Source: http://www.doi.gov/budget/appropriations/2001/Summary-House-Action.cfm
Timestamp: 2014-07-25 20:42:54
Document Index: 560543884

Matched Legal Cases: ['§107', '§116', '§117', '§119', '§122', '§327', '§328', '§331', '§334', '§335']

Summary: House Committee Action on the FY 2001 Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill Subscribe
Summary: House Committee Action on the FY 2001 Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill
The House Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Committee reported the 2001 Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill on Thursday, May 25th by a vote of 31 to 22. Floor action is tentatively scheduled for the week of June 12.
State Planning Partnerships
While the North American Wildlife Conservation Fund receives $500,000 more than the 2000 enacted level, LWCF stateside land conservation grants are reduced $21.0 million from the 2000 enacted level and are $130.0 million lower than the 2001 request. Bill language requires that the land conservation grants only be used for land acquisition, not wider planning and recreation purposes.
Lands Legacy: Cooperative Endangered Species Fund
H +/- PB
The House mark funds the Cooperative Endangered Species Fund at the 2000 enacted level, $42 million, or 65 percent below the President's Budget. This request is a key component of the Administration's Lands Legacy initiative aimed at helping states and communities preserve habitat and species. Grants to States are reduced by $33.5 million from the request; Habitat Conservation Planning Land Acquisition grants are reduced by $6.1 million; and administrative/planning assistance programs are reduced by $2.3 million.
The Committee agrees to release the $20.0 million previously appropriated for park housing rehabilitation and trailer replacement and provides $5.0 million in new funding. The funds are only to be used for the specific housing projects in the January, 2000 NPS Housing Report.
Fish and Wildlife Service Operations
The House provides that not less than $2.0 million is available for high priority Youth Conservation Corps projects.
Cand. Conserv.
The House includes a general increase for the recovery program of $400,000 and provides funding not requested by the President of an additional $500,000 for Florida manatee protection (total of $1.0 million), $500,000 for the Bruneau Hot Springs Snail and $400,000 for the Preble's Meadow Jumping Mouse.
H. +/-PB
Among BLM's requested increases for restoration of the public lands, only the increase for the wild horse and burro management program was funded, at +$9.0 million. Not included in the House mark are increases requested for other restoration objectives, including the Clean Water Action Plan (+$3.5 million) and invasive weed management (+$1.5 million). None of the $3.0 million increase requested to survey and manage special status species is included in the O&C account.
However, the House reduces wildland fire operations $5