 60,900,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 19,000,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... +3,500,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥41,900,000

15

The Committee recommends $19,000,000, an increase of

$3,500,000 above the enacted level and a decrease of $41,900,000

below the budget request. This amount includes $15,000,000 for

line item projects, $1,000,000 for emergencies and hardships and

$3,000,000 for acquisition management.

The Committee recommends the following distribution of funds:

Committee

Area and State recommendation

Cerbat Foothills (AZ) ............................................................................. $750,000

Gunnison Basin (CO) ............................................................................. 2,000,000

North Platte River (WY) ....................................................................... 250,000

Organ Mtns. (NM) ................................................................................. 2,000,000

Otay Mountain/Kuchamaa HCP (CA) .................................................. 1,000,000

San Pedro Ecosystem (easements only) (AZ) ....................................... 3,000,000

Santa Rosa Mtns. NSA (CA) ................................................................. 1,000,000

Upper Crab Creek (WA) ........................................................................ 2,000,000

Upper Missouri WSR (Lewis & Clark) (Multi) .................................... 3,000,000

Subtotal ........................................................................................ 15,000,000

Emergency/hardship/inholding ............................................................. 1,000,000

Acquisition management ....................................................................... 3,000,000

Total ............................................................................................. 19,000,000

The funds provided for the San Pedro Ecosystem in Arizona are

for easements only.

OREGON AND CALIFORNIA GRANT LANDS

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $98,775,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 104,267,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 100,467,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... +1,692,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥3,800,000

The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the

budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:

16

17

The Committee recommends $100,467,000 for the Oregon and California grant lands, a decrease of $3,800,000 from the budget request and an increase of $1,692,000 above the 2000 enacted level

for fixed costs. 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, 2000 .............................................................. $10,000,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 10,000,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 10,000,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ 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

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $8,800,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 7,500,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 7,500,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... ¥1,300,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ 0

The Committee recommends an indefinite appropriation esti- mated to be $7,500,000, the budget request, for service charges, deposits, and forfeitures. This account uses the revenues 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-ahorse program, and the provision of copies of official public land

documents.

MISCELLANEOUS TRUST FUNDS

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $7,700,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 7,700,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 7,700,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ 0

The Committee recommends an indefinite appropriation estimated to be $7,700,000, 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

18

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 townsites. 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 93 million acres across the United

States, encompassing a 521-unit National Wildlife Refuge System,

additional wildlife and wetlands areas, and 66 National Fish

Hatcheries. A network of law enforcement agents and port inspectors enforce Federal laws for the protection of fish and wildlife.

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $714,543,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 761,938,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 731,400,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... +16,857,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥30,538,000

The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the

budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:

19

20

The Committee recommends $731,400,000 for resource management, an increase of $16,857,000 above the fiscal year 2000 level

and $30,538,000 below the budget request. The Committee has provided full funding for fixed cost increases and has continued to provide increases above current year levels to address the Service’s

large operations and maintenance backlogs. The changes discussed

below are all compared with the enacted budget for fiscal year 2000

as adjusted for the 0.38% government-wide reduction. Unless provided to the contrary herein, projects funded in fiscal year 2000 are

funded at the same level for 2001. For example, because it is not

addressed to the contrary below, the Committee recommendation

includes $996,000 for the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan in

candidate conservation, which is the same amount the project received in fiscal year 2000, and $1,096,000, the 2000 level for bull

trout conservation in Washington State, is continued under the

Committee recommendation for 2001, as part of the Partners for

Fish and Wildlife program in habitat conservation.

Ecological services.—The Committee recommends $197,422,000

for ecological services, an increase of $7,683,000 above the fiscal

year 2000 level.

Changes recommended for endangered species programs amount

to a net increase of $4,106,000. In candidate conservation programs

there is an increase of $195,000 for fixed costs and decreases of

$40,000 for borderlands and $399,000 for the Alabama sturgeon

program, now that the species has been listed. For listing activities

there is an increase of $195,000 for fixed costs and a decrease of

$8,000 for an internal transfer. For consultation programs there

are increases of $6,600,000 for HCP and other consultations and

$796,000 for fixed costs, and decreases of $53,000 for an internal

transfer, $299,000 for the cold water fish HCP in Montana,

$100,000 for the Broughton Ranch HCP and $80,000 for borderlands. For recovery programs there are increases of $1,047,000 for

fixed costs, $500,000 for Florida manatee protection and $399,000

as a general increase, and decreases of $108,000 for an internal

transfer, $3,842,000 for Washington State salmon and steelhead recovery, $298,000 for the Concho water snake, $200,000 for borderlands and $199,000 for the Walker River/Weber Dam project.

Changes recommended for habitat conservation programs

amount to a net increase of $3,269,000. For the Partners for Fish

and Wildlife program there are increases of $456,000 for fixed

costs, $2,000,000 for invasive species, $500,000 for fish habitat and

passage restoration, and $500,000 for the Columbia River Estuary

Research program, and decreases of $747,000 for Washington State

salmon enhancement, $249,000 for Hawaii ESA conservation plans,

and $146,000 for the Reno, Nevada biodiversity program. For

project planning there is an increase of $670,000 for fixed costs and

a decrease of $100,000 for borderlands. For coastal programs there

are increases of $187,000 for fixed costs and $400,000 for the establishment of a field office in the Tampa Bay area and a field office

in the Florida Panhandle, and a decrease of $291,000 for the Long

Live the Kings program. There is also an increase of $89,000 for

the National Wetlands Inventory for fixed costs.

An increase of $308,000 for fixed costs is recommended for the

environmental contaminants program.

21

Refuges and wildlife.—The Committee recommends $345,130,000

for refuges and wildlife, an increase of $21,872,000 above the fiscal

year 2000 level.

Changes recommended for refuge operations and maintenance include increases of $10,766,000 for fixed costs, $5,000,000 for the operations backlog/minimum staffing needs, and $5,000,000 for the

maintenance backlog, and a decrease of $274,000 for internal

transfers. For migratory bird management there are increases of

$398,000 for fixed costs and $200,000 for joint ventures, and decreases of $71,000 for an internal transfer and $74,000 for borderlands. For law enforcement activities there is an increase of

$993,000 for fixed costs and a decrease of $66,000 for an internal

transfer.

A total of $996,000, the budget request, is recommended to continue the Salton Sea recovery program at the 2000 level, contingent

on matching funds from the State of California.

Fisheries.—The Committee recommends $69,786,000 for fisheries, a decrease of $15,485,000 below the fiscal year 2000 level.

Changes recommended for hatchery operations and maintenance

include increases of $41,000 for an internal transfer, $974,000 for

fixed costs, $324,000 for Lower Mississippi River restoration, and

$500,000 for the maintenance backlog, and decreases of $199,000

for the White Sulpher Springs hatchery in West Virginia and

$3,586,000 for Washington State hatchery improvements.

There is a decrease of $11,656,000 for the Lower Snake River

Compensation Plan, consistent with the Memorandum of Agreement between the Service and the Bonneville Power Administration.

For fish and wildlife management there is an increase of

$532,000 for fixed costs and decreases of $27,000 for an internal

transfer, $598,000 for the Washington State fish marking machine

purchase, $1,014,000 for Kennebec River restoration in Maine,

$367,000 for the Juniata Valley school district in Pennsylvania,

$200,000 for Yukon River management studies, $100,000 for Yukon

River salmon treaty education, and $109,000 for Caribou Creek fish

passage in Alaska.

General administration.—The Committee recommends

$119,062,000 for general administration, an increase of $2,787,000

above the fiscal year 2000 level.

Changes include fixed cost increases of $534,000 for central office

operations, $768,000 for regional office operations, $416,000 for

service-wide support, $257,000 for the training center, and

$183,000 for international affairs. There is also an increase of

$629,000 in service-wide support for an internal transfer.

Other.—The Committee notes that $3,400,000 has been recommended in the U.S. Geological Survey, specifically to provide additional research support to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The Committee agrees to the following:

1. The Administration should submit a legislative reauthorization proposal for the Endangered Species Act, which realistically

addresses needed reforms.

2. The Service should consider the concerns of the Resources

Committee in the House of Representatives when determining the

distribution of ESA funding.

22

3. The Service should continue to support the recovery initiative

for the black-capped vireo in Texas.

4. Fixed cost increases and proposed internal transfers are included in full in the Committee’s recommendations.

5. The Service should continue funding, at least at the fiscal year

2000 level, for the Upper Colorado River Basin program and the

Peregrine Fund.

6. The Service should perform a thorough review of, and develop

a long-term strategy for, the fisheries program in coordination with

the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and other outside independent groups. The Committee believes strongly that the focus of

the program should be habitat based rather than hatchery based

and that mitigation work at hatcheries should be performed on a

cost reimbursable basis. This direction was provided in last year’s

report and the Committee urges the Service to expedite the review

and planning process and institute much needed reforms.

7. The Committee supports the efforts in New Mexico to enhance

the habitat of the endangered silvery minnow and the blunt nosed

shiner. The Service should use existing Federal water allocations

in New Mexico to the maximum extent possible and work with the

Bureau of Reclamation and the Army Corps of Engineers to enhance the habitat of these two species in compliance with the Endangered Species Act.

8. The Committee continues to receive many expressions of concern with respect to goose population problems, including problems

with resident Canada geese. These problems involve the over-population of snow geese, the problem with dusky Canada geese in the

Pacific Northwest, and overabundance/nuisance problems with

Canada geese in various areas of the country. The Committee has

just received the Service’s strategic plan for dealing with these

problems and urges the Department to incorporate funding for this

important initiative in the 2002 budget request.

9. The Committee continues to be concerned about predation by

Caspian Terns on outbound migrating juvenile salmon smolt in the

Columbia River. The Committee understands that current efforts

to address the problem have been stopped because of a legal challenge. The Service should keep the Committee apprised of the status of this program on a semi-annual basis.

10. The increase of $500,000 for manatee protection provides a

total of $1,000,000 for this program in 2001.

11. The Service has yet to issue the contract to obtain the necessary data on the Concho water snake. This delay is unacceptable

and the Service should accelerate its efforts in order to move as

quickly as possible on a delisting decision.

12. Joint ventures have been one of the greatest successes for the

Service. Federal funds in this program are leveraged to a greater

extent than all other Service programs combined. The Service

should emphasize joint venture efforts in future budgets.

13. Klamath River flow study funding will be considered after

the participants have identified funding commitments and responsibility for each participating organization.

14. The Service should develop an environmental impact statement prior to proceeding with the establishment of the Little Darby

NWR, OH.

23

15. The Service should use funding for hatchery facility and program reform projects that are necessary to comply with Biological

Opinions and are consistent with the ‘‘Review of Artificial Production of Anadromous and Resident Fish in the Columbia River

Basin’’ report to Congress by the Northwest Power Planning Council.

16. The Comprehensive Conservation Plan for the Little Pend

Oreille National Wildlife Refuge, located in Washington State, appears to be inconsistent with Public Law 105–57, Section 5(4)(L) of

the Refuge Improvement Act of 1997. The Service should continue

to facilitate the use of its lands for military preparedness operations conducted by the Fairchild Air Force Base Survival School,

consistent with current permit parameters.

17. The Service should report to the Committee on why it continues to expend money on the endangered jaguar in southwestern

New Mexico when none exist in the area. The report should outline

for the Committee the number of meetings, publications, involvement of personnel, number of agencies involved, and full cost of the

program including the portion of the salary of Service employees

involved with the jaguar.

18. The Department should report on the current status of the

Southwest Willow Flycatcher including a comparison of numbers,

and population trends since intervention by Federal agencies took

place. The report should include the cost of the program to FWS,

the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management as well as

the number of cattle that have been impacted by the program. The

report should also include a timetable on when the population is

expected to recover based on the removal of cattle.

19. The Committee understands that the Fish and Wildlife Service considers levee repairs in certain parts of the country as subject

to the requirements of the Endangered Species Act since such repairs may cause an incidental taking of an endangered or threatened species. The Committee is concerned that levees throughout

the country that are in imminent danger of failure are not being

repaired in a timely manner. The Service is encouraged to recognize that manmade levees are constructed to enhance public safety

and that any habitat that may be provided thereon may be secondary to the greater public good. The Committee recommends that

the Service exercise greater discretion in providing expedited review of projects that are designed to restore manmade levees to

structural soundness. The Committee suggests that the loss of

habitat due to timely repair of a levee in imminent danger of failure is less important than the loss of life and habitat due to catastrophic failure of a levee.

Bill language.—The Committee has included bill language, as requested by the Administration, capping the amount of funding

available for certain endangered species listing programs. The

amount for fiscal year 2001 is $6,395,000. Bill language also is included under General Provisions, Department of the Interior, renaming a trail at the Mason Neck NWR, VA; and limiting the use

of funds to establish an NWR in the Yolo Bypass of California.

24

CONSTRUCTION

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $53,528,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 44,231,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 48,395,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 ........................................................................ ¥5,133,000

Budget estimate, 2001 .................................................................... +4,164,000

The Committee recommends $48,395,000 for construction, a decrease of $5,133,000 below the fiscal year 2000 level and $4,164,000

above the budget request.

The Committee agrees to the following distribution of funds:

CONSTRUCTION

[In thousands of dollars]

Project Description Budget

request

Committee

recommendation

Alchesay/Williams Creek NFH, AZ ......... Environmental Pollution Control—Phase II (c) ................. 927 927

Anahuac NWR, TX .................................. Bridge Rehab/Replacement—Phase I (p/d/ic) .................. 673 673

Bear River NWR, UT ............................... Education Center (c) .......................................................... 0 3,600

Bear River NWR, UT ............................... Water management facilities (c) ....................................... 0 500

Blackwater NWR, MD ............................. Carpentry/Auto Shop ........................................................... 300 300

Bozeman FTC, MT .................................. Laboratory/Administration Building—Phase II (c) ............ 1,600 1,600

Bridge Safety Inspection ....................... ............................................................................................. 495 495

Cabo Rojo NWR, PR ............................... Replace Office Building (Seismic)—Phase I (p/d) ........... 500 500

Chincoteague NWR, VA .......................... Headquarters & Visitor Center—Phase II (c) ................... 3,500 3,500

Coleman NFH, CA .................................. Seismic Safety Rehab of 3 buildings—Phase I (p/d) ...... 301 301

Dam Safety Inspection .......................... ............................................................................................. 570 570

Ennis NFH, MT ....................................... Raceway Enclosure—Phase II (c) ...................................... 1,000 1,000

Hagerman NWR, TX ............................... Bridge Rehabilitation—Phase I (p/d) ................................ 368 368

Innoko NWR, AK ..................................... Hangar—McGrath—Phase I (p/d) .................................... 129 0

Jackson NFH, WY ................................... Seismic Safety Rehab of 2 Buildings—Phase I (p/d) ...... 373 373

Lake Thibadeau NWR, MT ...................... Lake Thibadeau Diversion Dam—Phase II (c) .................. 450 450

Leavenworth NFH, WA ............................ Nada Dam—Phase II SEED Study ..................................... 300 300

Mason Neck NWR, VA ............................ ADA accessibility (c) .......................................................... 0 130

National Repository, CO ........................ Relocation of National Eagle Repository—Phase II (d/c) 400 400

National Repository, CO ........................ Renovation of National Wildlife Property Repository—

Phase II (d/c).

950 950

NCTC, WV ............................................... Fourth Dormitory (p/d/c) ..................................................... 7,500 7,500

NFW Forensics Lab, OR ......................... Forensics Laboratory Expansion—Phase II (d/ic) ............. 1,838 1,838

Nowitna NWR, AK ................................... Hangar—Galena—Phase I (p) .......................................... 106 0

Parker River NWR, MA ........................... Headquarters Complex (c) .................................................. 1,230 1,230

Pelican Island NWR, FL ......................... Interpretive Center and Admin. Facility—Phase I (p/d) ... 831 0

San Pablo Bay NWR, CA ........................ Renovate Office—Phase I (p/d) ........................................ 275 275

Six NFHs ................................................. Water Treatment Improvement—Phase II (c) ................... 2,500 2,500

Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR, CA .......... Seismic Safety Rehab of 1 Building—Phase I (p/d) ........ 55 55

Tern Island NWR, HI .............................. Rehabilitate Seawall—Phase III (c) .................................. 8,600 8,600

Tishomingo NFH, OK .............................. Pennington Creek Foot Bridge—Phase II (c) .................... 229 229

Subtotal: Line item Construction ............................................................................................. 36,000 39,164

Nationwide Engineering Services:

Demolition Fund ............................ ............................................................................................. 389 1,389

Environmental Compliance ........... ............................................................................................. 1,860 1,860

Other Engineering Services .......... ............................................................................................. 5,782 5,782

Seismic Safety Program ............... ............................................................................................. 200 200

Subtotal: Engineering Services ............................................................................................. 8,231 9,231

Grand Totals ............................ ............................................................................................. 44,231 48,395

The Committee agrees to the following:

1. The funding provided for the Bear River NWR, UT is contingent on a 50 percent non-Federal cost share for the visitor center

25

portion of the project. The Service should notify the Committee of

the total required cost share prior to initiating construction.

2. Funding for the Tern Island Seawall will complete this project.

LAND ACQUISITION

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $50,513,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 111,632,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 30,000,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... ¥20,513,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥81,632,000

The Committee recommends $30,000,000, a decrease of

$20,513,000 below the enacted level and $81,632,000 below the

budget request. This amount includes $21,750,000 for line item acquisition, $250,000 for emergencies and hardships, $500,000 for exchanges, and $7,500,000 for acquisition management.

The Committee recommends the following distribution of funds:

Committee

Area and State recommendation

Archie Carr NWR (FL) .......................................................................... $2,000,000

Atchafalaya NWR (LA) .......................................................................... 750,000

Bon Secour NWR (AL) ........................................................................... 1,000,000

Buenos Aires NWR (AZ) ........................................................................ 1,000,000

Canann Valley NWR (WV) .................................................................... 500,000

Edwin B. Forsythe NWR (NJ) .............................................................. 1,000,000

Great Meadows Complex (MA) ............................................................. 1,000,000

Great Swamp NWR (NJ) ....................................................................... 500,000

Lake Umbagog NWR (NH) ................................................................... 1,000,000

Leslie Canyon NWR (AZ) ...................................................................... 2,000,000

Louisiana Black Bear NWR (LA) ......................................................... 1,000,000

Minnesota Valley NWR, (MN) .............................................................. 500,000

Rappahannock River NWR (VA) .......................................................... 1,000,000

San Diego NWR (CA) ............................................................................ 3,000,000

Silvio O. Conte NWR (CT/MA/NH/VT) ................................................ 1,000,000

Stewart B. McKinney NWR (CT) ......................................................... 1,000,000

Walkill River NWR (NJ) ....................................................................... 1,000,000

Whittlesey Creek NWR (WI) ................................................................. 500,000

Willapa NWR (WA) ................................................................................ 2,000,000

Subtotal ........................................................................................ 21,750,000

Emergencies/Hardships ......................................................................... 250,000

Exchanges ............................................................................................... 500,000

Acquisition Management ....................................................................... 7,500,000

Total ............................................................................................. 30,000,000

The Committee recognizes the sensitivities of the local community pertaining to the creation of the Teche Black Bear Refuge. The

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service shall continue to acquire

timberlands within the Bailey property contingent on a mutuallyacceptable land swap agreement between current property users

within the refuge and the Service.

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 reVerDate 11-MAY-2000 04:55 Jun 02, 2000 Jkt 064637 PO 00000 Frm 00025 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR646.XXX pfrm01 PsN: HR646
26

duced to 10 percent when two or more States or Territories are involved in a project.

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $23,000,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 65,000,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 23,000,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥42,000,000

The Committee recommends $23,000,000 for the cooperative endangered species conservation fund, which is equal to the fiscal

year 2000 level and a decrease of $42,000,000 below 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 $16,377,000 in fiscal year

2001 with $10,439,000 derived from this appropriation and

$5,938,000 from net refuge receipts estimated to be collected in fiscal year 2000.

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $10,739,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 10,000,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 10,439,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... ¥300,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ +439,000

The Committee recommends $10,439,000 for the National wildlife refuge fund, an increase of $439,000 above the budget request

and $300,000 below the fiscal year 2000 funding level.

The Committee continues to be concerned about the priorities of

the Service with respect to how they relate to meeting its obligations under the National wildlife refuge fund. In particular, the

Committee questions why the Service continues to acquire more

land but does not request additional funding for the National wildlife refuge fund.

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 46 States, 10

Canadian provinces and 17 Mexican states. 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 Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands and American

Samoa.

27

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $14,957,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 30,000,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 15,499,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... +542,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥14,501,000

The Committee recommends $15,499,000 for the North American

wetlands conservation fund, an increase of $542,000 above the fiscal year 2000 level and $14,501,000 below the budget request. Increases include $500,000 for wetlands conservation and $42,000 for

administration.

WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AND APPRECIATION FUND

The Wildlife Conservation and Appreciation Fund provides

grants to States for inventory and population determinations of fish

and wildlife species, for identification of fish and wildlife habitat

and associated problems, and for actions to conserve and restore

habitat and to provide public use opportunities.

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $797,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 800,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 797,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥3,000

The Committee recommends $797,000 for the wildlife conservation and appreciation fund, which is equal to the fiscal year 2000

level and $3,000 below the budget request.

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, and the Asian elephant

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 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.

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $2,391,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 3,000,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 2,391,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥609,000

The Committee recommends $2,391,000 for the multinational

species conservation fund, equal to the fiscal year 2000 level and

28

$609,000 below the budget request. The recommended funding includes $996,000 for African elephant conservation, $697,000 for rhinoceros and tiger conservation and $698,000 for Asian elephant

conservation. The Committee expects these funds to be matched by

non-Federal funding to leverage private contributions to the maximum extent possible.

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

379 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, 2000 .............................................................. $1,363,764,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 1,454,098,000

Recommended, 2001 1,425,617,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... +61,853,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥28,481,000

The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the

budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:

29

30

The Committee recommends $1,425,617,000 for operation of the

National park system for fiscal year 2001, an increase of

$61,853,000 above the enacted level and a decrease of $28,481,000

below the Administration’s request. The Committee has focused on

the highest Service priorities and has included funds for park base

operations and the core elements of the Service’s Natural Resource

Challenge initiative. While the Park Service has done an excellent

job in outlining the need to continue a planned, multi-faceted approach to addressing natural resource management concerns, the

budget allowance provided to this Subcommittee has allowed only

a portion of the funds requested for the Challenge initiative to be

approved. In addition, the recommended level also provides for

fixed costs, as requested in the President’s budget. The bill provides a total increase of $24,050,000 for park base operations, as requested in the President’s budget. This increase continues the Subcommittee’s commitment to the day-to-day operation

of our National parks and allows accomplishment of the Service’s

mission of protecting resources and providing for visitor enjoyment.

The Committee has approved funds for fixed costs totaling a net $28,410,000, as requested in the President’s budget. Base increases

totaling $33,116,000 have been approved for funding, and the Subcommittee has accepted base reductions totaling $4,706,000 as requested in the budget. Technical adjustments to reflect the establishment of a new subactivity for the United States Park Police are

accepted and result in no net change to overall funding. The Committee has included a total of $9,393,000 to continue the

Natural Resource Initiative begun last year. This critical work

aimed at identifying, monitoring and preserving the natural resources within the parks focuses on programs such as, controlling

and eradicating evasive species, basic inventory and monitoring of

resources and recovery plans for threatened and endangered species.

Resource Stewardship.—The Committee recommends

$275,124,000 for resource stewardship, an increase of $21,121,000

above the fiscal year 2000 enacted level and a reduction of

$12,696,000 from the President’s request. Included in this amount

are increases of $7,466,000 for park base operations and $9,393,000

to allow partial funding of the Service’s Natural Resource Challenge. Approved within the amount for the Natural Resource Challenge are increases for the following components: $2,293,000 for

Invasive Species Control/Threatened and Endangered Species Recovery in park bases, $4,200,000 for the inventory and monitoring

program-Vital Signs Monitoring, $200,000 to improve air quality at

parks, $1,100,000 for natural resource data management and distribution, and $1,600,000 for Cooperative Ecosystem Study Units.

A net base increase of $4,262,000 is approved as requested in the

President’s budget.

Visitor Services.—The Committee recommends $278,636,000 for

visitor services, a decrease of $40,000,000 from the fiscal year 2000

enacted level and a reduction of $1,957,000 from the President’s request. Included in this amount are an increase of $7,661,000 for

park base operations and a net base decrease of $47,661,000 reflecting technical adjustments and fixed costs as requested in the

President’s budget. Of the approved base decrease, a transfer of

$54,401,000 would allow establishment of a new subactivity for the

31

United States Park Police by shifting funds for Park Police operations to the new subactivity. There is a net base increase of

$6,740,000 for additional fixed costs.

United States Park Police.—The Committee recommends

$75,641,000 for the new subactivity, United States Park Police, an

increase of $75,641,000 from the fiscal year 2000 enacted level and

a reduction of $800,000 from the President’s request. Approved are

an increase of $1,474,000 for park base operations and a net increase of $2,062,000 for additional fixed costs. The technical adjustments /transfers totaling $72,105,000 are approved.

Facility Operations and Maintenance.—The Committee recommends $446,661,000 for facility operations and maintenance, an

increase of $14,105,000 above the fiscal year 2000 enacted level

and a reduction of $3,085,000 from the President’s request. Included in this amount are an increase of $5,198,000 for park base

operations and a net increase of $8,907,000 for fixed costs.

Park Support.—The Committee recommends $254,628,000 for

park support, an increase of $7,129,000 above the fiscal year 2000

enacted level and a reduction of $7,227,000 from the President’s request. Included in this amount is an increase of $2,251,000, for

park base operations and a net increase of $4,878,000 for additional fixed costs.

External Administrative Costs.—The Committee recommends

$94,927,000 for external administrative costs, a decrease of

$16,143,000 from the fiscal year 2000 enacted level and a reduction

of $2,716,000 from the President’s request. Approved reductions include $1,522,000 for unemployment compensation payments and

$17,704,000 for a technical adjustment to allow establishment of a

new subactivity for the United States Park Police by shifting funds

for Park Police pension payments to the new subactivity. These are

offset by approved increases of $651,000 for Workers Compensation

Payments, $1,489,000 for the Working Capital Fund, and $943,000

for GSA space rental rate increases.

GPRA.—The Committee recognizes the progress the Service has

made towards making performance management its business system and strongly supports that progress. The Committee believes

that achieving measurable outcomes should be the basis for Service

decision-making and priority setting.

The Committee is concerned that management is still not fully

committed to the Government Performance and Results Act, that

systems for project funding, operating increase requests and Strategic Plan goals are not adequately integrated, and that data quality needs continued improvement. The Committee expects these

issues to be resolved.

Housing.—The Committee has agreed to release the $20,000,000

in previously appropriated funds for park housing rehabilitation

and trailer replacement, as well as providing $5,000,000 in new

funding for fiscal year 2001. These funds are only to be used for

those 3700 specific housing projects listed in the National Park

Service Housing report dated January, 2000. These projects have

been agreed to by the Service and verified by the contracted housing needs assessment report.

While there is general agreement between the contractor and the

Service on 80 percent of the housing stock, the fate of the remaining 20 percent of housing is unresolved due to several policy issues

32

including emergency response times and the staff needed to fulfill

this need and the inclusion of housing stock for cooperators and

volunteers. These are important issues that need to be tackled

head-on by the leadership of the Service. The Committee expects

a progress report by June 2001 which outlines a specific timetable

for resolution of these and other issues so that the Committee can

appropriately deal with the Park Service housing problem.

Other.—The Committee expects the Service to continue to pro- vide $65,000 to the Claude Moore Colonial Farm along the George

Washington Memorial Parkway in Virginia to support educational

programs which foster public understanding and appreciation of

the importance of agriculture in the development of American society.

The Committee again emphasizes the great value of Cumberland

Island’s rich and diverse historic, cultural, and natural resources

and expects that all of these resources be preserved in perpetuity.

The Committee also expects that the park’s resource management

plan reflects the formal agreement signed in 1999 after many collaborative island stakeholder meetings. The Committee endorses

this agreement and directs the Service to continue to implement

both the letter and the spirit of the agreement, which specifically

calls for preservation of the historic resources and providing public

access.

The Committee provided $1.4 million last year for the restoration

of Plum Orchard mansion on Cumberland Island. The Committee

is concerned by reports of delays as well as increased costs for this

project. The Service is directed to proceed with this work as quickly

as possible within the funds provided. In addition, the Service is

reminded of their goal to issue an RFP for occupancy of this structure. The Committee expects a written report on the progress of

this project by December 1, 2000.

Although no additional funding has been provided at this time,

the Committee supports the Service’s proposal to improve the management of partnerships and business practices by adjusting its organizational structure and redirecting existing resources. The Committee will continue to keep this priority in mind as the bill progresses through the fiscal year 2001 process.

The Committee is aware of the problem of an overpopulation of

white tailed deer at the Valley Forge National Historical Park.

Within available funds, the Service is directed to begin work on

cultural landscape research, and flora and fauna inventories. The

Service should also develop a landscape management plan which

includes objectives for deer impacts on vegetation, complete an environmental assessment and, if appropriate, an environmental impact statement which addresses deer management at Valley Forge

in the context of the cultural landscape.

The Committee has provided over $9,000,000 in increases for the

Service’s Natural Resource Challenge Initiative in this budget. This

program can meet some of the needs of this project, and other

servicewide funds are available to address the balance of the requirements, such as the EIS planning fund in the construction account. Because this project will require several years to complete,

the Committee urges the Service to either provide the required

base increase to Valley Forge NHP in the fiscal years 2002 and beyond to complete this task or provide funds from the Natural ChalVerDate 11-MAY-2000 04:55 Jun 02, 2000 Jkt 064637 PO 00000 Frm 00032 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR646.XXX pfrm01 PsN: HR646
33

lenge or other appropriate servicewide programs. In any event,

funds should be made available in fiscal year 2001 to begin the

task. The Committee expects a report by June 30, 2001 which sets

a timetable for completing the project.

South Florida Restoration.—The Committee continues its longstanding commitment to the environmental restoration of the Everglades and other natural areas in South Florida. Included in this

bill is $70,237,000 contained in the budget for four Department of

the Interior bureaus to continue funding the operations, science,

construction and land acquisition needs of the initiative.

The Committee continues to be concerned about reductions to the

science budget and the new emphasis on land acquisition needs of

the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Of the $30,000,000 requested

for seven refuges in Florida, only three refuges for a total of

$6,700,000 are considered to be within the South Florida ecosystem. This leads the Committee to conclude that the other four

refuges were only included to raise the Federal contribution for the

initiative.

The Committee has included bill language in the land acquisition

account that further addresses the Secretary’s responsibilities

under this initiative.

The Committee expects the Service to continue providing increases for the Global Information System map network for the

eight National Scenic Trails, and to report to the Committee by

January 30, 2001 on the progress made to date and future needs.

The Committee expects the Service’s fiscal year 2002 budget request to include increases for this project.

The Committee encourages the National Park Service to work

with local and State agencies in vector control efforts which affect

Federal park lands.

The Committee requests a report from the National Park Service

on the status of the negotiations for leasing the Haslett Warehouse,

an historic property within the boundary of the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park. In 1998, the Pacific Western Regional

Office announced a list of potential lessors with which it proposed

negotiating a lease for the three-story brick structure for conversion to a hotel. The report should include the status of the negotiations and the current plans for the warehouse and projected costs

and income for maintenance of the historic ships. The report is due

to the Committee by November 15, 2000.

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, 2000 .............................................................. $53,399,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 68,648,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 49,956,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... ¥3,443,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥18,692,000

34

The Committee recommends $49,956,000 for National recreation

and preservation, a decrease of $3,443,000 below the fiscal year

2000 level and $18,692,000 below the budget request.

The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the

budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:

35

36

37

Recreation programs.—The Committee recommends $542,000,

the same as the budget request and $14,000 above the enacted

level. The increase is provided for fixed costs.

Natural programs.—The Committee recommends $11,205,000,

the same as the budget request and $1,212,000 above the enacted

level. This includes fixed cost increases, $500,000 for hydropower

recreation assistance and $500,000 for the Rivers, Trails and Conservation program.

Cultural programs.—The Committee recommends $19,853,000,

the same as the budget request and $428,000 above the enacted

level. This includes fixed costs and $400,000 for NAGPRA implementation. The Committee accepts the $250,000 reduction for the

Revolutionary War Study.

International park affairs.—The Committee recommends

$1,706,000, the same as the budget request and $23,000 above the

enacted level. The increase is for fixed costs.

Environmental and compliance review.—The Committee recommends $393,000, the same as the budget request and $24,000

above the enacted level. The increase is for fixed costs.

Grant administration.—The Committee recommends $1,557,000,

the same as the budget request and a decrease of $244,000 below

the enacted level. The Committee has provided fixed costs and has

accepted the $304,000 decrease for UPARR administration.

Urban parks and recreation fund.—The Committee has not provided the $18,000,000 increase for the Urban parks programs. The

Committee has continued the $2,000,000 enacted level funding.

Statutory or contractual aid.—The Committee has provided

$3,280,000, $7,500,000 below the enacted level and $1,192,000

below the request.

Heritage partnership program.—The Committee has provided

$9,420,000, an increase of $2,600,000 above the enacted level and

$500,000 above the budget request. The Committee has provided

$17,000 for fixed costs, $100,000 for administrative overhead and

$9,303,000 for the individual heritage areas.

The Committee has combined the technical assistance funds requested in the budget into the account for Commissions and

Grants. These funds have been allocated by the Committee to the

individual heritage areas, which are in a better position to decide

their needs. These funds are for technical assistance to local governments and partner organizations to help implement locally supported projects consistent with the overall plans for these designated areas. These funds may be used to contract for government

or private sector services to respond to local requests for assistance.

The Committee strongly encourages the individual heritage areas

to work closely with regional park service offices.

In addition, heritage area leaders and Service staff are reminded

that there are existing Federal technical assistance programs, such

as the Rivers, Trails, and Conservation program, that are also

available to Congressionally designated heritage areas.

The Committee recommends the following distribution of funds:

Project Amount

America’s Agricultural Heritage Partnership (Silos and Smokestacks) ................................................................................................. $150,000

Augusta Canal National Heritage Area ............................................... 700,000

Automobile National Heritage Area ..................................................... 338,000

Cache La Poudre River Corridor .......................................................... 50,000

38

Project Amount

Cane River National Heritage Area ..................................................... 100,000

Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor ............................. 600,000

Essex National Heritage Area .............................................................. 1,100,000

Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area ..................................... 1,100,000

Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor ................... 240,000

John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Center 600,000

National Coal Heritage ......................................................................... 250,000

Ohio and Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor ............................... 1,100,000

Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Center 275,000

Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area ............................................... 1,100,000

Lackawanna Heritage Area .................................................................. 500,000

Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District ............... 300,000

South Carolina National Heritage Corridor ........................................ 800,000

Tennessee Civil War Heritage Area ..................................................... —

Project total ................................................................................. 9,303,000

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, 2000 .............................................................. $74,793,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 72,071,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 41,347,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... ¥33,446,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥30,724,000

The Committee recommends $41,347,000, which is $33,446,000

below the enacted level and $30,724,000 below the budget request.

The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the

budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:

39

40

The total amount provides $31,598,000 for state historic preservation offices, $2,572,000 for tribal grants, and $7,177,000 for historically black colleges and universities. This amount completes the

12 ongoing projects and meets the $29,000,000 authorized level.

Because the financial difficulties being experienced by Selma

University make it unable at present to contribute the non-Federal

matching share required for these grants, the Committee is redirecting $750,000 of the $1,550,000 authorized for Selma University under section 507 of P.L. 104–333. It is the Committee’s intent

that the Service should make this $750,000 available in fiscal year

2001 to repair historic buildings on the campuses of historically

black colleges and universities.

CONSTRUCTION

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $221,191,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 180,000,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 150,004,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... ¥71,187,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥29,996,000

The Committee recommends $150,004,000, which is $29,996,000

below the budget request and $71,187,000 below the enacted level.

The Committee has funded all the Park Service’s priority projects,

especially the health and safety projects.

The Committee recommends the following distribution of funds:

Project Amount

Antietam NB, MD (stabilization) ......................................................... $500,000

Apostle Islands NL, WI (erosion) ......................................................... 1,360,000

Big Bend NP, TX (replace water system) ............................................ 2,124,000

Canaveral NS (Seminole Rest) ............................................................. 600,000

Cape Cod NS, MA (rehabilitation) ....................................................... 2,753,000

Castillo de San Marcos NM, FL (stabilization) ................................... 828,000

Chiricahua NM, AZ (replace water system) ........................................ 1,128,000

Colonial NHP, VA (erosion) .................................................................. 3,064,000

Cuyahoga Valley NRA, OH (rehabilitation) ........................................ 3,000,000

Dayton Aviation NHP, OH (west exhibits) .......................................... 950,000

Delaware Water Gap NRA, DE (Depew site) ...................................... 776,000

Everglades NP, FL (replace water system) ......................................... 9,000,000

Fire Island NS, NY (rehabilitation) ..................................................... 1,933,000

Fort Stanwix NM, NY (rehabilitation) ................................................. 1,500,00

George Washington Memorial Parkway, VA (Belle Haven) ............... 100,000

George Washington Memorial Parkway, VA (Mt Vernon Trail) ........ 300,000

George Washington Memorial Parkway, MD (rehabilitate utilities) 2,000,000

Gettysburg NMP, PA (fire suppression) .............................................. 1,323,000

Glacier NP, MT (rehabilitate water/sewer) ......................................... 4,544,000

Hot Springs NP, AR (rehabilitation) .................................................... 1,000,000

Maggie Walker NHS, VA (stabilization) .............................................. 1,867,000

Mammoth Cave NP, KY (replace electrical) ........................................ 3,650,000

Manzanar NHS, CA ............................................................................... 4,179,000

Minute Man NHP, MA (road safety) .................................................... 818,000

NCP—Central, DC (Jefferson Memorial) ............................................. 936,000

North Cascades NP, WA (stabilization) ............................................... 2,370,000

Olympic NP, WA (restore Elwha) ......................................................... 7,500,000

Petersburg NB, VA (stabilization) ........................................................ 666,000

Redwood NP, CA (remove failing roads) .............................................. 713,000

St Croix NSR, WI (rehabilitation) ........................................................ 914,000

Salem Maritime NHS, MA (rehabilitation) ......................................... 1,002,000

Santa Monica Mountains NRA, CA (rehabilitation) ........................... 1,345,000

Sequoia & Kings Canyon NP, CA (restoration) .................................. 8,381,000

Southwest Pennsylvania Heritage, PA (rehabilitation) ...................... 3,000,000

Wilson’s Creek NB, MO (complete library) ......................................... 38,000

41

Project Amount

Yellowstone NP, WY (waste-water treatment facility) ....................... 5,077,000

Project total ................................................................................. 81,239,000

Emergency/unscheduled ........................................................................ 3,500,000

Housing ................................................................................................... 5,000,000

Equipment Replacement ....................................................................... 18,000,000

Construction Planning ........................................................................... 8,000,000

General Management Plans ................................................................. 11,225,000

Line Item Construction ......................................................................... 81,239,000

Pre-Planning & Supp Services ............................................................. 4,500,000

Construction Program Management .................................................... 17,100,000

Dam Safety ............................................................................................. 1,440,000

Total Construction ...................................................................... 150,004,000

Within the total for General Management Plans, the Committee

has not provided the $500,000 increase for GMP’s or the $1,250,000

increase for special resource studies

Also included is $3,000,000 for continued rehabilitation work at

Cuyahoga NRA; $950,000 for the west exhibits at Dayton Aviation

NHP; $3,000,000 for the Southwest Pennsylvania Heritage Commission; $300,000 for the George Washington Memorial Parkway,

Mount Vernon Trail and $100,000 for work at the Belle Haven Marina; $1,500,000 to complete the rehabilitation work at Fort

Stanwix NM; $776,000 to complete work at the Depew site in the

Delaware Water Gap NRA; $1,000,000 for rehabilitation work at

Hot Springs NP; $38,000 to complete the library at Wilson’s Creek

NB; $600,000 for Seminole Rest; $914,000 for rehabilitation work

at St Croix NSR and $1,360,000 for stabilization work at Apostle

Island NL.

In fiscal year 2000, the Committee placed a limitation on Federal

funds that could be used to construct the educational/library facility at Wilson Creek National Battlefield This restriction applies

only to funds appropriated to the National Park Service. Given the

significance and magnitude of commemorating the 400th anniversary of Jamestown, the first English colony in the United States,

the Committee directs that $400,000 be allocated for planning and

data collection. These funds are to be matched with non-Federal

funds. Within the amount permitted for planning, $275,000 is for

work at Cuyahoga N.R.A.

The Committee encourages the Department of the Interior to

pursue a cooperative arrangement with the Department of Agriculture to provide, administratively, the appropriate timber for the

purpose of restoring the C.A. Thayer, an historic ship housed at the

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. In fiscal year

1999, the Committee requested a report from the Department on

the status of repairing the C.A. Thayer and, subsequent to the report, the Department included a request for funding in the President’s Budget for fiscal year 2000. Given the serious funding limitations over these last two cycles, the Committee urges the Departments to initiate steps to secure the necessary timber to begin restoration of the C.A. Thayer.

42

LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND

(RESCISSION)

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. ¥$30,000,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... ¥30,000,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... ¥30,000,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ 0

The Committee recommends the rescission of $30,000,000 in annual contract authority provided by 16 U.S.C. 460L–10a. This authority has not been used in years, and there are no plans to use

it in fiscal year 2001.

LAND ACQUISITION AND STATE ASSISTANCE

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $120,700,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 297,468,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 65,000,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... ¥55,700,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥232,468,000

The Committee recommends $65,000,000, a decrease of

$55,700,000 below the enacted level and a reduction of

$232,468,000 below the budget request. This amount includes

$34,500,000 for line item projects, $3,000,000 for emergencies and

hardships, $4,500,000 for acquisition management, $2,000,000 for

inholdings, and $21,000,000 for the Stateside program of which

$1,000,000 is for administrative expenses.

The Committee recommends the following distribution of funds:

Committee

Area and State recommendation

Acadia NP (ME) ..................................................................................... $600,000

Apostle Islands NL (WI) ........................................................................ 200,000

Big Cypress NP (FL) ............................................................................. 3,000,000

Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP (CO) ............................................. 700,000

Brandywine Battlefield (PA) ................................................................. 750,000

Cape Cod NS (MA) ................................................................................ 500,000

Chickamauga/Chattanooga NMP (TN) ................................................ 1,200,000

Cuyahoga Valley NRA (OH) ................................................................. 1,500,000

Delaware Water Gap NRA (PA) ........................................................... 1,000,000

Ebey’s Landing NHP (WA) ................................................................... 250,000

Everglades—Grant to the State of Florida .......................................... 10,000,000

Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania NMP (VA) .............................................. 1,500,000

Gettysburg NMP (PA) ........................................................................... 2,000,000

Home of FDR NHS (NY) ....................................................................... 2,600,000

Indiana Dunes NL (IN) ......................................................................... 1,000,000

Manassas NB (VA) ................................................................................ 1,000,000

Petroglyphs NM (NM) ........................................................................... 1,000,000

Saguaro NP (AZ) .................................................................................... 2,200,000

Santa Monica Mts. NRA (CA) ............................................................... 2,000,000

Stones River NB (TN) ............................................................................ 1,500,000

Subtotal ........................................................................................ 34,500,000

Emergency & Hardship ......................................................................... 3,000,000

Inholdings & Exchanges ....................................................................... 2,000,000

Acquisition Management ....................................................................... 4,500,000

Stateside Grants .................................................................................... 20,000,000

Administrative Assistance to States .................................................... 1,000,000

Total ............................................................................................. 65,000,000

The Committee continues to believe that Federal funding for

land acquisition at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation

43

Area should be matched by a non-Federal effort. Simply put, this

means new land or new dollars dedicated to the protection of parklands within the recreation area’s boundaries. The Federal portion

in the current appropriation will be available for immediate expenditure to maximize the ability to pursue an orderly acquisition

program. As of June 30, 2000, and each year thereafter, the Service

shall certify the level of non-Federal contributions to land acquisition at Santa Monica Mountains. It is the Committee’s intent that

land acquisition funds that may be provided in subsequent appropriations will not exceed the value of the non-Federal effort for the

prior certification period. The National Park Service is encouraged

to review non-Federal appraisals wherever possible in certifying

the non-Federal contribution.

The Committee has been concerned about the slow obligation

rate for Fredericksburg-Spotsylvania NMP, Gettysburg NMP and

Stones River NB. The Committee has provided additional funds in

this bill for these three areas but the Committee strongly encourages these areas to obligate prior year funds in a more expeditious

manner. The demands on the Committee are high to provide additional dollars to other National Park units that have similar land

acquisition needs.

The Committee is supportive of the efforts of the Eastern Band

of Cherokee Indians to enter into a land exchange with the Great

Smoky Mountains National Park for property known as Floyd Bottoms in Swain County, North Carolina. The Tribe will use the site

to build a new school complex using their funds. The Committee

urges the cooperation of the National Park Service to ensure the

exchange with the Tribe takes place expeditiously. The Floyd Bottoms offers the only suitable site on which the Tribe can build their

schools, and the exchange will serve to consolidate the reservation,

which is presently divided by Floyd Bottoms.

Bill Language.—Bill language is recommended requiring that

State grants be used solely for land acquisition.

The Committee continues to be concerned about several critical

aspects of the South Florida Restoration Initiative. The primary

concern is that, under current plans, when the restoration project

is complete, the Secretary of the Interior will have no binding authority over how and when water is distributed to the Everglades

ecosystem. Related to that concern is the issue of adequate water

quality and quantity. The Committee has recommended bill language to address these problems as explained below.

The Secretary of the Interior, as the primary Federal official responsible for protecting and preserving the South Florida ecosystem, must play a key role in restoring and maintaining the Everglades. The Committee’s recommended bill language requires the

concurrence of the Secretary of the Interior in developing, implementing and revising any regulations to allocate water made available from the Central and Southern Florida Project, including

modifications to the project as proposed in the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. This language is consistent with the Administration’s proposal to authorize the Comprehensive Everglades

Restoration Plan. That proposal requires the concurrence of the

Secretary of the Interior in the programmatic regulations that provide for a process to identify the amount of water that is to be set

aside, as a matter of Federal law, for the needs of the natural sysVerDate 11-MAY-2000 04:55 Jun 02, 2000 Jkt 064637 PO 00000 Frm 00043 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR646.XXX pfrm01 PsN: HR646
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tem. The regulations allocating the water are key to ensuring that

all project features that are implemented over the next 20–30 years

will achieve the goals of the Comprehensive Plan. The result must

be a restored and healthy ecosystem, which includes Federal parks

and refuges in the region. The Secretary of the Interior is the critical Federal official responsible for ensuring that the negative impacts on the ecosystem, caused by the operation of the Central and

Southern Florida Project over the last 50 years, are corrected.

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

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $813,376,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 895,379,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 816,676,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... +3,300,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥78,703,000

The Committee recommends $816,676,000 for surveys, investigations, and research, a decrease of $78,703,000 from the budget request and an increase of $3,300,000 above the 2000 enacted level.

The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the

budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:

45

46

National mapping program.—The Committee recommends

$122,817,000 for the national mapping program, a decrease of

$32,465,000 from the budget request and $3,900,000 below the

2000 enacted level including $3,400,000 from the Hazard Support

System and $500,000 resulting from a transfer to the geologic landscape activity.

The Committee has maintained the Gateway to the Earth—Ohio

pilot at the enacted level. However, within the funds provided for

the Gateway to the Earth project the Committee directs that

$200,000 be allocated to the Texas Natural Resources Information

System, $150,000 to the Mississippi Space Commerce Initiative,

$200,000 to the California Land Science Information Partnership,

and $200,000 to the National Interagency Fire Center. With the inclusion of these groups, the Survey is taking the first steps in

transforming the gateway to the earth from a pilot project into a

national program.

The Committee has also maintained funding for hyperspectral remote sensing at the 2000 enacted level to continue ongoing research in and around Yellowstone National Park.

The Committee recommends a decrease of $3,400,000 from Hazard Support System and directs instead that this funding be used

to address urgent research needs identified by the U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service

The Committee is extremely concerned that the Survey, specifically the National Mapping Division, entered into a new contract

for the continued development of the Hazard Support System without Committee knowledge and at the expense of existing programs

and contracts. This type of action will not be tolerated. The Survey

is expected to use the normal reprogramming procedures like all

other bureaus. Further, the Survey is directed to report back to the

Committee as soon as possible detailing what actions they have

taken to meet fully their fiscal year 2000 commitments.

In the development of this new Hazard Support System, the Survey is directed to work in close cooperation with Bureau of Land

Management and Forest Service fire program managers. Before the

Committee allocates any future funds for development or deployment of this new system, the Survey will, at a minimum, need to

demonstrate that: (1) this is a cost-effective program; (2) it provides

additional coverage above and beyond what is currently being provided by the fire program; and (3) the system is capable of reducing

long-term wildland fire expenditures. Finally, the National Academy of Sciences should review this new program before any deployment decisions are made.

Geologic hazards, resources and processes.—The Committee recommends $211,272,000 for geologic hazards, resources, and processes a decrease of $13,537,000 from the budget request and an increase of $50,000 above the 2000 enacted level, including increases

above the 2000 level of $1,000,000 for earthquake hazards and

$500,000 for volcano hazards as part of the real time hazards initiative, $500,000 for the cooperative geologic mapping program,

$1,000,000 for a new coastal pilot program, and a $500,000 transfer

from mapping, and decreases of $250,000 from the Hawaiian volcano program, $2,000,000 from the minerals at risk program, and

$1,200,000 from the Nevada gold study.

47

The Committee has maintained funding for light distancing and

ranging (LIDAR) technology at the 2000 enacted level to assist

with the listing of Chinook Salmon and Summer Chum Salmon

under the Endangered Species Act. These funds should be used in

the Puget Sound region to contract for the continued mapping of

drainage systems, stream systems, and to identify potentially unstable slopes. The Committee has provided an increase of $1,000,000 above the

enacted level for the Coastal and Marine Geology program to begin

the process of developing a comprehensive multi-disciplinary coastal program within the Survey. As population growth expands along

U.S. coasts, coastal ecosystems are impacted by urban, industrial,

and agricultural development. These impacts have resulted in the

degradation of Everglades coastal wetlands and Florida Bay, coral

die-off, hypoxia and fish kills in the Gulf of Mexico, and imperiled

marine mammals and sea turtle populations to name a few. The

Committee directs that the Survey develop a coastal pilot program

beginning with the Southeast region with a research agenda designed to address the most critical issues facing this region. The

Committee recommends that this work be conducted towards the

goals and objectives consistent with the discussion of ‘‘Future Program Emphasis’’ contained in the recently released National Academy review of the Survey’s Coastal and Marine Geology program.

The Survey should report back to the Committee as soon as possible detailing how it would allocate these funds among the growing list of coastal problems. In addition, the Committee also directs

the Survey to develop a comprehensive national coastal program as

part of the fiscal year 2002 budget.

As was the case last year, the Committee continues to believe

that the Survey’s highest hazards-related priority should be to continue to upgrade its various hazards monitoring networks, to acquire quality hazards information, and to engage in quality research. Therefore, the Committee has provided funding for the Survey’s ‘‘Real Time Hazards’’ initiative.

The Committee encourages further collaborative research between the Survey and the University of Arizona in Tucson, concerning surficial geological processes.

Water resources investigations.—The Committee recommends

$187,949,000 for water resources assessments and research a decrease of $9,627,000 from the budget request and an increase of

$2,130,000 above the 2000 enacted level, including increases above

the 2000 level of $1,730,000 for the Real Time Hazards initiative,

and $400,000 for the water resources research institutes.

Biological research.—The Committee recommends $140,416,000

for biological research a decrease of $18,365,000 from the budget

request and an increase of $3,520,000 above the 2000 enacted level,

including increases from the 2000 level of $500,000 for the GAP

program, $500,000 for amphibian research, $3,400,000 for high-priority research for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and $300,000

for the cooperative research units, and decreases of $180,000 from

the Yukon salmon study, and $1,000,000 as a transfer to the facilities account.

The Committee has provided an additional $3,400,000 to conduct

mission-critical science support for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Fish and Wildlife Service has identified critical research

48

needs in areas such as species at risk, invasive species, inventory

and monitoring protocols, and fisheries and aquatic resources.

Combined with $550,000 in the Survey’s base for the quick response program, this will establish a program parallel with the

Natural Resources Preservation program that addresses the National Park Service’s urgent science needs.

The Committee recognizes the importance of the work being accomplished through the National Gap Analysis program, and directs the Survey to allocate this funding increase towards the goal

of expanding mapping coverage to the entire Unites States as

quickly as possible.

Science support.—The Committee recommends $67,104,000 for

science support, a decrease of $3,791,000 from the budget request

and the same as the 2000 enacted level.

Facilities.—The Committee recommends $87,118,000 for facilities, a decrease of $918,000 from the budget request and

$1,500,000 above the 2000 enacted level, including increases above

the 2000 level of $1,000,000 as a transfer from biological research

and monitoring and $500,000 to address the deteriorating conditions at the Wellsboro lab.

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 2001, MMS expects to

collect and distribute about $6.2 billion from more than 80,000 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 few years, MMS has begun 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, 2000 .............................................................. $110,200,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 134,128,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 127,200,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... +17,000,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥6,928,000

The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the

budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:

49

50

The Committee recommends $127,200,000 for royalty and offshore minerals management, a decrease of $6,928,000 from the

budget request and an increase of $17,000,000 above the 2000 enacted level. The Committee recommendation includes an overall increase in appropriated funds due to a decline of $17,000,000 in excess receipts in the OCS lands activity.

The Committee has included bill language to enable the Department to proceed with its royalty-in-kind pilot programs. The Committee understands that it is the Department’s intent that the

Treasury shall continue to receive at least as much royalty income

from the pilot programs as they would otherwise receive from a

royalty-in-value program.

OIL SPILL RESEARCH

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $6,118,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 6,118,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 6,118,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ 0

The Committee recommends $6,118,000, 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 both the budget request and the fiscal

year 2000 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, 2000 .............................................................. 95,585,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 97,801,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 97,478,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... +1,893,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥323,000

The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the

budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:

51

52

The Committee recommends $97,753,000 for Regulation and technology, including the use of $275,000 in civil penalty collections, which is $323,000 below the request and $1,893,000 above

the 2000 level. The increased funding will cover the OSM fixed cost

increases and help the States with their fixed cost increases.

ABANDONED MINE RECLAMATION FUND

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $195,873,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 211,158,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 197,873,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... +2,000,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥13,285,000

The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the

budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:

53

54

The Committee recommends $197,873,000 for the Abandoned

mine reclamation fund, an increase of $2,000,000 above the 2000

funding level and $13,285,000 below the request. The Committee

recognizes the great amount of reclamation work that remains to

be done and has maintained the funding increase for this program

which was provided last year. The Committee has continued the

authority for the Appalachian Clean Streams Initiative at a total

of $8,000,000 and the minimum State funding level at $1,500,000.

The Committee has not approved the Administration’s request to

insert bill language altering the formula for distributing the increased funding provided for AML activities. The Committee recognizes that the anthracite coal producing region has been disproportionately affected by the adverse effects of past coal mining practices and that acid mine drainage has damaged the Susquehanna

River which flows into the Chesapeake Bay. The Committee also

notes that additional funding beyond the normal Commonwealth of

Pennsylvania basic abandoned mine land grant is needed to make

a significant impact on this problem. The Committee has therefore

provided an additional $2,000,000 to the Commonwealth to address

reclamation and remediation needs in the anthracite region.

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 115 day schools, 56 boarding schools, and 14 dormitories. Lastly, the Bureau administers more than 43 million

acres of tribally owned land, and 11 million acres of individually

owned land.

OPERATION OF INDIAN PROGRAMS

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $1,639,535,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 1,795,010,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 1,657,446,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... +17,911,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥137,564,000

The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the

budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:

55

56

57

58

The Committee recommends $1,657,446,000 for the operation of Indian programs, a decrease of $137,564,000 from the budget request and an increase of $17,911,000 above the fiscal year 2000 enacted level. The Committee agrees to all internal transfers by the

BIA in the budget request. The Committee has provided increases

above the enacted level to continue to fund the Administration’s request to fix the long standing problems associated with management of the Indian trust funds.

Once again the Committee has not provided any funds for the

Administration’s Indian school bonding initiative. The Administration needs to seek enactment of the tax credit portion of this initiative through the legislative Committees of jurisdiction in House

and Senate. Without the tax provisions, tribes have no authority to

issue these types of school bonds. At such time as the tax provisions are enacted into law, the Committee will reconsider its decision not to provide funding for the school bonding initiative.

The Committee directs the Bureau of Indian Affairs to report on

the delivery of services in Maverick County, Texas to the Kickapoo

Tribe of Oklahoma and the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas.

The report should include the current level of services provided, the

mechanisms by which the services are provided and any recommendations for improving delivery of services. The Committee

expects the report to be completed by March 1, 2001.

Indian Gaming Commission.—The Committee is concerned that

some Indian tribes may have violated the spirit of their trust relationships by locating Indian gambling facilities on property far removed from their reservation which they have acquired or hope to

acquire through the land-in-trust process in areas where local communities do not support such gambling enterprises. Under the

land-in-trust process Indians may acquire land and have it placed

in trust by the Secretary and have it treated as ‘‘sovereign’’ Indian

lands exempt from certain local regulations and laws. While the

approval of the State governor is required before the Secretary can

approve a land-in-trust proposal, no formal approval of local governments is required. The Committee is concerned by this situation

and requests that the Secretary be sensitive to local concerns when

considering such land-in-trust applications in the future. The views

of all local government authorities directly affected by the application should be considered before an application is approved. Local

authorities include the executive authority and legislative bodies of

counties, towns and municipalities in which such gambling facilities are proposed to be located. The Committee notes that this concern is not about the right of Indian tribes to conduct such activities on traditional Indian reservation lands. Further, the Committee directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a review of

the after-acquired, non-contiguous, land-in-trust process as it relates to gambling including all applications which have been considered or are being considered at this time, and report back with

recommendations to deal with this problem.

Tribal priority allocations.—The Committee recommends

$702,207,000 for tribal priority allocations, a decrease of

$58,973,000 from the budget request and an increase of $1,484,000

above the 2000 enacted level, including increases from the 2000

level of $57,942,000 resulting from internal transfers, $3,500,000

for real estate services, $1,100,000 for real estate appraisals, and

59

$3,000,000 to address the probate backlog, and decreases of

57,058,000 resulting from internal transfers, and $7,000,000 from

the housing improvement program.

The Committee finds itself in a position of being unable to fund

all of the programs available to Indian Country through the Bureau of Indian Affairs. This occurs at a time when it is clear that

the Bureau is in desperate need of additional funding for trust-related programs. There is no other agency in government that holds

these trust land responsibilities. There are, however, other agencies

that have legislative authority to provide services to Indian country. Therefore, the Committee has reduced the housing improvement program (HIP) by $7,000,000 with the understanding the Department of Housing and Urban Development has the responsibility to provide new homes while the funds remaining in the HIP

program should be used for repairs and rehabilitation of housing

only. No funds may be used for new housing construction.

The Committee once again directs that real estate services and

real estate appraisal funds within Tribal Priority Allocations are

not to be reprogrammed without Committee approval. Further, probate backlog reduction funds within Non-recurring Programs and

land records improvement funds within Regional Office Operations

are not available for transfer into the base budget of any tribe.

Within the road maintenance budget the Bureau should continue

to fund the Inchelium Public Ferry on the Colville reservation.

Other recurring programs.—The Committee recommends

$547,128,000 for other recurring programs, a decrease of

$34,829,000 from the budget request and an increase of $5,082,000

above the 2000 enacted level, including increases from the 2000

level of $5,000,000 for school operation ISEP formula funds, and

$1,000,000 for tribally controlled community colleges, and a decrease of $918,000 resulting from internal transfers.

Non-recurring programs.—The Committee recommends

$65,650,000 for non-recurring programs, a decrease of $5,755,000

from the budget request and an increase of $1,419,000 above the

2000 enacted level, including increases above the 2000 level of

$2,000,000 for real estate services and $8,000 resulting from transfers, and a decrease of $589,000 from the Gila River Farms project.

Within the $3,000,000 provided for the ‘‘jobs in the woods’’ initiative, $400,000 should continue to be used by the Northwest Indian

Fisheries Commission for the Wildstock Restoration Initiative.

Central office operations.—The Committee recommends

$56,637,000 for central office operations, a decrease of $1,227,000

from the budget request and an increase of $4,000,000 above the

2000 enacted level, including increases above the 2000 level of

$4,000,000 for Bureau reorganization efforts as recommended by

the National Academy of Public Administration, and $1,144,000 associated with internal transfers, and a decrease of $1,144,000 associated with internal transfers.

Regional office operations.—The Committee recommends

$48,095,000 for regional office operations, a decrease of $8,699,000

from the budget request and an increase of $5,854,000 above the

2000 level, including increases from the 2000 level of $2,500,000 for

real estate services, $2,400,000 for the land title records office,

$1,000,000 for land records improvements, and $3,422,000 resultVerDate 11-MAY-2000 04:55 Jun 02, 2000 Jkt 064637 PO 00000 Frm 00059 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR646.XXX pfrm01 PsN: HR646
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ing from internal transfers, and a decrease of $3,468,000 resulting

from internal transfers.

Special programs and pooled overhead.—The Committee recommends $237,729,000 for special programs and pooled overhead,

a decrease of $28,081,000 from the budget request and an increase

of $72,000 above the 2000 enacted level, including increases from

the 2000 level of $91,000 resulting from internal transfers, and a

decrease of $19,000 resulting from internal transfers.

In fiscal year 2001, the Bureau should continue to pay for and

provide for current levels of service to the Office of Special Trustee

(OST) for Information Resource Management systems and other

contractual costs to support existing mainframe computers, licenses, and other costs similar to 2000. The Committee recognizes

that BIA’s IRM resources are limited and that system enhancements may be needed by both BIA and OST trust systems. The

Committee expects that investments in information technology will

be implemented in a coordinated and cost effective manner that ensures no duplication of resources between BIA and OST, particularly in the area of telecommunications.

CONSTRUCTION

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $197,404,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 365,912,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 184,404,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... ¥13,000,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥181,508,000

The Committee recommends $184,404,000 for construction, a decrease of $13,000,000 below the fiscal year 2000 level and

$181,508,000 below the budget request.

The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the

budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:

61

62

Education.—The Committee recommends $120,199,000 for education construction a decrease of $180,300,000 from the budget request and $13,000,000 below the 2000 enacted level. Replacement

school construction is funded at $49,859,000 which is sufficient to

phase in construction of the Tuba City Boarding School, AZ; the

Second Mesa Day School, AZ; the Zia Day School, NM; Baca Thoreau Consolidated Community School, NM; Lummi Tribal School,

WA; and Wingate Elementary School, NM. Within the education

construction activity, employee housing and facilities improvement

and repair are funded at the 2000 enacted level.

The Committee has continued the bill language related to implementing the process to award grants for construction of new

schools or facilities improvement and repair projects in excess of

$100,000. The language ensures that the Department can continue

to implement the grant process while the permanent implementation process is under development in fiscal year 2001. The Committee expects the Department and the Bureau of Indian Affairs to

continue to work cooperatively with the tribes in the development

of a final implementation process. Given that the language is clear

concerning negotiating the schedule of payments, the Committee

has not continued the language limiting payments to two per year.

Public safety and justice.—The Committee recommends

$5,537,000 for public safety and justice, the same as the 2000 enacted level and $4,000 below the budget request.

The Committee directs that no later than January 31, 2001 the

Bureau submit a comprehensive assessment of the need to construct a juvenile detention facility for native American youth in the

Pacific Northwest. The Bureau should include the merits and drawbacks of each potential location studied and an attempt to estimate

inmate population by location.

Resources management.—The Committee recommends

$50,573,000 for resources management, a decrease of $72,000 from

the budget request and the same as the 2000 enacted level.

General administration and construction management.—The

Committee recommends $8,095,000 for general administration and

construction management, a decrease of $1,132,000 from the budget request and the same as the 2000 enacted level.

INDIAN LAND AND WATER CLAIM SETTLEMENTS AND MISCELLANEOUS

PAYMENTS TO INDIANS

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $27,128,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 34,026,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 34,026,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... +6,898,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ 0

The Committee recommends $34,026,000 for Indian land and

water claim settlements and miscellaneous payments to Indians,

the same as the budget request and an increase of $6,898,000

above the 2000 enacted level, including $626,000 for White Earth,

$251,000 for Hoopa-Yurok, $24,883,000 for the Ute settlement,

$142,000 for Pyramid Lake, $8,000,000 for Rocky Boys, and

$124,000 for Walker River.

63

INDIAN GUARANTEED LOAN PROGRAM ACCOUNT

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $4,985,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 6,008,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 4,985,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥1,023,000

The Committee recommends $4,985,000 for the Indian guaran- teed loan program account a decrease of $1,023,000 from the budget request and the same as the 2000 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.

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $70,171,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 73,891,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 69,471,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... ¥700,000

Budget estimate, 2000 ................................................................ ¥4,420,000

The Committee recommends $69,471,000 for assistance to territories, $700,000 below the fiscal year 2000 level and $4,420,000

below the budget request.

The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the

budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:

64

65

Territorial Assistance.—The Committee recommends $18,697,000,

$1,000,000 above the request and $700,000 below the 2000 level.

The Committee continues to feel that the small, focused grants

awarded through the technical assistance program are some of the

most cost-effective ways of helping the territories and freely associated states. The Committee disagrees with the Administration’s

proposal to guide increased technical assistance funding solely to

the Virgin Islands. Increased technical assistance funding should

be used for priority efforts which stress financial management and

control for any of the territories or the freely associated States. The

Committee has provided $700,000 within the technical assistance

funding as a direct payment to the Prior Service Trust Fund which

provides benefits owed to former individuals who worked for the

Department of Navy, the Department of the Interior and the Trust

Territory of the Pacific Islands Government during the period 1944

through 1968. These Prior Service Trust Funds may not be used

for administrative purposes. The Committee provides up to $300,000 within territorial assistance to assist the Virgin Islands to repay previous emergency

loans. Under the terms of the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990,

as amended, discretionary agency action to forgive a portion of a

borrower’s obligation to make principal or interest payments on a

direct loan constitutes a modification of such direct loan, and requires an appropriation to cover the cost of such modification. Of

the amounts made available for technical assistance, up to

$300,000 may be transferred to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to cover the cost of FEMA’s forgiveness of a

portion of the interest which accrues on Community Disaster Loan

Program Account 841 during the period of FEMA’s forbearance on

the collection of periodic payments from the Government of the Virgin Islands on such Account.

The Committee is encouraged by work on the brown tree snake,

and has maintained the increases previously provided. The Committee encourages the Department to work diligently with the Marine Resources Pacific Consortium coordinated by the University of

Guam to enhance management and preservation of coral reefs

among the Pacific Islands of the CNMI, Guam, American Samoa,

the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau and the

Republic of the Marshall Islands.

American Samoa.—The Committee recommends $23,054,000,

which is equal to the request and the 2000 level for operations

grants. The Committee is still very concerned about continuing fiscal problems in American Samoa. The Committee encourages the

American Samoa government to take decisive action to control its

costs and payroll, and enhance its revenues in accordance with the

previous recommendations and any new financial recovery plan

that may be developed as a result of the tobacco loan program provided last year. The Committee expects the Governor of American

Samoa and the Secretary of the Interior to complete an MOU,

which clearly stipulates fiscal and operational reforms and cost reductions with clear benchmarks. If this is not completed and implemented by the time the Committee considers the fiscal year 2002

Interior appropriations bill, the Committee will seriously consider

reducing the next American Samoa government operations appropriation. The Committee also notes the continued mandatory CovVerDate 11-MAY-2000 04:55 Jun 02, 2000 Jkt 064637 PO 00000 Frm 00065 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR646.XXX pfrm01 PsN: HR646
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enant grant funding of $10,140,000 for American Samoa capital

construction. The Committee directs the OIA to see that the American Samoa government provides the Committee with a comprehensive report describing its capital construction efforts when the Department submits its next budget justification.

Northern Mariana Islands/Covenant grants.—The Committee

recommends $27,720,000 for CNMI covenant grants, which is equal

to the 2000 level and $5,420,000 below the request. The Committee

is not able to fund the Administration’s request to provide

$10,000,000 to Guam for Compact impact aid. The Committee defers any changes to mandatory expenditures pending further analysis of the Administration’s request. The Committee is encouraged

by the recent accomplishments of the CNMI in implementing its

capital improvement program. The Committee encourages the

CNMI to enhance efforts to provide fair treatment of guest workers

and to continue its labor and immigration initiative in earnest.

Guam.—The Committee notes the $4,580,000 payment to Guam

using Covenant grant funds is to address the impact resulting from

the implementation of the Compact of Free Association. The Committee strongly encourages the government of Guam to work closely with its legislature in allocating these impact funds. The OIA

should report to the Committee by March 31, 2001 on the use of

Compact impact aid by the Guam government and discuss the merits of making the use of future Compact impact payments to Guam

subject to the approval of the Guam legislature. The Committee is

concerned about the results of recent Inspector General audits

which demonstrate poor financial practices by the government of

Guam. The Committee requests that the OIA obtain thorough reports from the government of Guam on how it expects to comply

with recent OIG audits, such as the misuse of Department of Defense contract funds by the Guam Department of Education.

COMPACT OF FREE ASSOCIATION

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $20,311,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 20,545,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 20,745,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... +434,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ +200,000

The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the

budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:

67

68

The Committee recommends $20,745,000 for the compact of free association, $200,000 above the request and $434,000 above the

2000 level. The Committee has provided a $200,000 increase to the

Enewetak support payment to offset partially the reduction in buying power which has occurred over the past several years. The

Committee is encouraged by the agricultural program at Enewetak

atoll but realizes more time is needed before substantial food is

produced on restored farmland. The OIA and the State Department

negotiators are encouraged to provide the Committee semi-annual

updates on the status of Compact negotiations with the Federated

States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

DEPARTMENTAL MANAGEMENT

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $62,706,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 64,469,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 62,406,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... ¥300,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥2,063,000

The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the

budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:

69

70

The Committee recommends $62,406,000 for salaries and expenses, a reduction of $300,000 below the enacted level, and

$2,063,000 below the budget request.

OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $40,196,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 43,952,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 40,196,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥3,756,000

The Committee recommends $40,196,000, the same as the enacted level and $3,756,000 below the budget request.

OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $26,086,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 28,859,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 26,086,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥2,773,000

The Committee recommends $26,086,000, the same as the enacted level and a reduction of $2,773,000 below the budget request.

OFFICE OF SPECIAL TRUSTEE FOR AMERICAN INDIANS

FEDERAL TRUST PROGRAMS

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $90,025,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 82,628,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 82,428,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... ¥7,597,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥200,000

The Committee recommends $82,428,000 for the office of the special trustee for American Indians a decrease of $7,597,000 from the

2000 enacted level and $200,000 below the budget request. The

Committee has provided $1,992,000 for executive direction and

$80,436,000 for program operations, support and improvements.

INDIAN LAND CONSOLIDATION

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $5,000,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 12,501,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 5,000,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥7,501,000

The Committee recommends $5,000,000 for Indian land consolidation, the same as the 2000 enacted level and $7,501,000 below

the budget request.

71

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 $43

million in receipts in fiscal year 2001, 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.

This account, prior to fiscal year 1999, 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, 2000 .............................................................. $5,374,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 5,403,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 5,374,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥29,000

The Committee recommends $5,374,000 for the natural resource

damage assessment fund, which is equal to the fiscal year 2000

level and $29,000 below the budget request.

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 makes permanent a provision carried last year permitting the retention of rebates from credit card services for deposit to the Departmental Working Capital Fund.

Section 114 continues a provision permitting the transfer of

funds between the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Office of Special Trustee for American Indians for the Trust Management Improvement Project High Level Implementation Plan.

Section 115 makes permanent a provision carried last year permitting the retention of proceeds from agreements and leases at

72

the Fort Baker, Golden Gate National Recreation Area for preservation, restoration, operation, maintenance, interpretation and related activities.

Section 116 requires the renewal of grazing permits and leases

by the Bureau of Land Management until the Secretary completes

processing of the permit or lease application.

Section 117 continues a provision allowing the hiring of administrative law judges to address the Indian probate backlog.

Section 118 permits the redistribution of tribal priority allocation

and tribal base funds to alleviate funding inequities.

Section 119 continues a provision carried last year, under Title

III placing a limitation on establishment of a Kankakee National

Wildlife Refuge in Indiana and Illinois that is inconsistent with the

U.S. Army Corp of Engineers’ efforts to control flooding and siltation in that area.

Section 120 renames the Great Marsh Trail at the Mason Neck

National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia as the ‘‘Joseph V. Gartlan, Jr.

Great Marsh Trail’’.

Section 121 continues a provision carried last year requiring the

allocation of Bureau of Indian Affairs postsecondary schools funds

consistent with unmet needs.

Section 122 prohibits the use of funds by the Fish and Wildlife

Service to establish a National Wildlife Refuge in the Yolo Bypass

of California.

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,

Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. 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, 4 National monuments, and 9 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 has made several changes to enhance accountability and increase Congressional involvement with Forest Service

management of funds. In addition, the Committee has developed,

following extensive consultation, a new budget structure for the national forest system and the capital improvement and maintenance

accounts. The details of these changes are discussed below under

the individual account headings. The Committee remains very concerned that too much funding is taken off-the-top for various headquarters-driven initiatives and special projects, all to the detriment

of vital on-the-ground conservation and public service activities.

The Forest Service needs to evaluate carefully its allocation of

funds to the various levels of the organization. The Committee exVerDate 11-MAY-2000 04:55 Jun 02, 2000 Jkt 064637 PO 00000 Frm 00072 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR646.XXX pfrm01 PsN: HR646
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pects reforms that would link budget formulation and allocation to

local forest plan derived programs of work. Further, the Committee

is seriously concerned that the present allocation process results in

remixing and reprioritizing funds before ultimately reaching the

national forest level for accomplishment of work intended by the

Congress. As discussed in detail by the GAO and the National

Academy of Public Administration (NAPA), a missing link is strong

and effective performance measurement and evaluation.

The Committee has included two significant budgetary changes

that it expects will facilitate the Administration’s promise to improve overall agency accountability and facilitate Congressional

oversight. These changes have a direct effect on the Committee display of the fiscal year 2000 enacted amount. First, the Committee

concurs with the Administration’s proposed adjustments for ‘‘Primary Purpose’’ and fully expects the agency to deliver on its promise to improve agency accountability by providing for consistent expenditure of funds based on national standards which result in

charging expenditures to a single budget line item based on an activity’s ‘‘primary purpose.’’ The Committee directs that these accounting changes are in fact work neutral as promised by the Forest Service, so that all fiscal year 2000 timber and recreation targets directed by the Congress are achieved. Second, the Committee

agrees to the proposal to eliminate the general administration

funding activity. As discussed in previous Senate and House Committee reports and the NAPA report, this activity code was not useful for cost containment or accountability. The Committee has

agreed to this change and directs the agency to provide detailed explanations and displays of indirect costs, and adhere consistently to

standard accounting definitions determined by the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board.

The following table displays the effects of implementing the primary purpose accounting principle and the appropriate general administration adjustments. The adjusted fiscal year 2000 levels are

used as the basis for all comparisons in this Committee report. The

table also displays the fixed cost increases, essentially the impact

of inflation, by budget activity.

[Dollars in thousands]

Activity Original FY

2000 enacted

FY 2000 primary purpose

adjust.

FY 2000 general admin.

adjust.

Adjusted FY

2000 enacted

to date

FY 2001 fixed costs Budget

request

Research ................................................. 202,510 ¥2,363 17,547 217,694 7,272 231,008

State and Private Forestry:

Forest Health Federal Lands .......... 38,782 ¥709 2,230 40,303 1,080 41,724

Forest Health Cooperative Lands ... 21,850 ¥181 103 21,772 139 21,118

Forest Resource Info & Analysis .... .................... .................... .................... .................... .................... 0

State Fire Assistance ..................... 24,733 ¥911 107 23,929 113 30,006

Volunteer Fire Assistance .............. 3,250 ¥11 1 3,240 0 2,498

Forest Stewardship ........................ 29,398 ¥937 1,372 29,833 621 29,407

Stewardship Incentives .................. 0 0 0 0 0 3,250

Forest Legacy Program .................. 24,972 ¥64 25 24,933 47 59,768

Urban and Community Forestry ..... 31,265 ¥527 158 30,896 125 39,471

Economic Action Programs ............ 20,104 ¥192 286 20,198 67 17,267

Pacific Northwest Assistance ........ 7,991 ¥373 238 7,856 54 6,822

International Forestry ..................... (3500) .................... .................... (3500) 0 10,000

74

[Dollars in thousands]

Activity Original FY

2000 enacted

FY 2000 primary purpose

adjust.

FY 2000 general admin.

adjust.

Adjusted FY

2000 enacted

to date

FY 2001 fixed

costs

Budget

request

Total—State and Private Forestry ...................................... 202,345 ¥3,905 4,520 202,960 2,246 261,331

National Forest System:

Land Management Planning .......... 39,738 5,365 5,064 50,167 2,021 77,957

Inventory and Monitoring ............... 87,771 39,459 11,096 138,326 3,525 193,002

Vegetation & watershed mgmt ...... 155,942 ¥7,454 17,514 166,002 4,582 171,379

Wildlife & Fish habitat Mgmt ........ 108,211 ¥6,752 13,398 114,857 3,971 135,542

Recreation, Heritage & wilderness 197,562 ¥20,930 27,232 203,864 8,318 249,348

Forest Products .............................. 223,029 ¥21,757 36,619 237,891 7,253 230,417

Grazing Management ..................... 28,792 ¥916 4,955 32,831 1,025 32,892

Landownership Mgmt ..................... 62,609 12,218 7,738 82,565 1,433 73,297

Minerals and Geology Mgmt .......... 36,956 4,154 5,062 46,172 1,273 49,899

Law Enforcement Operations ......... 66,847 1,039 2,025 69,911 1,847 72,838

General Administration .................. 248,362 ¥4,517 ¥243,845 0 7,109 0

Land between the Lakes NRA ........ 5,365 0 0 5,365 0 0

Total—National Forest System 1,261,184 ¥91 ¥113,142 1,147,951 42,357 1,286,571

Wildland Fire Management:

Preparedness .................................. 359,840 3,085 45,843 408,768 8,409 404,343

Fire Operations ............................... 200,687 482 7,719 208,888 3,019 216,029

Land between the Lakes NRA ........ 300 0 0 300 0 0

Emergency Conting. (non-add) ...... 90,000 0 90,000 90,000 0 150,000

Total—Wildland Fire Management ...................................... 560,827 3,567 143,562 617,956 11,428 620,372

Capital Improvement & Maintenance:

Facilities ......................................... 134,075 12,429 7,144 153,648 1,477 144,797

Roads ............................................. 211,778 ¥12,592 20,448 219,634 3,551 217,853

Trails .............................................. 49,841 3,718 8,802 62,361 1,270 62,264

Land Between the Lakes NRA ....... 1,200 0 0 1,200 0 0

Total—Cap. Improv. & Maint ... 396,894 3,555 36,394 436,843 6,298 424,914

Land Acquisition:

Acquisitions .................................... 67,510 .................... .................... 67,510 0 118,000

Acquisition Management ............... 8,492 ¥786 1,119 8,825 301 8,265

Cash equalization .......................... 1,500 .................... .................... 1,500 .................... 1,500

Emergency acquisition ................... 1,500 .................... .................... 1,500 .................... 1,500

Wilderness protection ..................... 500 .................... .................... 500 .................... 1,000

Total—Land Acquisition ........... 79,502 ¥786 1,119 79,835 301 130,265

Other Appropriations:

Land Acquisition—Special Acts .... 1,069 ¥1 0 1,068 0 0

Land Acquisition—Exchanges ....... 210 24 0 234 0 0

Range Betterment Fund ................. 3,300 0 0 3,300 0 0

Gifts, Donations & Bequests ......... 92 0 0 92 0 92

Southeast AK Assistance Fund ...... 22,000 0 0 22,000 0 0

Subsistence Uses—Alaska ............ 0 0 0 0 0 5,500

Total—Other Appropriations ..... 26,671 23 0 26,694 0 5,592

Total—Discretionary Appropriations without emergency ....... 2,729,933 0 0 2,729,933 69,902 2,960,053

Total with Emergency ................ 2,819,933 0 0 2,819,933 69,902 3,110,053

FOREST AND RANGELAND RESEARCH

Research and development sponsors basic and applied scientific

research. This research should provide both credible and relevant

75

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, 2000 .............................................................. $217,694,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 231,008,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 224,966,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... +7,272,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥6,042,000

The Committee recommends $224,966,000 for forest and range- land research, $6,042,000 below the budget request and $7,272,000

above the 2000 funding level. The Committee held an oversight

hearing this year on the effectiveness and mission of Forest Service

research and development. The Committee stresses the need for

collaborative research with land managing agencies, private and

public forest managers, and especially, universities. The funding allocation covers the 2000 research program and provides an increase

for uncontrolled cost increases. This funding maintains the forest

inventory and analysis (FIA) funding at the 2000 level plus fixed

cost increases. The State and private forestry appropriation includes $5,000,000 in new funds for a cost-share program to accelerate the FIA program in those states providing matching funds or

in-kind services. The Committee continues the ‘‘CROP’’ project on

the Colville National Forest at the $200,000 level. The Coweeta ecological research site funding should be no less than the previous

year’s funding level, plus fixed costs.

The Committee remains concerned about the cost and efficiency

of the consolidation of the former Intermountain Research Station

with the Rocky Mountain Research Station in Fort Collins, Colorado, as well as the impact on scientific research on the ground.

The Committee is concerned that at the same time that research

projects are being cut throughout the former Intermountain Station, requests are being made of the Congress to provide additional

funding for costs associated with the new buildings for the Rocky

Mountain Headquarters in Fort Collins. The Committee is concerned that four NFS regions may be too large of an area for one

station to effectively manage or to give proper attention to local research requirements. Therefore, the Committee directs the Secretary of Agriculture to re-examine the consolidation of the Intermountain and Rocky Mountain Research Stations and report back

to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within

nine months of enactment on options to de-consolidate the station

back into two separate research units. The report should include

specific comparisons of the fixed overhead costs prior to consolidation, what those costs are now, and what they might be with deconsolidation. This should include a direct comparison between administrative staffs that were formerly shared with Region 4 and

what those same Rocky Mountain Station staffs cost now, as well

76

as the percent of appropriated funds spent on overhead costs for

the past 5 years, to include the 2 years prior to consolidation

(1996–1997) and the 3 years since (1998–2000). In addition, the report should include impacts to specific research projects and dollars

spent on those research projects over the same 5-year period within

the current Rocky Mountain Station area and consider the benefits

of collocating research units with NFS regional offices in Ogden,

UT and Lakewood, CO.

STATE AND PRIVATE FORESTRY

Through cooperative programs with State and local governments,

forest industry, conservation organizations, and private 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

fire management; control insects and disease; improve harvesting,

processing and monitoring of forest products; and stimulate stewardship of private forests through planning, reforestation and timber stand improvement. 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, 2000 .............................................................. $202,960,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 261,331,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 197,337,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... ¥5,623,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥63,994,000

The Committee recommends $197,337,000 for State and private

forestry, $63,994,000 below the budget request and $5,623,000

below the 2000 funding level.

The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the

budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:

77

78

Forest health management.—The Committee recommends

$63,794,000 for forest health management, $952,000 above the request and $1,719,000 above the 2000 funding level for these activities. The Committee reiterates its concern with forest health in the

broad sense; the funding level for Federal lands forest health management maintains previous funding increases and fully funds

fixed cost increases as well as requested program increases. It is

vital that the Forest Service provide all Federal land managers

with quality, timely insect and disease expertise, inventories, and

where needed, control so as to protect Federal lands and investments and also protect neighboring private, tribal or State lands.

The Committee directs the Forest Service to keep insect and disease risk maps up-to-date and provide the Congress with updated

maps at least on a semi-annual basis. The Committee recommends $22,411,000 for cooperative lands forest health management, $1,293,000 above the request and

$639,000 above the 2000 funding level. Funding for the cooperative

lands forest health management activity should fully fund the

Slow-the-spread gypsy moth program and provides a $500,000 additional allocation for work to control and manage the Asian longhorned beetle.

Cooperative fire protection.—The Committee recommends

$30,000,000 for cooperative fire protection, $2,831,000 above the

2000 funding level and $2,504,000 below the budget request for

these activities. The Committee recommends an increase of

$1,071,000 for State fire assistance above the 2000 funding level.

The Committee recognizes and applauds the successful partnership

of the Forest Service and the States at wildfire management. The

Committee has more than doubled the administration’s requested

allocation to the volunteer fire assistance program to a funding

level of $5,000,000. Volunteers not only provide vital assistance to

their home districts, but it is in the Federal interest to have these

firefighters equipped with compatible gear so they can be effective

members of multi-agency wildfire teams during emergencies.

Cooperative forestry.—The Committee recommends $99,043,000

for cooperative forestry, $56,942,000 below the budget request and

$14,673,000 below the 2000 funding level. The Committee recommends $31,454,000 for forest stewardship, $1,621,000 above the

2000 funding level and $2,047,000 above the request. This provides

full funding for fixed cost increases, the budget request, and an increase above the request of $500,000 for activities in the New York

City watershed and maintains the Chesapeake Bay watershed program at $500,000. The Committee has inadequate resources to

fund the stewardship incentives program at this time. The Committee does not have the resources available to expand greatly the

forest legacy program as has been requested. The forest legacy program is allocated $10,000,000, a substantial increase to the 1999

and earlier year funding levels. The Committee directs the Forest

Service to allocate forest legacy funding to those projects which enhance Federal lands, Federal investments or complement past Federal assistance efforts. States should be prepared to explain and

justify projects before Federal funding is provided. The Committee

recommends $31,521,000 for the urban and community forestry activity, $625,000 above the 2000 funding level and $7,950,000 below

the request. This recommendation includes $250,000 to support the

79

Northeastern Pennsylvania community forestry program. The Committee is concerned about the Inspector General’s recent report documenting questionable practices, fraud, waste and abuse in the

urban resources partnership program. The Committee has included

bill language implementing a one-year moratorium on the use of

any funds for this program in a similar manner to that proposed

by the House agriculture appropriations subcommittee.

The Committee is aware of the 1993 U.S. Forest Service study

on the Highlands region in New Jersey. The Committee is encouraged by this initial effort and urges the Forest Service to work with

the States of New Jersey and New York to update this study to include a multi-state approach to preserving the Highlands region.

The Committee has provided $5,000,000 within the Cooperative

forestry account for a new effort, Forest resource information and

analysis. These funds should be used to implement a cost-share effort 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. This funding increase should help implement a recently signed MOU between the

Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters. The

funds should be used to accelerate the inventory cycle time and

should be used in those States which can provide cost-shares of

funds or in-kind services.

The Committee recommends $14,246,000 for economic action programs, $3,021,000 below the request and $5,952,000 below the

2000 level. The Committee has been provided no clear explanation

for the request to transfer $6,000,000 from the economic action program to the USDA Rural Business Cooperative Service. Once

again, the Committee reiterates that requests of this nature should

be referred to the proper appropriations subcommittee.

Within the economic action program the Committee recommends

the following distribution of funds:

Program component 2001 request

($000)

2001 Committee

recommendation

Economic recovery base program ........................................................................................ 3,642 3,642

4 Corners forestry ....................................................................................................... 250 500

Graham County, NC econ. plan .................................................................................. 0 10

Subtotal econ recov. .............................................................................................. 3,892 4,152

Rural development base program ....................................................................................... 2,192 2,192

NE & Midwest allocation ............................................................................................ 381 2,000

4 Corners forestry ....................................................................................................... 250 500

Hawaii training ........................................................................................................... 100 0

NY City watershed ...................................................................................................... 150 300

Subtotal rural dev. ................................................................................................. 3,073 4,992

Forest products conservation and recycling:

FPCR base .................................................................................................................. 1,080 1,080

Wood Educ. & Res. Center, WV .................................................................................. 2,300 0

Subtotal forest prod cons. & recy. ........................................................................ 3,380 1,080

Wood in transportation ........................................................................................................ 922 922

Smart growth loans ............................................................................................................. 6,000 0

Programs subtotal .................................................................................................. 17,267 11,146

Special projects:

NY City watershed ...................................................................................................... 0 500

Brevard College, NC Cradle of Forestry envir. ed. ..................................................... 0 300

Columbia River Gorge NSA Mosier Beach facilities ................................................... 0 500

Lake Tahoe erosion grants ......................................................................................... 0 1,500

80

Program component 2001 request

($000)

2001 Committee

recommendation

Univ. WA landscape ecology ....................................................................................... 0 300

Subtotal special projects ....................................................................................... 0 3,100

Total Economic Action ............................................................................................ 17,267 14,246

The Committee recommends $6,822,000 for the Pacific Northwest

Assistance programs as requested, a decrease of $1,034,000 from

the 2000 level. This funding includes $500,000 to continue the University of Washington and Washington State University technology

transfer extension activities begun last year. The Committee encourages the Forest Service to consider funding grant requests for

economic development coming from communities adversely impacted by the recent Presidential declaration of a Giant Sequoia

National Monument in California.

International forestry.—The Committee has provided specific

funding for international forestry program activities as requested

in order to depict clearly the budgetary implications of this activity.

International forestry is provided $4,500,000, $5,500,000 below the

request and $1,000,000 above the funding level which was allowed

in fiscal year 2000. The Committee is encouraged by the successful

partnerships in the international program and expects the increased funding to be allocated to invasive species control and management and migratory species habitat conservation. These international forestry program activities should focus on efforts which

have end results that include benefits to domestic forest conditions

and the American public.

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.

More than 9,000 farmers and ranchers pay for permits to graze cattle, horses, sheep and goats on 74 million acres of grassland, open

forests, and other forage-producing acres of the National forest system. Recreational use of National forest land amounted to approximately 859 million visits in 1997. The NFS includes over 133,087

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 300 threatened or endangered species. Half of the Nation’s big

game 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.

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Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $1,147,951,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 1,286,571,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 1,207,545,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... +59,594,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥79,026,000

The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the

budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:

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83

84

The Committee recommends $1,207,545,000 for the National forest system, $79,026,000 below the budget request and $59,594,000

above the 2000 funding level. The Committee has presented a new

budget structure for the National forest system activities. This is

the result of extensive consultation and deliberation with the Senate, the GAO, the National Academy of Public Administration and

other knowledgeable bodies. The Committee previously requested a

detailed study by the NAPA on Forest Service efforts to implement

new accounting systems and to achieve managerial accountability.

The GAO has also conducted a series of very useful evaluations of

agency decision making, accounting, and program implementation.

The Committee investigative staff also evaluated the agency’s ability to conduct integrated programs and found that reforms were

needed. The NAPA study presented four main findings: that a simplified budget structure would aid integrated land management

and increase accounting efficiency; that organizational change was

needed along with substantive reforms to budget formulation and

allocation methods; that performance measurement and executive

leadership were inadequate; and that financial system reforms

being implemented may be on the right track, but that the immediate office organization for the Chief Financial Officer was excessive. The Committee finds the NAPA report to be extremely useful

and expects it to be carefully evaluated by the Forest Service. The

budget structure for the National forest system recommended by

the NAPA, and presented by the Forest Service in its 2001 request,

called for a dramatic reduction of funding categories from 20 to just

three. The Committee is not prepared, nor does it feel that the Forest Service is prepared, to implement such a dramatic change. The

Committee has developed a new budget structure which increases

integrated management of vegetation and watersheds, but retains

important, recognizable programs for major Forest Service responsibilities, such as forest products, recreation, wildlife and fish habitat, and law enforcement. The following table explains the relationship between the previous and the recommended budget structure:

Previous budget structure: Recommended budget structure Former subactivities included

Land mgmt Planning .............................. Land management planning.

Inventory and Monitoring ........................ Inventory and monitoring.

Minerals and Geology Mgmt ................... Minerals and geology mgmt.

Law Enforcement Operations .................. Law enforcement operations.

Recreation mgmt .................................... Recreation, heritage & wilderness Recreation mgmt.

Wilderness mgmt .................................... ................................................................ Wilderness mgmt.

Heritage Resources ................................. ................................................................ Heritage Resources.

Wildlife habitat mgmt ............................ Wildlife & fisheries habitat mgmt ........ Wildlife habitat mgmt.

Inland Fisheries habitat mgmt ............... ................................................................ Inland Fisheries habitat mgmt.

Anad. Fish habitat mgmt ....................... ................................................................ Anad. Fish habitat mgmt.

TE&S species habitat mgmt ................... ................................................................ TE&S species habitat mgmt.

Real Estate mgmt ................................... Landownership management ................ Real Estate mgmt.

Land Line Location ................................. ................................................................ Land Line Location.

Timber Sales mgmt ................................ Forest products ...................................... Timber Sales mgmt.

Forest Vegetation mgmt.

Grazing management .............................. Grazing management ............................ Grazing management.

Range Vegetation mgmt.

Soil, Water & Air Operations .................. Vegetation & watershed mgmt ............. Forest Vegetation mgmt.

Watershed Improvements ........................ ................................................................ Range Vegetation mgmt.

Watershed Improvements.

Soil, Water & Air Operations.

General Administration ........................... (none, indirect costs limited by legislative language, funds spread to all accounts).

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Previous budget structure: Recommended budget structure Former subactivities included

Total: 20 activities or subactivities 10 activities.

The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the

budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:

[Dollars in thousands]

Activity FY 2000 enacted

to date Budget request Committee recommendation

National Forest System:

Land Management Planning ........................................................ 50,167 77,957 52,188

Inventory and Monitoring ............................................................. 138,326 193,002 141,851

Vegetation & watershed mgmt .................................................... 166,002 171,379 176,984

Wildlife & Fish habitat Mgmt ...................................................... 114,857 135,542 120,828

Recreation, Heritage & wilderness .............................................. 203,864 249,348 229,282

Forest Products ............................................................................ 237,891 230,417 245,144

Grazing Management ................................................................... 32,831 32,892 33,856

Landownership Mgmt ................................................................... 82,565 73,297 86,609

Minerals and Geology Mgmt ........................................................ 46,172 49,899 47,445

Law Enforcement Operations ....................................................... 69,911 72,838 73,358

Land between the Lakes NRA ...................................................... 5,365 0 0

Total—National Forest System ............................................... 1,147,951 1,286,571 1,207,545

Land management planning.—The Committee recommends

$52,188,000 for land management planning, $2,021,000 above the

2000 level and $25,769,000 below the request. This funding is provided for National forest and grassland planning, including plan

amendments, revisions, and updates. The Committee is retaining

this as a separate activity because this offers the best means of

achieving some cost accountability and control for the endless planning efforts engaged in by the Forest Service. The Forest Service

must limit planning activities to these funds and not use other

funds to support the land management planning activity.

Inventory and monitoring.—The Committee recommends

$141,851,000 for inventory and monitoring, $51,151,000 below the

request and $3,525,000 above the 2000 level.

Recreation, heritage and wilderness.—The Committee recommends $229,282,000 for recreation heritage and wilderness,

$20,066,000 below the budget request and $25,418,000 above the

2000 level. The Committee disapproves the Administration request

to transfer recreation funds to the construction activity for tourism.

The Committee has monitored closely the Forest Service implementation of the recreation fee demonstration program. Although there

have been some difficulties, the agency is congratulated for its

flexibility and innovation. The Committee stresses that recreation

fees should never be used to replace appropriated funds; the fees

should be used for direct improvements on-site that enhance the

recreation experience. The Committee has provided a substantial

funding increase that should be used to enhance service to the public and protect National forest system lands and waters as well as

heritage sites and activities. The challenge cost share (CCS) program funding for recreation use should be no less than the 2000

level. The Committee recognizes the National significance of the

Pacific Crest, Continental Divide, and Florida National Scenic

Trails and the Nez Perce National Historic Trail and directs that

funding for their management be no less than the 2000 level. Similarly, funding should be maintained at least at the 2000 level for

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those parts of the Appalachian, North Country and Ice Age National Scenic Trails and the Lewis & Clark, Santa Fe, Iditarod, Oregon, California, and Pony Express and Overmountain Victory National Historic trails managed by the Forest Service. The Committee has also added $100,000 to the recreation allocation for the

Forest Service to hire a full time Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) manager, who should report to all three regional foresters responsible

for portions of the PCT, and who should coordinate the activities

all along the trail’s two dozen national forests, six national parks,

four BLM management areas, five State parks and more than 200

private land holdings.

Wildlife and fish habitat management.—The Committee recommends $120,828,000 for wildlife and fish habitat management,

$14,714,000 below the request and $5,971,000 above the 2000 level.

The increase above the 2000 level is to offset fixed cost increases.

The Committee expects that these funds will be used to implement

effective habitat conservation and restoration efforts and not be

used as support for other business. The CCS program funding

should be at least at the 2000 levels and should not be subordinated to other internal overhead or program management uses.

The Forest Service should collaborate with the National Fish and

Wildlife Foundation and other partners to see that effective conservation projects are implemented on the ground.

Grazing management.—The Committee recommends $33,856,000

for grazing management, $964,000 above the budget request and

$1,025,000 above the 2000 funding level. The increased funding

over 2000 is provided for fixed cost increases. The Committee has

moved the former rangeland vegetation management subactivity to

the new vegetation and watershed management activity to enhance

integrated landscape and site treatments. The Region 5 grazing

monitoring cooperative program should be maintained at the 2000

funding level. The Committee encourages the Forest Service to ensure that decisions affecting the establishment of AUM’s on grazing

allotments in the Lincoln NF, NM, are based on field review and

not just on the basis of computer models.

Forest products.—The Committee recommends $245,144,000 for

forest products, $14,727,000 above the budget request and

$7,253,000 above the 2000 funding level. This activity includes the

program supported by the former timber sales management subactivity. The Committee has moved the former forestland vegetation management subactivity to the new vegetation and watershed

management activity to enhance integrated landscape and site

treatments. The Committee is very concerned about the health of

forests on National forest system lands and accordingly has provided a variety of mechanisms to enhance vegetation management

activities. The Forest Service allocation of timber sales and vegetation management funds should include a mechanism to provide

substantially more resources to those areas of the Nation that are

at risk to insect, disease or wildfire loss. The Committee has provided adequate funding to implement the end-result stewardship

pilot projects. The Committee urges the Forest Service to speed-up

implementation of the botanical forest products pilot program enacted last year.

The Committee notes that the fuelwood and special forest products programs, as well as stewardship timber sales, are cost effecVerDate 11-MAY-2000 04:55 Jun 02, 2000 Jkt 064637 PO 00000 Frm 00086 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR646.XXX pfrm01 PsN: HR646
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tive ways of servicing public needs and improving forest stand conditions even though these programs cause the overall timber sales

program to have a higher cost than monetary return. The Committee understands that these programs are providing substantial

public benefits, so the Nation is well served with appropriated

funds going for these purposes. The Committee has funded the timber sales program to produce the same total sale offer as should

have been accomplished in fiscal years 1999 and 2000, about 3.6

billion board feet (BBF), consisting of 2.6 BBF of green sales. The

remainder of the expected timber sales consists of the administration-requested level for the salvage sales program. The Committee

notes that this harvest level is greatly reduced from recent times

and that local economies cannot withstand further reductions to

this program. The Committee is discouraged by the failure of the

Forest Service to perform even up to this reduced level.

To ensure that Congress is adequately informed and notified of

progress or delays in implementing the fiscal year 2001 program,

the Committee requests that the agency continue its regular, quarterly reporting of timber sale preparation, offer, sale and harvest

accomplishments—including a region-by-region status report. The

Committee expects the reports to include detailed information on

the status of the timber sales pipeline and an identification of the

volumes offered, sold, and harvested categorized as net merchantable sawtimber. Timber program accomplishments should report

timber actually sold and transferred to purchasers, and the volume

offered. The reports are to be as comprehensive as possible and

provide information on both green and salvage sales. Any additional salvage opportunities that may arise during fiscal year 2001

should not impact green sale targets.

Vegetation and watershed management.—The Committee recommends $176,984,000 for vegetation and watershed management,

$5,605,000 above the budget request for these activities and

$10,982,000 above the 2000 funding level. In order to enhance watershed and vegetation management in an integrated fashion, the

Committee has moved the former forestland and rangeland vegetation management subactivities to be joined with the former soil,

water and air operations and watershed improvements subactivities. This should provide greater flexibility to treat priority forest

and rangelands that need enhancement or restoration, and provide

for more on-the-ground work due to the decrease in administration

and accounting previously required. The Committee directs that future budget justifications will display an integrated approach

which includes priority work in those areas of the Nation with

greater needs. The displays should also clearly depict the role of

other habitat and restoration funds, such as wildlife and fish habitat, the KV fund, the reforestation fund, and the road and trail

fund. The Forest Service should implement a CCS program for

these activities that is no less than the 2000 level, and a strong effort should be made to increase this CCS effort in 2002 and thereafter. The Committee directs the Forest Service to use the reforestation fund, as authorized, in conjunction with other vegetation

management funds to provide an integrated, effective means of

treating forests in need of forest health restoration. The Committee

directs the Forest Service to report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations by March 1, 2001 on the specific use of

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the reforestation fund for 2001 and provide a plan for using these

funds in an integrated fashion to help reduce the great backlog of

forests in poor conditions. The Committee has included $300,000 to

continue the CROP program to treat stagnated stands on the

Colville NF, $1,000,000 to continue the priority acid mine watershed restoration work on the Wayne NF, and $360,000 for the

Rubio Canyon water line project on the Angeles NF.

Minerals and geology management.—The Committee recommends $47,445,000 for minerals and geology management,

$2,454,000 below the budget request and $1,273,000 above the

2000 funding level. The Committee recommended funding level

should cover fixed cost increases.

Land ownership management.—The Committee recommends

$86,609,000 for land ownership management, $13,312,000 above

the request and $4,044,000 above the 2000 funding level. The Committee directs the Forest Service to report to the House and Senate

Committees on Appropriations by March 31, 2001 on its progress

at using new authority to recover the costs of permit administration as well as its progress at working with the FERC on funding

necessary environmental analysis for hydropower dam relicensing.

The Committee has included $250,000 to support a full time lands

team to work on the Pacific Crest Trail project and focus on those

trail segments where access and public service needs are greatest.

Law enforcement operations.—The Committee recommends

$73,358,000 for law enforcement operations, $520,000 above the

budget request and $3,447,000 above the 2000 funding level. The

Committee remains concerned about special law enforcement problems associated with marijuana eradication in the Daniel Boone

National Forest and therefore has added $500,000 for these efforts.

These funds are to be provided for this activity without reducing

base services within the Region 8 law enforcement program. The

Committee encourages the Forest Service and the Secretary of the

Interior to work more closely with the Immigration and Naturalization Service and the EPA in southeastern Arizona to develop a plan

to coordinate activities addressing illegal immigration crossing

through Federal lands, and additionally, to provide the Committee

by October 1, 2001, a plan coordinated with the EPA to mitigate

environmental damage caused by illegal immigrant crossings

through these Federal lands.

Land Between the Lakes NRA.—The Committee notes that the

Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area (LBL) (KY and

TN), was transferred to Forest Service management from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Accordingly, the Committee has included $8,000,000 this year to provide for management of the LBL

by the Forest Service. The Committee has not selected specific accounts but directs the Forest Service to report to the Committee by

March 1, 2001 on the funding mix used, by appropriation account

and activity. The Committee is generally pleased with the transition as it is being accomplished by the TVA and the Forest Service.

The Committee expects that there will not be a diminution of public service and conservation now that the transfer has occurred.

The Committee recognizes that this transition will be difficult and

take some time, and accordingly, has included an administrative

provision which allows the Forest Service to use, for a two year

transition period, procurement authorities similar to those used in

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the recent past by the TVA. The Committee expects the Forest

Service to resume revenue generating management programs, as

appropriate, in an expeditious manner.

General.—The Committee remains concerned about accountability for funds. As discussed in last year’s Committee report, the

Forest Service is to maintain all specific Congressional designations, in any amount, or to submit a reprogramming request if any

such designation is proposed for a change. The Committee is also

concerned about ‘‘National commitments’’ and ‘‘Washington Office

external’’ charges. These items should be clearly displayed and explained in the budget justification and efforts should be made to reduce these expenses. The Committee directs that no funds be used

for the natural resource conservation center without advance approval by the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.

The Committee is disappointed that the Forest Service leaders

have rejected the National Academy of Public Administration’s recommendations concerning the staffing of the Chief Financial Officer’s immediate office. Accordingly, the Committee directs the Forest Service to limit the immediate office of the CFO to 6 employees

as recommended by NAPA, and follow the recommendations for the

financial reports and analysis staff (maximum staff of 10 employees) and for the financial management staff (maximum staff of 35).

The Committee notes that none of these limits were exceeded at

the time of this report, so these limits should easily be followed.

Administrative provisions.—The Committee has included language enhancing procurement flexibility at the Land Between the

Lakes National Recreation Area for a period of two years as the

transition from TVA management is institutionalized. The Committee includes language allowing the Forest Service to transfer up

to $1,250,000 of available funds to the National Forest Foundation,

including up to $200,000 for administration, and transfers

$2,650,000, the same as during 2000, to the National Fish and

Wildlife Foundation. These funds are to be used for matching funds

as authorized, thereby leveraging additional private funding and

furthering the multiple use and public service mission of the Forest

Service.

The Committee is continuing its comprehensive approach to

guarantee accountability and efficiency for the Forest Service

Knutson-Vandenberg reforestation trust fund (KV fund), the salvage sale fund and the brush disposal fund. The Committee and

the public remain concerned and watchful concerning the expenditure and use of these funds. The Committee notes that there is

widespread agreement that the reforestation, watershed improvement and wildlife habitat restoration work supported by the KV

fund are all vital to the management of the National forest system.

The Committee notes that the Administration has yet to provide

legislative language for their so-called ‘‘HIRE’’ fund that was purported to replace these existing funds. The Committee also notes

that sufficient legislative authority already exists to use these

funds to enhance employment of local workers on contracts which

complete needed conservation and enhancement activities. The

Committee agrees to the following:

(1) Maintain the limitation on administrative costs, limiting the

use of indirect funds from the KV salvage sale, and brush disposal

funds to 20% of expenditures.

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(2) National forest system funds shall not be used to supplement

administration of the KV, salvage sale or brush disposal funds.

(3) The Forest Service is directed to submit a detailed plan of operations regarding these three funds to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 90 days of enactment. The Committee requires that this plan provide sufficient detail to explain

and justify the program of work and expected accomplishments at

each National forest unit using KV funds.

(4) The plan of work should include understandable performance

measurements; monitoring of KV fund activities should be an essential component of implementation; and projected and actual unit

costs should be clearly depicted.

(5) The Committee stresses that the work funded by the KV fund

shall only include those activities that are authorized by law, such

as reforestation, and improving the future productivity of the renewable resources in the timber sale area. This allows work on watershed improvements and fish, wildlife, and plant habitat improvements as well as maintenance and construction related to authorized activities.

(6) The Committee expects that the Forest Service will not use

the three trust funds at the regional or Washington office level except for activities strictly related to program management and

oversight, fiscal management, and policy development that relates

directly to implementing activities authorized by these funds.

(7) These trust funds shall not be used for Department of Agriculture general assessments or for general assessments or National

commitments within the Forest Service.

(8) The Committee is discouraged that a National automated system is not yet in place, and therefore the Forest Service is directed

to implement, by June 30, 2001, an automated process for KV fund

management, including all phases of KV fund activities from planning to project implementation and project monitoring. This system

must be fully compatible with other agency accounting systems.

(9) The Committee directs the Forest Service to include a detailed display in all future budget justifications of the anticipated

program of work for these funds in the upcoming year. This display

should also provide a clearly understandable presentation of how

the forest and habitat improvement activities supported by these

funds relate to activities funded with discretionary appropriations.

This display should indicate relative priorities and present an integrated approach to forest management.

WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT

Appropriation enacted, 2000 (excluding emergency) ....................... $617,956,000

Contingent emergency enacted, 2000 ............................................... 90,000,000

Budget estimate, 2001 (excluding emergency) ................................. 620,372,000

Budget estimate, 2001 contingent emergency .................................. 150,000,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 614,343,000

Comparison:

Appropriation (excluding emergency), 2000 ¥3,613,000

Budget estimate, 2001 (excluding emergency) .......................... ¥6,029,000

The Committee recommends $614,343,000 for wildland fire management, $6,029,000 below the budget request and $3,613,000

below the 2000 funding level for the non-emergency program. The

Committee has not included the requested emergency contingent

funds for fire operations but notes that such funds were included

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in the House-passed fiscal year 2000 supplemental appropriations

act. The Committee has continued bill language which transfers

half of the remaining unobligated funds at the end of the fiscal

year, excepting hazardous fuels funding, from this account to pay

back previously advanced sums. The Committee maintains the

interdepartmental fire science program at the 2000 funding level.

The Committee recommendation includes $404,343,000 for preparedness and fire use, the same as the budget request and

$4,425,000 below the 2000 funding level. This funding provides

about 70% of the most efficient level, as determined by Forest Service models. Additional funding in this activity, were it available,

would provide much more than a dollar for dollar savings in subsequent wildfire suppression operations and loss of valuable resources. The Committee recommends $210,000,000 for fire operations, $6,029,000 below the request and $1,112,000 above the

2000 level. The Committee directs that about $70,000,000 be reserved for hazardous fuels operations; this is $5,000,000 below the

request and is equal to the 2000 funding level. The Committee has

also provided $150,000,000 for emergency contingent wildfire operations under Title IV—Fiscal Year 2000 Emergency Supplemental

Appropriations. The Committee directs the Forest Service to report

to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations by March

1, 2001, on agency efforts to manage large fire incidents and indicate clearly the status of agency action on the recent policy study

on implications of large fire management.

The Committee is concerned about the condition of forests and

hazardous fuels on National forest system lands, especially in the

more arid portions of the west. The Committee is also concerned

that the Administration has not been able or willing to provide a

strategic and tactical approach to dealing with this problem. The

Committee directs the Forest Service to provide to the House and

Senate Committees on Appropriations by March 1, 2001 a description of the hazardous fuels situation on NFS lands; the priorities,

by National forest for their treatment; the means for integrating

this work with other forest and habitat management goals and collaboration with the Department of the Interior; performance measures and anticipated accomplishments. The Committee encourages

use of fuels reduction funds in the wildland-urban interface and expects that mechanical treatments will frequently be employed, including the capture of commercial value of trees thinned for fuels

reduction and forestry purposes. The Committee is encouraged by

increased integration of the fuels program into National forest system management, but there still is a need to incorporate fuels work

into a larger vision of habitat and forest and rangeland desired future conditions. The Committee’s reorganization of National forest

system vegetation and watershed improvement funds should further facilitate the coordination between those activities and the

hazardous fuels program. The use of these funds, and others, such

as wildlife and fish habitat funds, the reforestation fund, and the

road and trail fund should maximize multiple benefits to society by

reducing fire danger, improving watershed and habitat conditions,

and increasing forest health. The Committee directs the Forest

Service, in its future budget justifications, to display the integrated

use of these funding categories and to indicate how these program

92

goals and accomplishments can be integrated into the overall agency mission, and its performance measured.

The Committee remains very concerned about the hazardous fuel

conditions on Federal lands and the potenital impact these conditions can have on neighboring State and private lands. The Committee continues to support the interagency fire science and management program, created by this Committee three years ago,

which has developed nation-wide fuel loading maps and maps indicating areas having high risk of catastrophic fire. The Committee

directs the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior to

keep these maps up-to-date and publicly available. The Committee

also directs the Secretaries to make these maps available to States

and counties which contain areas of high risk of catastrophic fires.

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND MAINTENANCE

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $436,843,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 424,914,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 424,466,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... ¥12,377,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥448,000

The Committee recommends $424,466,000 for capital improvement and maintenance, a reconfiguration of the former reconstruction and maintenance account. The Committee has consolidated the

maintenance and capital improvement funding for facilities, roads,

and trails. This will make it easier for managers and the public to

track funding and progress at maintaining the infrastructure which

supports Forest Service activities. The Committee supports the

Forest Service use of the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory

Board policy to define annual and deferred maintenance and capital improvement. The ‘‘maintenance’’ entries in the detail table

below represent annual maintenance as well as minor deferred

maintenance projects. The ‘‘capital improvement’’ entries include

both new construction and reconstruction, as well as major deferred maintenance projects. The Committee appreciates the

project detail provided in the budget justification and expects this

practice to continue.

The Committee agrees to the following distribution of funds:

[In thousands of dollars]

Activity or project FY 2000 enacted to date Budget request Committee recommendation

Facilities:

Maintenance ................................................................................. 72,192 70,262 70,262

Capital improvement ................................................................... 65,599 74,535 74,535

Congressional priorities:

Allegheny NF visitor services, PA ....................................... .......................... .......................... 500

Allegheny NF Marienville RS, PA ........................................ .......................... .......................... 1,000

Coweeta research rehab, NC .............................................. .......................... .......................... 110

Cradle of Forestry projects, NC .......................................... .......................... .......................... 380

Grey Towers NHS site rehab, PA ......................................... .......................... .......................... 500

Nantahala NF Fontana Lake, NC ........................................ .......................... .......................... 600

Ouachita NF Camp Clearfork, AR ....................................... .......................... .......................... 400

Ouachita NF Albert rec area, AR ........................................ .......................... .......................... 600

Uwharrie NF Kings Mtn Pt., NC .......................................... .......................... .......................... 900

Waldo Lake rehab, OR ........................................................ .......................... .......................... 500

Uwharrie NF Badin Lake, NC .............................................. .......................... .......................... 400

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[In thousands of dollars]

Activity or project FY 2000 enacted

to date Budget request Committee recommendation

Subtotal Congressional priorities ............................................ 15,857 .......................... 5,890

Subtotal Facilities ................................................................... 153,648 144,797 150,687

Roads:

Maintenance ................................................................................. 116,882 129,549 120,000

Capital improvement ................................................................... 98,568 88,304 88,304

Congressional priorities ........................................................... 4,184 .......................... ..........................

Subtotal Roads ........................................................................ 219,634 217,853 208,304

Trails:

Maintenance ................................................................................. 30,119 28,239 31,000

Capital improvement ................................................................... 29,998 34,025 34,025

Congressional priorities:

FL National scenic trail ...................................................... .......................... .......................... 250

Virginia Creeper trail repair ............................................... .......................... .......................... 200

Subtotal Congressional priorities ............................................ 2,244 .......................... 450

Subtotal Trails ......................................................................... 62,361 62,264 65,475

Land between the Lakes NRA ............................................................... 1,200 0 0

Total ......................................................................................... 436,843 424,914 424,466

Facilities.—The Committee recommends $150,687,000 for facilities maintenance and capital improvement, $2,961,000 below the

enacted and $5,890,000 above the request. The Committee has fully

funded the requested funds for facility maintenance and capital improvement. The Committee has provided no funding for the tourism

initiative described in the budget justification. The Committee directs that the funds for the Grey Towers National Historic Site rehabilitation be contingent upon receiving at least equal matching

funds from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or other sources.

The Cradle of Forestry funding is for volunteer campsite construction, trail improvements, and rehabilitation at the nearby Davidson

campground.

Roads.—The Committee recommends $208,304,000 for road

maintenance and capital improvement, $11,330,000 below the enacted level and $9,549,000 below the request. As provided in fiscal

year 1999, the timber purchaser road credit program is eliminated.

The Committee recommendation includes no appropriated funds to

improve or construct timber access roads. Timber purchasers will

reconstruct access roads if needed; funds recommended by the

Committee provide needed design and National Environmental Policy Act mandated environmental review, public involvement and

disclosure. The Committee has maintained the road decommissioning authority at $15,000,000 but notes that the Forest Service

has never approached this cap. The Committee directs that the

road funding allocation is sufficient to provide needed road support

to maintain the timber sales and salvage program at the fiscal year

2000 target level. The Committee expects the Forest Service transportation policy to focus on local needs as determined at the forest

planning level. Although there are insufficient resources available

to the Committee to provide a more substantive approach to the

large road treatment backlog, the Committee does note the subVerDate 11-MAY-2000 04:55 Jun 02, 2000 Jkt 064637 PO 00000 Frm 00093 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR646.XXX pfrm01 PsN: HR646
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stantial funds available from the road and trail fund to accomplish

needed road, trail and bridge repair. The Committee expects to continue to receive regular reports and briefings on progress attacking

the huge backlog of deferred maintenance and repair, especially as

it relates to the activities funded through the road and trails fund.

Trails.—The Committee recommends $65,475,000 for trails maintenance and capital improvement, $3,114,000 above the enacted

level and $3,211,000 above the request. This fully funds the administration request for trails capital improvement. The Committee expects that the National scenic and historic trails will have priority

in funding allocations. Under the National forest system account

specific provisions are included for National scenic and historic

trails management, with special emphasis on the Pacific Crest

Trail.

LAND ACQUISITION

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $79,835,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 103,265,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 50,000,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... ¥29,835,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥80,265,000

The Committee recommends $50,000,000 for land acquisition, a

decrease of $29,835,000 below the enacted level and $80,265,000

below the budget request. This amount includes $38,000,000 for

line item acquisition, $8,500,000 for acquisition management,

$1,500,000 for cash equalization, $1,500,000 for emergencies and

$500,000 for wilderness protection.

The Committee recommends the following distribution of funds:

Area and State:

Angeles NF (CA) ............................................................................. $2,000,000

Arapaho NF (Beaver Brook) (CO) ................................................. 2,000,000

Bar T Bar Ranch (Coconino NF) (AZ) ........................................... 3,200,000

Big Sur Ecosystem (Los Padres NF) (CA) .................................... 3,000,000

Bonneville Shoreline Trail (UT) .................................................... 2,500,000

Chattooga WSR (GA/NC/SC) ......................................................... 2,000,000

Daniel Boone NF (KY) ................................................................... 2,000,000

Hoosier NF Unique Areas (IN) ...................................................... 1,000,000

Lake Tahoe Ecosystem (CA/NV) ................................................... 2,000,000

Lewis and Clark Historic Trail (ID/MT) ....................................... 2,000,000

Pacific Crest Trail (CA/OR/WA) .................................................... 3,000,000

Rye Creek (MT) .............................................................................. 2,800,000

San Bernardino NF (CA) ............................................................... 2,500,000

Sawtooth NRA (ID) ........................................................................ 2,000,000

Sedona Red Rock (Coconino NF) (AZ) ........................................... 3,000,000

Wayne NF (OH) .............................................................................. 1,000,000

White Mtn. NF (NH) ...................................................................... 2,000,000

Subtotal ........................................................................................... 38,000,000

Emergency Acquisitions ................................................................. 1,500,000

Wilderness Protection .................................................................... 500,000

Cash Equalization .......................................................................... 1,500,000

Acquisition Mgt ............................................................................... 8,500,000

Total ............................................................................................. 50,000,000

The Committee considers the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail,

which extends through California, Oregon and Washington, to be

a high priority and has included $3,000,000 for land purchases.

The Committee encourages the Pacific Crest Trail Association to

continue raising significant non-federal matching funds to ensure

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that the most critical sections threatened by development are protected. A continued, strong, public/private partnership on this

project will have an impact on the future level of Federal support.

The Committee directs the Secretary of Agriculture, who has

overall responsibility for administration of this trail, to work in

close consultation with the Secretary of the Interior and the Pacific

Crest Trail Association to identify, assess and prioritize the needs

of the trail, including the preparation of segment maps as quickly

as possible.

The Committee directs both Secretaries to submit joint progress

reports to the Committee no later than May 30, 2001, which outline the progress made to date and any outstanding conflicts which

may be hampering the effort.

The amount provided for acquisition of the Bar-T-Bar Ranch

completes the purchase.

ACQUISITION OF LANDS FOR NATIONAL FORESTS SPECIAL ACTS

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $1,068,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 0

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 1,068,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ +1,068,0000

The Committee recommends $1,068,000 for acquisition of lands

for National forests, special acts, which is equal to the fiscal year

2000 level. 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. The Committee has not accepted the Administration’s request to blend these funds into the land acquisition account, funded from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, because these funds come from other sources and should be used for

the authorized purposes.

ACQUISITION OF LANDS TO COMPLETE LAND EXCHANGES

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $234,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 0

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 234,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ +234,000

The Committee recommends $234,000 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. The

Committee has not accepted the Administration request to abolish

this account and blend its funds into the land acquisition account

because these funds come from other sources and should be tracked

and used according to the authorized purposes.

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RANGE BETTERMENT FUND

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $3,300,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 0

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 3,300,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 .................................................................... +3,300,000

The Committee recommends $3,300,000, the same as in 2000, 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. The Committee has rejected the Administration request to abolish this account. The Committee notes that the Administration has yet to provide legislative language for their

‘‘HIRE’’ program, which they claimed would replace the range betterment fund and other conservation funds that utilize fees from

National forest system land users. The range betterment fund is a

small but effective means of enhancing rangeland habitats.

GIFTS, DONATIONS AND BEQUESTS FOR FOREST AND RANGELAND

RESEARCH

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $92,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 92,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 92,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ 0

The Committee recommends $92,000, the budget estimate, for

gifts, donations and bequests for forest and rangeland research.

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.

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

CLEAN COAL TECHNOLOGY

(DEFERRAL)

The Committee recommends deferral of $67,000,000 in previously

appropriated Clean Coal Technology budget authority until fiscal

year 2002 instead of a $221 million deferral and a rescission of

$105 million as proposed by the Administration. To the extent

funds are not needed because of premature project terminations,

the Committee will continue its practice of rescinding excess funds.

The Committee believes more substantial deferrals or rescissions

are not warranted at this time.

The Committee agrees to the following:

1. Up to $14 million may be used for administration of the clean

coal technology program in fiscal year 2001.

2. The Committee does not object to the continued support of the

U.S./China Energy and Environmental Center, which promotes the

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use of American energy technology that will greatly reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency.

ENERGY RESOURCE, SUPPLY AND EFFICIENCY

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

The energy resource, supply and efficiency programs of the Department of Energy 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 reduction 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. Power generation technology research programs funded under this account are working toward 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. Sector-specific programs funded

under this account focus on efficiency and emissions reduction improvements for smaller but equally important applications for residential and commercial buildings, transportation (especially automobiles and trucks), and major energy-consuming industries.

This account combines the programs formerly funded under the

fossil energy research and development account and the energy

conservation account. All of these programs focus on the efficient

use of traditional fuel sources and novel approaches to alternative

fuel sources. These programs do not focus on solar and renewable

energy research or nuclear energy research, which are under the

jurisdiction of the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee.

The United States accounts for 25% of world energy consumption. Efforts to improve energy efficiency in this country have

slowed the rate of growth in energy consumption but the total

amount of energy used continues to grow. In 1998 fossil energy

(coal, oil and natural gas) accounted for 85% of U.S. energy consumption. In 2020 fossil fuels are expected to account for nearly

90% of U.S. energy consumption, as reliance on nuclear power declines.

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $1,113,675,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 1,224,070,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 1,139,611,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... +25,936,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥84,459,000

The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the

budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:

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99

100

101

102

The Committee recommends $1,139,611,000 for energy resource,

supply and efficiency, an increase of $25,936,000 above the fiscal

year 2000 level and $84,459,000 below the budget request.

Power Generation and Large-Scale Technologies.—For power generation and large-scale technologies, recommended changes to the

fiscal year 2000 level are as follows.

In central systems there is an increase of $2,000,000 for materials research in the innovations for existing plants activity and a

decrease of $500,000 for super clean systems in that same activity.

There are also decreases of $2,000,000 for low emissions boiler systems and $18,188,000 for advanced turbine systems, which reflect

the completion of those programs.

In distributed generation/fuel cells there are increases of

$1,600,000 for advanced research, $9,864,000 for Vision 21/Hybrids,

and $3,500,000 for innovative concepts, and a decrease of

$15,263,000 for systems development.

In sequestration research and development there are increases of

$6,600,000 for greenhouse gas control and $2,970,000 for the Center of Excellence at the National Energy Technology Laboratory.

In advanced coal research/technology crosscut there is an increase of $2,970,000 for the Center of Excellence at the National

Energy Technology Laboratory.

In natural gas programs changes include increases of $2,178,000

for storage technology and $4,950,000 for infrastructure technology,

both in the infrastructure activity, and a decrease of $597,000 for

effective environmental protection.

In petroleum programs there is an increase of $10,000,000 for

the ultra clean fuels initiative and a decrease of $3,330,000 in

emerging processing technology for the biodesulfurization of diesel

fuel.

Other changes include a decrease of $13,500,000, which reflects

the transfer of the black liquor gasification program to the industry

sector activity, an increase of $127,000 for the import/export authorization program, a decrease of $600,000 for general plant

projects, and an increase of $225,000 for advanced metallurgical

processes.

Sector-Specific Programs.—Unless provided to the contrary herein, projects funded in fiscal year 2000 are funded at the same level

for 2001. For sector-specific programs, recommended changes to the

fiscal year 2000 level are as follows.

In the buildings sector there is a net decrease of $15,962,000.

Changes for buildings research and standards include an increase

of $500,000 for competitive research and development and a decrease of $762,000 for roadmapping, both in the technology roadmaps/competitive R&D activity, and a decrease of $200,000 for

urban heat islands in the equipment, materials and tools activity.

For building technology assistance there are decreases of

$15,000,000 for the weatherization assistance program and

$500,000 for the energy star program. The Committee notes that

the decrease for weatherization is more than offset by the

$19,000,000 advance appropriation in the House passed fiscal year

2000 supplemental appropriations bill, making a total of

$139,000,000 available in 2001 for weatherization, a $4,000,000 increase above 2000.

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For the Federal energy management program there is an increase of $500,000 for program direction. This increase is necessary

to pay the full year costs of employees hired in fiscal year 2000.

The Committee urges the Department to continue to increase regional support office involvement in this program.

In the industry sector there is a net increase of $5,492,000.

Changes for industries of the future (specific) include increases of

$1,000,000 for petroleum, $500,000 for mining, and $1,000,000 for

agriculture, and decreases of $178,000 for aluminum and $30,000

for glass. In industries of the future (crosscutting) there are increases in enabling technologies of $13,500,000 for industrial gasification, which reflects the transfer of the black liquor gasification

program from the power generation and large-scale technologies activity, and $2,000,000 to continue the controlled thermo-mechanical

processing project, and decreases of $12,000,000 for distributed

generation and $300,000 for technical assistance.

In the transportation sector there is a net decrease of $5,100,000.

Changes in vehicle technology research and development include

increases of $500,000 for natural gas health impacts analysis in the

advanced combustion engine activity and $1,500,000 for heavy vehicle systems optimization, and decreases of $1,000,000 for light

vehicle propulsion, $1,600,000 for fuel cell components, $1,000,000

for hybrids in the advanced combustion engine activity, and

$1,600,000 for cooperative automotive research for advanced technologies. In fuels utilization changes include increases of

$1,000,000 for advanced petroleum based fuels and $500,000 for

natural gas toxicity testing in the alternative fuels activity, and a

decrease of $500,000 for light trucks in the alternative fuels activity. There is also a decrease of $2,900,000 for the High Temperature Materials Laboratory in the materials program.

There is an increase of $1,000,000 for policy and management at

regional support offices.

For the overall account there is an increase of $47,000,000, which

is related to the use of $49,000,000 in biomass funds as an offset

to fiscal year 2000 requirements. Only $2,000,000 in offset funds

are available for fiscal year 2001.

The Committee agrees to the following:

1. The funding provided for continuing the steelmaking feedstock

program is contingent on at least a dollar-for-dollar cost share with

industry partners.

2. The multi-layer fuel cells program is continued under the innovative concepts activity.

3. The Department should report to the Committee by December

15, 2000, on potential R&D and/or financial incentives which could

contribute significantly to reducing emissions from existing coalfired powerplants in the U.S. and improve their generation efficiency. The report should discuss how these measures relate to existing and anticipated environmental regulatory measures, and

identify any regulatory barriers to improved environmental performance at such plants. The report should also estimate the magnitude and duration of specific R&D and incentive proposals.

4. The $2,000,000 provided for materials research in the innovations for existing plants activity are to be used for highly costshared applied materials R&D programs, applicable to both existVerDate 11-MAY-2000 04:55 Jun 02, 2000 Jkt 064637 PO 00000 Frm 00103 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR646.XXX pfrm01 PsN: HR646
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ing and Vision 21 plants, to address critical materials related problems.

5. The Department should consider the Pennsylvania State program to develop sonication technology for oil recovery, minimizing

drilling and production wastes and remediating contaminated sites.

6. The Committee is aware of the Department’s ongoing collaboration with industry on the development of a low-cost, energy efficient prototype, which applies well-established ramjet technology

principles from the aerospace industry to electric generation technology. The Committee commends the Department for committing

funding to this project in the past and for its ongoing support for

this new generation technology. The Committee understands that

a total of $10 million would be needed to design and build a ramjet

prototype engine that would be sited at a coal mine and would

burn coalbed methane as fuel. The Committee encourages the Department to consider continuing this program.

7. The NETL should continue to be actively involved in the management of the black liquor gasification program and should be actively involved in the mining industries of the future program management. The petroleum industries of the future program should be

closely coordinated with the other oil research and development

programs funded under this account.

8. Crosscutting programs—cooperative programs with States and

the energy efficiency science initiative—are continued at the fiscal

year 2000 level. These projects should be coordinated closely between the two Assistant Secretaries funded under this appropriation. This same direction applies to the reciprocating engines programs.

9. None of the funds provided herein are for the million solar

roofs initiative. This program is under the purview of the Energy

and Water Appropriations Subcommittee.

10. No funds are provided for the international initiative or to increase biofuels programs.

11. Funding for the weatherization assistance program in this

bill, in combination with the $19,000,000 provided as an advance

appropriation in the House passed fiscal year supplemental appropriations bill, results in an increase of $4 million for the program

in fiscal year 2001

12. The Northwest Alliance for Transportation Technologies

should be funded at least at the $3,000,000 level in fiscal year

2001.

13. No funds are provided for the electric vehicle program with

the Postal Service. The Postal Service and the participating States

should fund this program.

ALTERNATIVE FUELS PRODUCTION

(RESCISSION)

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $0

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... ¥1,000,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... ¥1,000,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... ¥1,000,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ 0

The Committee recommends the rescission of $1,000,000 in unobligated balances from this account.

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NAVAL PETROLEUM AND OIL SHALE RESERVES

The Committee recommends no new funding for the operation of

the naval petroleum and oil shale reserves and agrees with the Administration’s proposal to fund this program through the use of

available prior year funds as shown in the following table:

106

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ELK HILLS SCHOOL LANDS FUND

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $36,000,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 36,000,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 36,000,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ 0

The Committee recommends $36,000,000 for the Elk Hills school

lands fund, which is equal to both the budget request and the fiscal

year 2000 level. This represents the third of seven payments to the

fund, which was established as a part of the sale of the Elk Hills

Naval Petroleum Reserve in California, in order to settle school

lands claims by the State. These funds will become available on October 1, 2001.

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, 2000 .............................................................. $1,992,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 2,000,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 1,992,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥8,000

The Committee recommends $1,992,000 for economic regulation,

equal to the fiscal year 2000 level and $8,000 below the budget request.

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 millionbarrel capacity crude oil reserve with storage in large underground

salt caverns at five sites in the Gulf Coast area, connected to major

private sector distribution systems, and maintained to achieve full

drawdown rate capability within fifteen days of notice to proceed.

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

millions barrels of capacity. However, the Department has reassessed the capacities of the remaining storage sites and estimates

those sites are currently capable of storing 700 million barrels.

During 1998, an inventory of 561 million barrels provided 60 days

of net import protection. By 2001, this is projected to decline to 53

days. The decline rate is the result of the projected growth of U.S.

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requirements for imported crude oil and the reduction in U.S. domestic oil production.

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $158,396,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 158,000,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 157,000,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... ¥1,396,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥1,000,000

The Committee recommends $157,000,000 for operation of the

Strategic Petroleum Reserve, a decrease of $1,396,000 below the

fiscal year 2000 level and $1,000,000 below the budget request. Of

the funds provided $141,000,000 is for storage facilities development and operations and $16,000,000 is for management.

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, 2000 .............................................................. $72,368,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 75,000,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 72,368,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥2,632,000

The Committee recommends $72,368,000, for the Energy Information Administration, which is equal to the fiscal year 2000 level

and $2,632,000 below the budget request.

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 37 hospitals, 58 health centers, 4 school health centers, and 44 health stations. Tribes and tribal groups, through contracts with the IHS, operate 12 hospitals, 160 health centers, 3

school health centers, and 236 health stations (including 160 Alaska village clinics). The IHS, tribes and tribal groups also operate

7 regional youth substance abuse treatment centers and more than

2,200 units of staff quarters.

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Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $2,074,173,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 2,271,055,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 2,084,178,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... +10,005,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥186,877,000

The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the

budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:

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The Committee recommends $2,084,178,000 for Indian health

services, an increase of $10,005,000 above the fiscal year 2000 level

and $186,877,000 below the budget request. The increase above the

2000 funding level is for staffing of new facilities.

The Committee agrees to the following:

1. The Service should continue to work with the tribes to develop

level of need calculations for health care services.

2. The Committee is concerned about the Service’s lack of response to direction in last year’s Committee report requiring the

development of a meaningful plan of action to augment and

strengthen its podiatry care program and address the shortage of

commissioned officers in the podiatry field.

3. The Committee continues to be concerned about the infant

mortality crisis in the Shoalwater Bay Tribe and expects the Service to continue to work closely with the tribe, the State, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other agencies to identify the causes of and potential solutions for infant mortality. Funding for this program is continued at the fiscal year 2000 level.

4. Funding for the Joslin diabetes program is continued at the

fiscal year 2000 level.

5. Funds provided in 2000 for the pharmacy residency program

remain in the base for fiscal year 2001.

6. The Committee directs the Indian Health Service to report on

the delivery of services in Maverick County, Texas to the Kickapoo

Tribe of Oklahoma and the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas.

The report should include the current level of services provided, the

mechanisms by which the services are provided and any recommendations for improving delivery of services. The Committee

expects the report to be completed by March 1, 2001.

Bill language is included under Title III, General Provisions placing a moratorium on new and expanded self-determination contracts and self-governance compacts because no additional funds

are available for contract support costs.

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. The IHS estimates that as many

as 21 hospitals and 52 health centers should be considered for replacement; renovations should be considered for 16 hospitals, 82

health centers, and 284 health stations; and 15 new health centers

and 21 new health stations should be considered. Safe and sanitary

water and sewer systems for existing homes and solid waste disposal needs currently are estimated to amount to over $770 million

for those projects that are considered to be economically feasible.

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $316,555,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 349,374,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 336,423,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... +19,868,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥12,951,000

The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the

budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:

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The Committee recommends $336,423,000 for Indian health facilities, an increase of $19,868,000 above the fiscal year 2000 level

and $12,951,000 below the budget request. There is an increase of

$1,665,000 for staffing of new facilities. The balance of the increase

above the 2000 funding level is for hospital and clinic construction.

The Committee agrees to the following distribution of hospital

and clinic construction funds:

Project Budget request Committee

recommendation

Fort Defiance, AZ hospital ................................................................................................... $40,115,000 $40,115,000

Winnebago, NE hospital ...................................................................................................... 12,286,000 12,286,000

Parker, AZ clinic .................................................................................................................. 7,578,000 8,210,000

Pawnee, OK clinic ................................................................................................................ 1,745,000 1,745,000

Hopi, AZ staff quarters ....................................................................................................... 0 240,000

Dental Units ......................................................................................................................... 1,000,000 1,000,000

Small Ambulatory grants ..................................................................................................... 2,513,000 5,000,000

Totals ...................................................................................................................... 65,237,000 68,596,000

The Committee agrees to the following:

1. Funding to complete quarters construction associated with the

new Hopi clinic is provided to ensure that this project can be completed successfully. The Committee notes that the majority of the

funding for the quarters construction is being borne by the tribe.

2. The Service should consider a new, consistent approach to constructing staff quarters that involves cost sharing by the tribes to

the extent possible and tribal operation of the completed quarters.

Funding for quarters construction needs to be treated consistently

for each project. Currently there are quarters projects that have

never been built although the related hospital or clinic was built;

projects that incorporate the cost of quarters in with the total cost

of the facility construction (with no tribal cost share); and projects

that are left to an individual tribe to fund.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. The IHS should continue to support tribes in identifying and

implementing alternative and innovative approaches to funding

construction and repair and replacement of health care facilities

throughout Indian country, including cost-sharing arrangements

and the enhanced use of third-party collections for improving aging

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facilities. These alternative approaches should not result in increased operational funding requirements for IHS.

Bill Language.—Bill Language is included to assist the Hopi

Tribe with the debt associated with the construction of staff quarters that is being financed with tribal funds. Several other provisions are continued from last year to ensure the facilities program

is able to take advantage of purchase opportunities from other

agencies.

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 were the original occupants of the land with their origin

tracing back to the Anasazi race whose presence is recorded back

to 1150 A.D. Later in the 16th century the Navajo tribe began settling in this area. The continuous occupation of this land by the

Navajo led to the isolation of the Hopi Reservation as an island

within the area occupied by the Navajo. 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 larger Navajo tribe and the smaller

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 410 households remain be relocated,

of which 71 are full-time residents on the Hopi Partitioned Land.

A total of 3,116 families have been relocated from the Hopi Partitioned Land.

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $8,000,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 15,000,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 8,000,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥7,000,000

The Committee recommends $8,000,000 for salaries and expenses

of the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation, the same as the

2000 enacted level and a decrease of $7,000,000 below the budget

request.

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INSTITUTE OF AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE CULTURE AND

ARTS DEVELOPMENT

PAYMENT TO THE INSTITUTE

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $2,125,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 4,250,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 0

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... ¥2,125,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥4,250,000

The Committee recommends zero funding for the Institute of

American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development. It was the understanding of the House that fiscal year 2000

would be the last year Federal funding would be provided.

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.

It attracted approximately 30,000,000 visitors in 1998 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 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.

116

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $371,230,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 396,800,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 375,230,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... +4,000,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥21,570,000

The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the

budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:

117

118

The Committee recommends $375,230,000 for salaries and expenses of the Smithsonian Institution, an increase of $4,000,000

above the enacted level and a decrease of $21,570,000 below the

budget request. The Committee has provided an additional

$2,000,000 for the National Museum of the American Indian collections move and $2,000,000 to the Air and Space Museum for preparation of the collections move from the Garber Facility to the new

Dulles Museum.

REPAIR, RESTORATION AND ALTERATION OF FACILITIES

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $47,900,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 62,200,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 47,900,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥14,300,000

The Committee recommends $47,900,000, the same as the enacted level and $14,300,000 below the budget request. This amount

is consistent with the amount recommended by the Smithsonian to

deal with the most critical backlog maintenance needs. Some of

these areas include replacement of utilities, security systems, heating and air conditioning, roofs and major structural repairs. Because these essential items alone total more than $300,000,000, the

Smithsonian should either delay additional non-essential ‘‘beautification’’ work or raise private dollars for such projects until the critical repairs can be completed.

CONSTRUCTION

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $19,000,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 4,000,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 0

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... ¥19,000,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥4,000,000

The Committee recommends no funding for construction.

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, 2000 .............................................................. $61,279,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 64,848,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 61,279,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥3,569,000

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The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the

budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:

120

121

The Committee recommends $61,279,000 for salaries and expenses of the National Gallery of Art. This amount is equal to the

fiscal year 2000 level and $3,569,000 below the budget request.

REPAIR, RESTORATION AND RENOVATION OF BUILDINGS

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $6,311,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 14,101,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 8,903,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... +2,592,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥5,198,000

The Committee recommends $8,903,000 for repair, restoration

and renovation of buildings at the National Gallery of Art, an increase of $2,592,000 above the fiscal year 2000 level and $5,198,000

below the budget request. The increase above the 2000 level is to

implement the Gallery’s long-term facilities improvement plan. The

Committee commends the Gallery’s efforts to identify and plan for

addressing its critical backlog maintenance needs.

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 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, 2000 .............................................................. $13,947,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 14,000,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 13,947,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥53,000

The Committee recommends $13,947,000 for operations and

maintenance, the same as the enacted level and $53,000 below the

budget request.

CONSTRUCTION

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $19,924,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 20,000,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 19,924,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥76,000

The Committee recommends $19,924,000 for construction, the

same as the fiscal year 2000 level and $76,000 below the request.

The Committee commends the leadership of the Center for its effectiveness and efficiency in operating the Center and managing its

construction projects.

WOODROW WILSON INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR SCHOLARS

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars is a

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date 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, 2000 .............................................................. $6,763,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 7,310,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 6,763,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥547,000

The Committee recommends $6,763,000 for salaries and expenses, the same as the enacted level and $547,000 below the

budget request.

The Committee is extremely pleased with the progress the Center has made under its new leadership in implementing the recommendations of the National Academy of Public Administration.

Of particular importance is ensuring that the programs of the Center have relevance to current public policy issues and that the Center increases its public outreach programs.

NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES

NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS

GRANTS AND ADMINISTRATION

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $84,677,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 150,000,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 98,000,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... +13,323,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥52,000,000

The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with estimates by activity are shown in the following table:

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The Committee recommends $98,000,000 for grants and administration, which is equal to the 2000 funding level for the NEA before

the government-wide reduction was applied. The recommended

amount for the NEA is $52,000,000 below the request and $372,000

above the final fiscal year 2000 funding level for the agency. The

Committee has agreed to place all grant funds in the grants and

administration account and has provided no funding in the matching grant account. The addition of the matching grants funds into

this account explains the increased funding in this appropriation

account. The Committee expects the NEA to use these grants to enhance outreach efforts to more of the Nation, especially for underserved rural and urban areas which have not had substantial NEA

granting activity in the recent past. 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. The Committee is generally

pleased with the implementation of the Congressional reforms to

the NEA and therefore the Committee encourages the NEA to pay

careful attention to the letter and spirit of these recent reforms in

order that previous granting problems do not reoccur.

Bill language in Title III retains provisions in last year’s bill regarding restrictions on individual grants, subgranting, and seasonal support (Sec. 318); authority to solicit and invest funds (Sec.

319); 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. 320).

MATCHING GRANTS

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $12,951,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 0

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 0

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... ¥12,951,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ 0

The Committee recommends no funding for matching grants, as

requested. Rather, the Committee has added the matching grant

funds into the grants and administration account as discussed

above in order to increase outreach efforts for small institutions in

underserved rural and urban areas.

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, 2000 .............................................................. $100,604,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 129,470,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 100,604,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥28,866,000

125

The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the

budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:

126

127

The Committee recommends $100,604,000 for grants and admin- istration, which is equal to the 2000 level and $28,866,000 below

the request. 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.

MATCHING GRANTS

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $14,656,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 20,530,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 14,656,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥5,874,000

The Committee recommends $14,656,000 for matching grants,

equal to the 2000 funding level and $5,874,000 below the request.

INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES

OFFICE OF MUSEUM SERVICES

GRANTS AND ADMINISTRATION

The Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) was created in the Museum and Library Services Act of 1996 (Public Law

104–208) which merged library services functions of the Department of Education into the Institute of Museum Services. These

functions now come under the Office of Museum Services (OMS)

portion of the IMLS. The OMS appropriation remains in the Interior and related agencies bill and the Office of Library Services appropriation remains in the Labor, Health and Human Services appropriations bill. The OMS provides operating support, conservation support and professional services to assist museums. General

operating support is competitively awarded to assist museums with

essential operating expenditures.

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $24,307,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 33,378,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 24,307,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥9,071,000

The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the

budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:

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129

The Committee recommends $24,307,000 for the Office of Museum Services, which is $9,071,000 below the request and equal to

the 2000 level. 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.

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, 2000 .............................................................. $1,021,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 1,078,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 1,021,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥57,000

The Committee recommends $1,021,000 for the Commission of

Fine Arts, which is $57,000 below the request and equal to the

2000 funding level. The Committee continues legislative language

added last year which allows the Commission to charge fees for its

publications and to credit such fees to this account to be expended

without further appropriation.

NATIONAL CAPITAL ARTS AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $6,973,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 7,000,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 6,973,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥27,000

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

$6,973,000 for this program, which is equal to the 2000 level and

$27,000 below the request.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ARTS EDUCATION GRANTS

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 1,000,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 0

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥1,000,000

The Committee rejects the Administration proposal to provide a

special appropriation for arts education for the District of Columbia

to be managed by the Commission of Fine Arts.

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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, 2000 .............................................................. $2,989,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 3,189,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 2,989,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥200,000

The Committee recommends $2,989,000 for the Advisory Council

on Historic Preservation, equal to the 2000 level and $200,000

below the request. 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.

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, 2000 .............................................................. $6,288,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 6,198,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 6,288,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ +90,000

The Committee recommends $6,288,000, which is equal to the

2000 level and $90,000 above the budget request. The Committee

has included bill language as requested providing authority for appointed members of the Commission to be compensated in a manner similar to that which is used for similar boards and commissions in the Federal government, however the Committee has not

made this authority permanent as was requested.

UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL COUNCIL

HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL COUNCIL

In 1980 Congress passed legislation creating a 65 member Holocaust Memorial Council with the mandate to create and oversee a

131

living memorial/museum to victims of holocausts. The museum

opened in April 1993. Construction costs for the museum have

come solely from donated funds raised by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Campaign and appropriated funds have been 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.

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $33,161,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 34,564,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 33,161,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... 0

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ ¥1,403,000

The Committee recommends $33,161,000, the same as the enacted level and $1,403,000 below the budget request.

The Committee commends the leadership of the Museum as well

as the Council for acting expeditiously to implement the NAPA recommendations. The Museum should provide an annual report on

the progress of this effort.

PRESIDIO TRUST

PRESIDIO TRUST FUND

Appropriation enacted, 2000 .............................................................. $44,300,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ....................................................................... 33,400,000

Recommended, 2001 ........................................................................... 33,400,000

Comparison:

Appropriation, 2000 .................................................................... ¥10,900,000

Budget estimate, 2001 ................................................................ 0

The Committee recommends $33,400,000, a reduction of

$10,900,000 below the enacted level and the same as the budget request. This amount includes $23,400,000 for operations and

$10,000,000 in loan authority.

TITLE III—GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 301 provides for public availability of information on consulting services contracts.

Section 302 limits funding for oil and gas leasing in the Shawnee

National Forest, IL.

Section 303 prohibits activities to promote public support or opposition to legislative proposals.

Section 304 provides for annual appropriations unless expressly

provided otherwise in this Act.

Section 305 limits the use of personal cooks, chauffeurs or servants.

Section 306 limits assessments against programs without Committee approval.

Section 307 contains Buy American procedures and requirements.

Section 308 limits the sale of giant sequoia trees by the Forest

Service.

132

Section 309 prohibits the use of funds by the National Park Service to enter into a contract requiring the removal of the underground lunchroom at Carlsbad Caverns NP, NM.

Section 310 provides that no funds can be used for Americorps

unless it is funded in the VA, HUD and Independent Agencies fiscal year 2001 appropriations, and makes use of such funds subject

to reprogramming.

Section 311 continues a limitation of funding relating to a pedestrian bridge between New Jersey and Ellis Island.

Section 312 continues a limitation on accepting and processing

applications for patents and on the patenting of Federal lands; permits processing of grandfathered applications; and permits thirdparty contractors to process grandfathered applications.

Section 313 limits 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 314 concerns the Jobs in the Woods program and timber

dependent areas in Washington, Oregon, Alaska and northern California.

Section 315 prohibits the use of recreational demonstration pro- gram fees in excess of $500,000 for the construction of any permanent structure without advance Committee approval.

Section 316 makes permanent a provision carried last year exempting properties administered by the Presidio Trust from certain

taxes and special assessments.

Section 317 prohibits the use of funds for posting clothing optional signs at Canaveral NS, FL.

Section 318 contains reforms and limitations dealing with the

National Endowment for the Arts.

Section 319 permits the collection and use of private funds by the

National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for

the Humanities.

Section 320 continues direction to the National Endowment for

the Arts on funding distribution.

Section 321 limits the use of funds for new or revised National

forest land management plans with certain exceptions.

Section 322 limits funding for completing the 5-year program

under the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning

Act.

Section 323 prohibits the use of funds to support governmentwide administrative functions unless they are justified in the budget process and approved by the House and Senate Appropriations

Committees.

Section 324 prohibits the use of funds for GSA Telecommunication Centers or the President’s Council on Sustainable Development.

Section 325 prohibits the use of funds to make improvements to

Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House without Committee approval.

Section 326 continues a provision which permits the Forest Service to use the roads and trails fund for backlog maintenance and

priority forest health treatments.

Section 327 prevents funds available to the agencies and offices

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ronmental Quality or other Executive Office of the President functions for purposes related to the American Heritage Rivers program. The Committee is concerned that scarce agency funds may

be diverted to bureaucratic functions that should be supported by

other appropriations acts if they have merit.

Section 328 limits 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 329 continues a provision carried last year regulating the

export of Western red cedar from National forest system lands in

Alaska.

Section 330 prohibits the use of funds to propose or issue rules,

regulations, decrees or orders for implementing the Kyoto Protocol

prior to Senate ratification.

Section 331 prohibits new or expanded Indian self-determination

contracts and self-governance compacts using funds in this Act.

Section 332 includes language that allows the BLM and Forest

Service to pilot test their Service First initiative. The Committee

continues to support and encourage the land management agencies

to work with each other to consolidate activities at the field level

as a means of achieving savings and providing improved services

to the public. In the past the Committee has applauded the efforts

of the BLM and Forest Service to test just such a program. This

language allows the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to

make reciprocal delegations of authority, duties, and responsibilities to promote customer service and efficiency, with the understanding that nothing will change the applicability of any public

law or regulation to lands administered by the BLM or Forest

Service, except for testing the feasibility of issuing and processing

unified permits, applications, and leases. As part of their annual

budget justification to the Congress, the BLM and Forest are directed to provide an annual report on the effectiveness of the Service First pilot.

Section 333 establishes a four-year program between the State of

Colorado and the Forest Service that provides for cooperative watershed restoration and protection in Colorado. This program allows the State of Colorado to work with the Forest Service when

it is conducting watershed restoration and protection services on

State or private lands near or adjacent to national forest system

lands. This includes treatments of insect infected trees, reduction

of hazardous fuels, and other activities to restore or improve watersheds or fish and wildlife habitat across ownership boundaries. The

State and the Forest Service should coordinate annual activities as

early as possible during the fiscal year.

Section 334 limits the use of funds for issuing a record of decision or policy implementing the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem

Management Project. This provision addresses the concern by the

Committee that the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management do not intend to comply with the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act by completing a regulatory flexibility analysis with respect to the preferred alternative contained

in the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for

the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project

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ter to Congress that a National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan generally was considered a ‘‘rule’’ for the purposes of the

Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act. Since

ICBEMP proposes to amend 62 individual land use plans on 32

Forest Service and BLM administrative units in the project area

and replace three interim management strategies, the Committee

is concerned that the Project will expose itself to litigation by not

complying with existing law prior to implementation.

Section 335 includes bill language, which would prevent the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture from using

any funds for the purposes of designing, planning or management

of Federal lands as national monuments which were designated

since 1999. Nothing in this language prevents either Secretary

from managing these Federal lands under their previous management plans. The Committee encourages the Secretaries to continue

previous management scenarios until such time as Congress ratifies the monument declarations which occurred after 1999.

TITLE IV—FISCAL YEAR 2000 EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL

APPROPRIATIONS

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT

The Committee recommends an additional $200,000,000 in fiscal

year 2000 for wildland fire management. This amount is contingent

upon receipt of a budget request that includes a Presidential designation of the amount requested as an emergency requirement as

defined in the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act

of 1985, as amended.

The Committee recognizes the severity of the 1999 fire season in

the Great Basin and the ecological effects these fires had on lands

managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The Committee supports current efforts that are underway to secure the funds necessary to restore damaged resources and infrastructure in order to

prevent declines in important fish and wildlife habitat. Accordingly,

the Committee supports restoration activities, including but not

limited to fence replacement, wild horse removal, tree and shrub

replacement, and cheatgrass control. The Committee also recognizes the severity of the grasshopper and Mormon cricket infestation in The Great Basin and supports efforts to secure funding to

protect vital native vegetative resources on Federal lands, adjacent

farm and ranch lands, and newly planted fire rehabilitation

projects from further infestations. Should funds become available

for these high-priority activities, the Committee expects coordination with State, local and other Federal entities in addressing these

efforts.

135

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

FOREST SERVICE

WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT

The Committee recommends an additional $150,000,000 in fiscal

year 2000 for wildland fire management. This amount is contingent

upon receipt of a budget request that includes a Presidential designation of the amount requested as an emergency requirement as

defined in the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act

of 1985, as amended.

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:

RESCISSION RECOMMENDED IN THE BILL

Department and activity

Amounts

recommended for

rescission

Department of the Interior: Land and Water Conservation Fund

(contract authority) ......................................................................... $30,000,000

Department of Energy: Alternative Fuels Production ..................... 1,000,000

TRANSFER 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

transfer of funds provided in the accompanying bill.

The table shows the appropriations affected by such transfers.

APPROPRIATION TRANSFERS RECOMMENDED IN THE BILL

Account from which transfer is to be made Amount Account to which transfer is to be made Amount

Department of Energy, Biomass Energy

Development

$2,000,000 Department of Energy, Energy Resource,

Supply and Efficiency.

$2,000,000

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. Most of these items have been carried in previous appropriations Acts. 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 administraVerDate 11-MAY-2000 04:55 Jun 02, 2000 Jkt 064637 PO 00000 Frm 00135 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR646.XXX pfrm01 PsN: HR646
136

tive 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, and permitting the use of these

fees for program operations.

Language is included under Bureau of Land Management,

Wildland fire management, to permit the use of funds from other

accounts for firefighting; to permit the use of funds for lodging and

subsistence of firefighters; and to permit the acceptance and use of

funds for firefighting.

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, Payments in lieu of taxes, to exclude any payment that is less than

$100.

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, to allow 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; and providing for

cost-sharing arrangements for printing services.

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, Multinational species conservation fund, exempting these

programs from certain sanctions on a permanent basis.

137

Language is included under United States Fish and Wildlife

Service, Administrative provisions, providing for repair of damage

to public roads; options for the purchase of land not to exceed $1;

installation of certain recreation facilities; the maintenance and improvement of aquaria and other facilities; the acceptance of donated

aircraft; cost-shared arrangements for printing services. Language

also is included to limit the use of funds for establishing new refuges.

Language is included under National Park Service, Operation of

the National park system to allow 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;

providing for the use of funds in support of Everglades land acquisition and permitting no-year availability for certain recreation fees

associated with units not participating in the recreation fee demonstration program.

Language is included under National Park Service, Land and

water conservation fund, rescinding $30 million in contract authority.

Language is included under National Park Service, Land acquisition and State assistance, to permit the use of funds to assist the

State of Florida with Everglades restoration; making the use of

funds for Everglades contingent on certain conditions; and limiting

State assistance grants solely to land acquisition.

Language is included under National Park Service, Administrative provisions, requiring the inclusion of 18 U.S.C. 1913 in the text

of grant and contract documents; 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; and permitting the use of funds for workplace safety

needs.

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 reimbursements to the U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service; 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; and permitting the use of certain contracts,

grants, and cooperative agreements.

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

138

with Federal and Indian leases; and permitting the use of revenues

from a royalty-in-kind program.

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; 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 in the account for acid mine drainage activities and

for emergency reclamation projects; allowing the use of debt recovery to pay for debt collection; and allowing the use of funds for reclamation and acid mine drainage remediation in Pennsylvania.

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; and providing for future availability of certain tribal forestry funds.

Language is included under Bureau of Indian Affairs, Operation

of Indian programs, allowing reprogramming of Self-Governance

funds, allowing changes to certain eligibility criteria by tribal governments, allowing the transfer of certain forestry funds, providing

for an Indian self-determination fund.

Language is included under Bureau of Indian Affairs, Construction, providing that 6 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; specifying the procedure for dispute resolution; and permitting the use of certain

overpayments for school construction.

Language is included under Bureau of Indian Affairs, Administrative provisions, prohibiting funding of Alaska schools; limiting

schools and the expansion of grade levels in individual schools; to

limit the use of funds for contracts, grants and cooperative agreements and requiring an evaluation of certain Bureau schools.

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 payment to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for Virgin Islands obligations; providing a grant to the Close-Up foundation; and allowing appropriations for disaster assistance to be used

as non-Federal matching funds for hazard mitigation grants; providing for payments to the Prior Service Benefits Trust Fund and

limiting administrative expenses; and providing for capital infrastructure in various territories.

139

Language is included under Departmental Offices, Departmental

management, salaries and expenses, permitting payments to

former Bureau of Mines workers.

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; and requiring annual statements and records maintenance.

Language is included under Departmental Offices, Indian land

consolidation, permitting transfers of funds for administration; permitting cooperative agreements with tribes to acquire fractional interest; permitting a reservation-wide system for establishing fair

market values; limiting and placing requirements on certain land

acquisitions; making certain proceeds available for appropriation

and allowing cost recovery and subsequent distribution to tribes.

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, to allow 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, to permit 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, to allow for 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.

Language is included under General provisions, Department of

the Interior, to limit the use of funds for contract support costs;

and to prohibit fee exemptions for non-local traffic through National Parks.

Language is included under General provisions, Department of

the Interior, allowing, on a permanent basis, the use of rebates

from credit cards; permitting on a permanent basis certain lease

arrangements at Fort Baker; requiring lease and grazing permit renewals by the Bureau of Land Management under certain condiVerDate 11-MAY-2000 04:55 Jun 02, 2000 Jkt 064637 PO 00000 Frm 00139 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR646.XXX pfrm01 PsN: HR646
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tions; providing for administrative law judges to handle Indian

issues; permitting the redistribution of certain Indian funds with

limitation; limiting the establishment of a Kankakee National

Wildlife Refuge; renaming the Great Marsh Trail at the Mason

Neck National Wildlife Refuge, VA; directing allocation of funds for

Bureau of Indian Affairs funded post-secondary schools; and limiting the use of funds to establish a National Wildlife Refuge in the

Yolo Bypass of California.

Language is included under Forest Service, State and private forestry, prohibiting funding for urban resources partnership programs.

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;

and requiring the fiscal year 2002 budget justification to display

unobligated balances available at the start of fiscal year 2001.

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 2000, excepting hazardous fuels

funding, to be transferred to the Knutson-Vandenberg fund as repayment for past advances; and permitting the use of funds for the

Joint Fire Science program.

Language is included under Forest Service, Capital improvement

and maintenance, allowing funds to be used for road decommissioning; requiring that no road decommissioning be funded until

notice and an opportunity for public comment has been provided;

and merging unobligated balances from the National forest system

account for facility and trail maintenance and unobligated balances

from the reconstruction and construction account and the reconstruction and maintenance account.

Language is included under Forest Service, Range betterment

fund, providing that 6 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; limiting the availability of funds

to change the boundaries of or abolish any region or to move or

close any regional office; allowing any funds available to the Secretary of Agriculture to be used for advances for firefighting and

emergency rehabilitation of damaged lands if and only if all previously appropriated emergency contingent wildfire funds have

been released by the President and apportioned; 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 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; allowing

funds to be used for representation expenses by the Chief; providing for matching funds and administrative expenses for the NaVerDate 11-MAY-2000 04:55 Jun 02, 2000 Jkt 064637 PO 00000 Frm 00140 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR646.XXX pfrm01 PsN: HR646
141

tional Forest Foundation and also matching funds for the National

Fish and Wildlife Foundation; providing funds for sustainable rural

development; permitting the transfer of certain funds to the State

of Washington fish and wildlife department for planned projects;

providing that funds shall be available for payment to counties

within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area; providing

authority to the Pinchot Institute for activities at Grey Towers National Historic Landmark; allowing payments to Del Norte County,

CA; limiting employee details; permitting limited reimbursements

to the Office of General Counsel in USDA; restricting the use of administrative funds and requiring displays of such funds in budget

justifications, including limitations on trust funds; allowing the use

of fundings for law enforcement emergencies; and providing procurement authority for certain activities at the Land Between the

Lakes National Recreation Area.

Language is included under Department of Energy, Clean Coal

Technology deferring previously appropriated funds until fiscal

year 2002.

Language is included under Department of Energy, energy resource supply and efficiency, limiting the field testing of nuclear explosives for the recovery of oil and gas; providing for activities at

the Albany Research Center, OR; and requiring the transfer of

funds from the Biomass energy development account; and providing

allocations of grants for weatherization and State energy conservation.

Language is included under Department of Energy, Naval Petroleum and oil shale reserves waiving sales requirements based on

Strategic Petroleum Reserve oil purchases; and permitting the use

of unobligated balances.

Language is included under Department of Energy, Alternative

fuels production, rescinding unobligated balances.

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; and providing for use of collections under Title IV of the

Indian Health Care Improvement Act.

Language is included under Indian Health Service, Indian health

facilities, providing that funds may be used to purchase land, modular buildings and trailers; providing a grant to the Hopi tribe for

staff quarters; and providing for certain purchases from other agencies and for a demolition fund.

Language is included under Indian Health Service, Administrative provisions, providing for payments for telephone service in priVerDate 11-MAY-2000 04:55 Jun 02, 2000 Jkt 064637 PO 00000 Frm 00141 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR646.XXX pfrm01 PsN: HR646
142

vate 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 nonIndians 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, to prevent 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, to allow 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, repair, restoration and alteration of facilities, permitting the Smithsonian Institution to select contractors for certain purposes on the basis of

contractor qualifications as well as price; and permitting the merger of funds previously appropriated for zoo construction.

Language is included under Administrative Provisions, Smithsonian Institution, limiting planning, design or expansion of facilities

without Committee consultation; limiting the use of funds for the

Holt House at the zoo; and limiting funds for construction of the

National Museum of the American Indian.

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

143

certain purposes on the basis of contractor qualifications as well as

price.

Language is included under National Endowment for the Arts,

Grants and administration, permitting the merger and use of previously appropriated funds from the matching grants account.

Language is included under National Foundation 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, limiting the use of

funds for reception expenses and permitting the use of non appropriated funds for such expenses.

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 Advisory Council on Historic Preservation to restrict hiring anyone at Executive Level V or higher.

Language is included under National Capital Planning Commission, salaries and expenses, to provide for a pay level at the rate

of Executive Level IV for all appointed members.

Language is included under Holocaust Memorial Council, providing no year funding availability for repair and rehabilitation

and museums exhibitions.

Language is included under Presidio Trust Fund requiring that

guaranteed loans be consistent with the Congressional Budget Act

of 1974.

Language is included under Title III—General provisions prohibiting the use of funds to distribute literature either to promote or

oppose legislative proposals on which Congressional action is incomplete; and prohibiting oil and gas leasing in the Shawnee National Forest.

Language is included under Title III—General provisions, prohibiting the use of funds to provide personal cooks, chauffeurs or other

personal servants to any office or employee; limiting use of consulting services; and specifying that funds are for one year unless

provided otherwise.

Language is included under Title III—General provisions, prohibiting assessments against programs funded in this bill; and providing Buy American requirements.

Language is included under Title III—General provisions, prohibiting the sale of giant sequoia trees in a manner different from

1999.

Language is included under Title III—General provisions, prohibiting the use of funds by the National Park Service to enter into

a concession contract requiring the removal of the underground

lunchroom at Carlsbad Caverns NP.

Language is included under Title III—General provisions, limiting use of funds for the AmeriCorps program; and limiting use of

funds relating to a bridge between New Jersey and Ellis Island.

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.

144

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, to permit limiting competition under the Jobs in the Woods program; requiring Committee approval prior to using recreational fees for constructing certain permanent buildings; exempting on a permanent

basis, the Presidio Trust from certain taxes and special assessments; limiting funds for posting clothing optional signs at Cape

Canaveral NS; making reforms in the National Endowment for the

Arts, including funding distribution reforms; permitting the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities to collect, invest

and use private donations; limiting the use of funds for forest land

management plans until regulations have been published and for

completing the 5-year program under the Forest and Rangeland

Renewable Resources Planning Act; limiting funds for improvements to Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House without

Committee approval; providing additional authority to the Secretary of Agriculture to use the ten percent roads and trails fund

for additional purposes; limiting the use of funds for any government-wide administrative functions and for GSA telecommunications centers and the President’s Council on Sustainable Development; prohibiting the use of funds for certain administrative

functions of the American Heritage Rivers program; limiting the

use of telephone answering machines; limiting the sale for export

of Western redcedar in Alaska; limiting the use of funds relating

to the Kyoto Protocol; placing a moratorium on new and expanded

Indian self-determination contracts and compacts; allowing a four

year cooperative watershed restoration program between the State

of Colorado and the Forest Service; limiting funds for the Interior

Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project; and limiting

funds for designing, planning or managing Federal lands as National Monuments if so designated since 1999.

APPROPRIATIONS NOT AUTHORIZED BY LAW

Pursuant to clause 3 of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of

Representatives, the following table lists the appropriations in the

accompanying bill which, in whole or in part, are not authorized by

law:

Department of the Interior:

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Resource Management

National Park Service, National Recreation and Preservation

Department of Energy:

Fossil Energy Research and Development

Energy Conservation

Economic Regulation

Strategic Petroleum Reserve

Energy Information Administration

Other Related Agencies:

National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities:

National Endowment for the Arts

National Endowment for the Humanities

145

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.

COMPLIANCE WITH RULE XIII—CLAUSE 3

In compliance with clause 3 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 italic, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman):

Section 551 of the Land Between the Lakes Protection Act of

1998 (16 U.S.C. 460lll–61) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(c) TRANSITION.—Until September 30, 2002, 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.

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 ................................................................................ 14,781

Outlays:

Fiscal year 2001 .......................................................................... 9,765

Fiscal year 2002 .......................................................................... 3,745

Fiscal year 2003 .......................................................................... 834

Fiscal year 2004 .......................................................................... 309

Fiscal year 2005 and future years ............................................. 49

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 ........................................................................ 1,080

Fiscal year 2001 outlays resulting therefrom .................................. 556

146

FULL COMMITTEE VOTES

Pursuant to the provisions of clause 3(a)(1)(b) of rule XIII of the

House of Representatives, the results of each rollcall 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 NUMBER: 1

Date: May 25, 2000.

Measure: Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, FY

2001.

Motion by: Mr. Dicks.

Description of Motion: To increase funding for the National Endowment for the Arts by $27,000,000 and the National Endowment

for the Humanities by $9,740,000 and to increase the deferral of

previously appropriated Clean Coal Technology funds by

$36,740,000.

Results: Rejected 25 yeas to 33 nays.

Members Voting Yea Members Voting Nay

Mr. Boyd Mr. Aderholt

Mr. Cramer Mr. Bonilla

Ms. DeLauro Mr. Callahan

Mr. Dicks Mr. Cunningham

Mr. Edwards Mr. DeLay

Mr. Farr Mr. Dickey

Mr. Forbes Mrs. Emerson

Mr. Hinchey Mr. Frelinghuysen

Mr. Hoyer Mr. Goode

Mr. Jackson Ms. Granger

Ms. Kaptur Mr. Hobson

Ms. Kilpatrick Mr. Istook

Mrs. Lowey Mr. Kingston

Mrs. Meek Mr. Knollenberg

Mr. Moran Mr. Kolbe

Mr. Murtha Mr. Latham

Mr. Obey Mr. Lewis

Mr. Olver Mr. Miller

Mr. Pastor Mr. Nethercutt

Ms. Pelosi Mrs. Northup

Mr. Price Mr. Packard

Ms. Roybal-Allard Mr. Peterson

Mr. Sabo Mr. Porter

Mr. Serrano Mr. Regula

Mr. Visclosky Mr. Rogers

Mr. Skeen

Mr. Taylor

Mr. Tiahrt

Mr. Walsh

Mr. Wamp

Mr. Wicker

Mr. Wolf

Mr. Young

147

FULL COMMITTEE VOTES

Pursuant to the provisions of clause 3(a)(1)(b) of rule XIII of the

House of Representatives, the results of each rollcall 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 NUMBER: 2

Date: May 25, 2000.

Measure: Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, FY

2001.

Motion by: Mr. Dicks.

Description of Motion: To increase funding for the National Endowment for the Arts by $17,260,000 and to increase the deferral

of previously appropriated Clean Coal Technology funds by

$17,260,000.

Results: Rejected 27 yeas to 31 nays.

Members Voting Yea Members Voting Nay

Mr. Boyd Mr. Aderholt

Mr. Cramer Mr. Bonilla

Ms. DeLauro Mr. Callahan

Mr. Dicks Mr. Cunningham

Mr. Edwards Mr. DeLay

Mr. Farr Mr. Dickey

Mr. Forbes Mrs. Emerson

Mr. Frelinghuysen Mr. Goode

Mr. Hinchey Ms. Granger

Mr. Hoyer Mr. Hobson

Mr. Jackson Mr. Istook

Ms. Kaptur Mr. Kingston

Ms. Kilpatrick Mr. Knollenberg

Mrs. Lowey Mr. Kolbe

Mrs. Meek Mr. Latham

Mr. Moran Mr. Lewis

Mr. Murtha Mr. Miller

Mr. Obey Mr. Nethercutt

Mr. Olver Mrs. Northup

Mr. Pastor Mr. Packard

Ms. Pelosi Mr. Peterson

Mr. Porter Mr. Regula

Mr. Price Mr. Rogers

Ms. Roybal-Allard Mr. Skeen

Mr. Sabo Mr. Taylor

Mr. Serrano Mr. Tiahrt

Mr. Visclosky Mr. Walsh

Mr. Wamp

Mr. Wicker

Mr. Wolf

Mr. Young

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FULL COMMITTEE VOTES

Pursuant to the provisions of clause 3(a)(1)(b) of rule XIII of the

House of Representatives, the results of each rollcall 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 NUMBER: 3

Date: May 25, 2000.

Measure: Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, FY

2001.

Motion by: Mr. Porter.

Description of Motion: To report the bill, to authorize the Chairman to seek a rule for consideration of the bill, and to authorize

the Chairman to move that the House disagree to the amendments

of the Senate and agree to a conference requested by the Senate.

Results: Adopted 31 yeas to 22 nays.

Members Voting Yea Members Voting Nay

Mr. Aderholt Mr. Boyd

Mr. Bonilla Mr. Cramer

Mr. Callahan Ms. DeLauro

Mr. Cunningham Mr. Dicks

Mr. Dickey Mr. Edwards

Mrs. Emerson Mr. Farr

Mr. Frelinghuysen Mr. Forbes

Mr. Goode Mr. Hinchey

Ms. Granger Mr. Hoyer

Mr. Hobson Ms. Kaptur

Mr. Istook Ms. Kilpatrick

Mr. Kingston Mrs. Lowey

Mr. Knollenberg Mrs. Meek

Mr. Kolbe Mr. Mollohan

Mr. Latham Mr. Obey

Mr. Miller Mr. Olver

Mr. Nethercutt Mr. Pastor

Mrs. Northup Mr. Price

Mr. Packard Ms. Roybal-Allard

Mr. Peterson Mr. Sabo

Mr. Porter Mr. Serrano

Mr. Regula Mr. Visclosky

Mr. Rogers

Mr. Skeen

Mr. Taylor

Mr. Tiahrt

Mr. Walsh

Mr. Wamp

Mr. Wicker

Mr. Wolf

Mr. Young

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(166)

DISSENTING VIEWS OF THE HONORABLE DAVID OBEY AND

NORMAN DICKS

THE FY 2001 INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS BILL—A FAILURE OF

STEWARDSHIP

The Congress, through the Interior appropriations bill, exercises

its obligation as steward of America’s lands and history to current

and future generations. The American people look to the Congress

through this bill to provide the fiscal means to ensure that the

beauty and productivity of our parks, wildlife refuges, forests, and

range lands are preserved and nurtured. They expect the resources

to be provided for the preservation and display of the historic and

cultural heritage that has made the United States a great nation.

Beyond these national stewardship obligations, this bill finances

this country’s ‘‘trust’’ responsibilities to Native Americans, whose

health, education and social service needs have assumed by the

federal government as legal obligations through various treaties,

statutes and other historic agreements. Meeting these multiple obligations is a major undertaking but also a fundamental responsibility of our government.

Unfortunately, rather than honoring this stewardship obligation,

the fiscal year 2001 Interior spending bill reported by the Committee fails fundamentally to meet these challenges. The reason for

this failure does not, however, lie with the Appropriations Committee’s leadership. The reason lies with the Majority party’s insistence on cutting taxes by $170 billion over the next five years and

financing these cuts with totally unrealistic reductions in discretionary spending. The Majority maintains the fiction that the national debt can be eliminated while delivering unaffordable tax cuts

without damaging programs that are important to the American

people. This bill is an example of the damage that such a fiction

can cause when imposed on the real world which relies on the services of critical domestic programs. The bill’s flaws are especially

acute in four areas.

First, the bill ignores overwhelming evidence of the critical

health, education and law enforcement needs of Native Americans

by reducing the Administration’s budget requests for the Bureau of

Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service by $520 million. The

health status of Native Americans is one of the poorest of any

group in this country. Indians suffer mortality rates three times

the national average from diabetes, tuberculosis, alcoholism and accidents. Many Indian schools are in a deplorable state of disrepair

and fail to meet minimum safety standards. Recruiting quality

teachers to rural isolated schools is a constant challenge. Rates of

violent crime on Indian reservations are more than twice the national average. In response to these challenges, this bill

inexplicably fails to even fund cost-of-living increases for Indian

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programs. At the funding levels in this bill, the result will be layoffs of teacher and loss of accreditation at Indian schools and significant reductions in medical personnel at already chronically

understaffed Indian hospitals and clinics. The suffering of the Indian peoples will increase.

Second, despite very broad support within this Congress for efforts to acquire and preserve the vanishing open land spaces in this

country, this bill reduces funding for land acquisition under the

Land and Water Conservation Fund from $464 million in FY 2000

to $164 million for FY 2001. On May 11th the House passed and

sent on to the Senate H.R. 701, the Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA), by a vote of 315 to 102. This vote clearly reflected the majority view in Congress that the public was broadly

supportive of efforts to acquire and preserve for posterity the vanishing land treasures which, if left in private hands, would surely

be developed and become unavailable for our children and their

grandchildren. It is difficult to understand how anyone who supports the expansion of federal land acquisition programs, which

CARA envisions, can vote for the current version of the Interior

Appropriations bill with its 65 percent reduction in funding for

land acquisition.

Third, this bill fails to provide adequately for maintenance of the

lands and historic treasures for which the federal government already has ownership and responsibility. The Chairman of the Interior Subcommittee has frequently pointed out the need to adequately take care of the lands which the government already owns

and has called for the land management agencies to prepare fiveyear plans for meeting critical maintenance backlogs. The Minority

agrees that dealing with this maintenance backlog must be a priority and cannot, therefor, understand why the Congress should

support this bill which reduces funding for maintenance and construction at the Department of the Interior by $80 million compared to last year and by $217 million below the level requested

by the president.

Finally, the Majority has failed yet again in this bill to restore

some of the unwise cuts made five years ago in funding for those

agencies responsible for this country’s small but critically important arts and humanities education and preservation efforts. This

bill funds the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) at $98 million, a level 40 percent below the 1995 funding level. The National

Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is funded at $115 million,

33 percent below the level in 1995. These funding levels fundamentally ignore the successful efforts by both NEA and NEH to broaden the reach of their programs and eliminate controversial programming, the two ‘‘reforms’’ requested by the Majority when they

reduced funding in 1995. It is time to recognize the success of these

reforms and give our premier culture the resources they need to

meet this critical need. Unfortunately, the amendment offered by

Democrats in Committee to raise funding for both agencies to $125

million was defeated.

As noted earlier, in criticizing this bill, the Minority does not

mean to criticize the Committee or the Subcommittee Chairman for

its failings. Indeed, the efforts of the Chairman to meet critical program needs, despite inadequate resources, is obvious in a number

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of places. We applaud the effort to provide enough funds to the

land management agencies with responsibility for the parks, refuges and forests to cover mandatory costs and avoid park closings

or service cutbacks. The effort to provide a portion of the funds necessary to replace the six most urgently needed Indian schools is an

imaginative way to deal with a critical problem. However, despite

a professional and responsible approach by the Chairman, the

budget allocation provided to the Committee as a whole and to the

Interior Subcommittee in particular is not sufficient to adequately

meet the needs which are covered by this bill. A Subcommittee allocation which is $302 million below last year and $1.7 billion

below the amount requested by the president is just not enough to

do the job.

In summary, if this bill were to be enacted in its current form,

it is the view of the Minority that the preservation of our lands,

our history and our culture would suffer substantial damage. Conditions in Indian country, already a national disgrace, would further deteriorate. The president has made it clear that he will not

sign a bill which so fails to meet our fundamental stewardship responsibilities. A copy of the letter from the Director of the Office

of Management and Budget indicating the president’s objections to

the bill follows this statement. Each Member of the House should

review these issues carefully and insist that additional funds be

added to the bill to address the key shortcomings that have been

cited. If substantial funds are not added, this bill should be rejected

with resounding ‘‘No’’ vote on final passage.

The Statement of Administration Policy from the Director of

OMB dated May 25, 2000 follows:

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT,

OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET,

Washington, DC, May 25, 2000.

Hon. DAVID R. OBEY, Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

DEAR REPRESENTATIVE OBEY: The purpose of this letter is to provide the Administration’s views on the Department of the Interior

and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, FY 2001, as approved by

the House Subcommittee. As the Committee develops its version of

the bill, your consideration of the Administration’s views would be

appreciated.

The President’s FY 2001 Budget is based on a balanced approach

that maintains fiscal discipline, eliminates the national debt, extends the solvency of Social Security and Medicare, provides for an

appropriately sized tax cut, establishes a new voluntary Medicare

prescription drug benefit in the context of broader reforms, expands

health care coverage to more families, and funds critical investments for our future. An essential element of this approach is ensuring adequate funding for discretionary programs. To this end,

the President has proposed discretionary spending limits at levels

that we believe are necessary to serve the American people.

Unfortunately, the FY 2001 congressional budget resolution provides inadequate resources for discretionary investments. We need

realistic levels of funding for critical government functions that the

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American people expect their government to perform well, including education, national security, law enforcement, environmental

protection, natural resource conservation, preservation of our global

leadership, air safety, food safety, economic assistance for the less

fortunate, research and technology, and the administration of Social Security and Medicare. Based on the inadequate budget resolution, this bill fails to address critical needs of the American people.

The Administration appreciates the efforts by the Subcommittee

to accommodate a part of the President’s priorities within the

302(b) allocation, such as increased funding over the FY 2000 enacted levels for national park and land management operations.

However, the allocation is simply insufficient to make the necessary investments in programs funded by this bill. As a result, the

bill severely underfunds the President’s Lands Legacy Initiative,

the Clean Water Action Plan, clean energy, the Native American

Initiative, and other critical programs discussed below. The bill

also includes several legislative riders that are highly objectionable

to the Administration, such as provisions concerning the Interior

Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project and the prohibition of funding for the management plans of national monuments

designated by the President. The Subcommittee’s failure to fund

key programs sufficiently and its inclusion of damaging riders

would lead the President’s senior advisors to recommend a veto if

the bill were presented to the President in its current form.

Below is a discussion of our specific concerns with the Subcommittee mark-up. We look forward to working with the Committee to resolve these concerns as the bill moves forward.

OBJECTIONABLE LEGISLATIVE RIDERS

The Administration strongly opposes the environmental and

other authorization provisions in the Subcommittee bill, which are

inappropriate for inclusion in an appropriations act. Such riders

rarely receive the level of congressional and public review required

of authorization language, and they often override existing environmental and natural resource protections.

The Administration believes that the following are among the

most objectionable provisions. (The list is preliminary, pending a

full review of the report and bill text):

National Monument Designation (Sec. 335). This rider would

undermine longstanding Presidential authority by denying

funds for any national monuments designated after 1999. It

represents a back-door attempt to nullify five recent designations, which the American public has strongly endorsed, and to

prevent the President from moving decisively in the future to

protect and preserve other sites for future generations.

Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project

(ICBEMP) (Sec. 334). This provision would unnecessarily block

ICBEMP completion, after seven years of work and approximately $50 million invested in analyses and public hearings.

The rider would halt the improvement in Federal land management and agency environmental management in the Columbia River Basin to protect forestland, wildlife, and fish

habitat.

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American Heritage Rivers (Sec. 327). The provision would diminish opportunities for inter-agency coordination and cooperation, thereby preventing the participating Federal agencies

funded in this bill from offering the most effective assistance

to river communities throughout the country.

Kyoto Protocol (Sec. 330). This section purports to prohibit

Federal agencies funded in this bill from implementing the

Kyoto Protocol. It is unnecessary, as the Administration has no

intent to implement the Protocol prior to congressional ratification. To the extent this provision could be read to prevent

these agencies from assisting the President in carrying out his

Constitutional authority to conduct international negotiations,

it would be disruptive to those efforts and may well be unconstitutional.

Prohibit Establishment of Two National Wildlife Refuges

(Secs. 119 and 122). By preventing the use of funds to establish new National Wildlife Refuges on the Kankakee River in

Illinois and Indiana, and in the Yolo Bypass of the San Francisco Bay in California, this provision would infringe on the Interior Department’s ability under current law to protect and

preserve migratory birds and endangered species. The Fish

and Wildlife Service is coordinating on both of these proposals

with the Army Corps of Engineers and many State and local

groups.

Tribal Contract Moratorium (Sec. 331). The House would

again place a one-year moratorium on the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service from entering into new or

expanded self-determination contracts, grants, or compacts

with Tribes. This provision would interfere with the longstanding objective of tribal self-determination and self-governance and would be contrary to the government-to-government

policy the Federal Government has with Tribes. A moratorium

provision was introduced in the Senate in FY 2000, but later

dropped during final negotiations.

Grazing Permits (Sec. 116). This rider would automatically

extend for up to 10 years any permit to graze livestock on public lands that expires FY 2001, unless the Interior Secretary

has completed all processing requirements. There is no demonstrated need for this provision, because the Bureau of Land

Management (BLM) will complete in FY 2001 the processing of

all permits scheduled to expire in that fiscal year. This provision would give an incentive for grazing operations with a poor

environmental record to delay processing National Environmental Policy Act compliance in hopes of winning an automatic

renewal.

The Administration urges the Committee to report a clean bill

that does not attempt to roll back environmental protections or

tribal policies, benefit special interests, or circumvent authorization

or administrative procedures by attaching riders to appropriations

bills.

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LANDS LEGACY INITIATIVE/LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND

(LWCF)

The Administration strongly opposes the Subcommittee decisions

not to fund major portions of the President’s Lands Legacy Initiative. Such reductions are unacceptable. Congress has placed these

important conservation programs in jeopardy by rejecting Administration’s request for a dedicated funding stream. The Subcommittee

has followed with a insufficient overall funding level for the initiative that represents a 75-percent cut to the Administration’s request and a 56-percent reduction from the FY 2000 enacted level.

These reductions would undermine Federal land conservation efforts to protect national treasures, such as the Everglades, Lewis

and Clark National Historic Trail, California Desert, Lake Tahoe

Basin, Giant Sequoia groves, Colorado Sand Dunes, and various

Civil War Battlefields. State and community conservation efforts

would also suffer due to inadequate Federal support for State and

local programs to acquire and protect lands, enhance forests and

wildlife habitat, promote urban forests and outdoor recreation, and

address sprawl. These reductions would foreclose opportunities to

protect those priority locations, such as the Great Northern Forest,

that are vulnerable to development pressures. It would be shortsighted not to provide adequate support for the important Lands

Legacy Initiative, given the bipartisan recognition of the need for

the Federal Government, the States, and the private sector to protect open spaces and preserve America’s great places.

NATIVE AMERICAN PROGRAMS

The Administration appreciates the Subcommittee’s continued

support for Indian trust funds management improvements but is

concerned over the Subcommittee’s limited allocations for critical

Native American programs. Although the Subcommittee provides a

modest $18 million increase over the FY 2000 enacted level for the

operations of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), this level is simply inadequate to fund the current level of services, much less the

Administration’s Government-wide Native American Programs Initiative. Just as serious is the Subcommittee’s decision to reduce

funding for BIA construction $13 million below the FY 2000 enacted level. Furthermore, funds provided would not allow BIA to

monitor and improve school accountability and performance

through implementation of the school statistics program. The Subcommittee’s funding reduction would seriously undercut BIA’s ongoing efforts to maintain safe schools, provide enhanced educational opportunities for nearly 50,000 Indian children, strengthen

tribal college operations, improve public safety throughout Indian

Country, and assist in improving quality of life on reservations

through the housing improvement and road maintenance programs.

The Administration urges the Committee to support the Native

American Programs Initiative.

LAND MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS

The Administration commends the Subcommittee for taking

steps to address some operational and maintenance needs of land

management agencies in the Department of the Interior and the

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Forest Service in the Department of Agriculture. The funding levels

provided, however, still fail to address adequately many priority

maintenance and operational needs identified in the President’s

budget, including the Forest Service recreation and tourism initiative, the National Park Service’s Natural Resource Challenge, Fish

and Wildlife Service law enforcement, and BLM management of

the Headwaters Forest and other special areas.

In addition, by failing to include the requested funds for forest

planning, the bill would effectively block implementation of new

planning regulations to improve forest management significantly.

Species inventory and monitoring funding, the subject of a Senate

rider in FY 2000, would be reduced by 27 percent from the President’s budget, which would limit the Forest Service from adequately supporting activities across the national forests. Furthermore, funding for survey and management, a requirement for most

projects in the Pacific Northwest, has not been incorporated in the

bill.

CLEAN WATER ACTION PLAN

The Administration is concerned with reductions to other key

programs, including Clean Water Action Plan (CWAP). Such reductions would halt the substantial progress made to date in improving water quality and watershed health. Efforts to improve or restore over 11,000 miles of stream corridor by FY 2005, accelerate

range allotment planning, and clean up miles of polluted streams

caused by past coal mining practices under the Administration’s

Appalachian Clean Stream Initiative would be in jeopardy. Further, the reductions in science assistance to Federal, State, and

local agencies would hinder efforts to assess water quality and

meet responsibilities for water quality protection. Similarly, the decrease in Forest Service CWAP funding would dramatically affect

road maintenance and decommissioning, rangeland vegetation

management, fish habitat and wildlife inventory and monitoring

activities, watershed improvements, and the Stewardship Incentive

Program.

MILLENNIUM INITIATIVE TO SAVE AMERICA’S TREASURES

The Administration objects to the Subcommittee decision not to

fund the $30 million Presidential initiative to commemorate the

Millennium by preserving the Nation’s historic sites and cultural

artifacts that are America’s treasures. We urge the Committee to

restore funding for this highly successful program.

INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE—DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN

SERVICES

The Administration is very concerned that the Subcommittee has

significantly underfunded health care services to Native Americans

and Alaska Natives. Native Americans continue to experience

health disparities—mortality rates for alcoholism, tuberculosis, diabetes, and accidents are all more than three times higher for Indian people than they are for all Americans. The Indian Health

Service (IHS) finances access to health care for 1.5 million Native

Americans. The Subcommittee has included only $30 million of the

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$230 million increase requested to improve access to health care for

Native Americans. The President’s FY 2001 Budget proposes to

support an additional 1,460 hospitals days and 57,200 additional

visits to doctors and dentists purchased from the private sector

through Contract Health Services. The budget also seeks increased

support for tribally-operated facilities and services for diabetes,

cancer, heart diseases, emergency medical services, and dental and

mental health. The Subcommittee allocation would force IHS to absorb anticipated cost increases in FY 2001 and cause a further reduction in health services.

NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES

The Administration strongly objects to the Subcommittee-proposed funding levels for the National Endowment for the Arts

(NEA), the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and

the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The Subcommittee freezes these important cultural programs at their FY

2000 enacted level. This level would prevent NEA from moving forward with its Challenge America program to support, directly or in

partnership with States, arts education and access to the arts in

thousands of underserved communities throughout the country.

NEH would not be able to expand its summer seminar series to

provide professional development opportunities to our Nation’s

teachers, nor broaden the reach of its Rediscover America initiative

to bring the humanities to more communities nationwide. IMLS

would be precluded from moving forward or digitization efforts, and

from expanding after-school programs in museums and on-line access to museums. We urge the Committee to provide the Administration’s request for these important cultural, educational, and artistic programs for communities across America. The Administration supports an amendment expected to be offered to increase

funding for NEA and NEH.

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

The Administration opposes reductions totaling $120 million

made by the Subcommittee to the President’s high priority energy

conservation programs—cuts that would seriously damaged R&D

programs designed to improve the Nation’s energy efficiency, reduce dependence on oil, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

These reductions would prevent the continuation of some contracts

in the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles and would

eliminate new R&D awards for industrial energy efficiency and for

more efficient trucks and SUVs. The Administration also urges the

Committee to fully fund the Administration’s $154 million request

for home weatherization assistance to help reduce energy bills for

low-income households.

In the past several years, the Subcommittee has repeatedly attempted to mask dramatic cuts below the Administration’s budget

for energy conservation by moving programs between the Fossil

Energy R&D and Energy Conservation accounts. This year, the

Committee is proposing to merge those two accounts completely.

Such a merger would make budgeting and financial management

more difficult and appears primarily intended to mask once again

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severe cuts to the Energy Conservation request. The Administration opposes the merger of these accounts.

SMITHSONIAN AND OTHER CULTURAL AGENCIES

The Subcommittee’s $423 million overall funding level for the

Smithsonian, which is $40 million less than the Administration’s

request and $15 million below the FY 2000 enacted level, would

prevent the Institution from addressing critical repair and restoration needs. The National Gallery of Art and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum have similar maintenance needs and should be

funded at the President’s requested levels. The Administration

seeks to preserve and protect our Nation’s treasures, as well as to

provide safe and continued access to the public, and will work with

the Committee to fund these important programs.

The Administration is concerned that the Subcommittee provides

no funding for continued operation of the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and cuts nearly in half the $15

million requests for the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation. We urge the Committee to fund the new $1 million District

of Columbia Arts and Education Grants program within the Commission of Fine Arts, which is a community-based arts education

program that will provide training and exposure in the arts to

under-served young people and reinforce the importance of the arts

as basic to education.

We look forward to working with the Committee to address our

mutual concerns.

Sincerely,

JACOB J. LEW,

Director.

DAVID OBEY.

NORMAN DICKS.

Æ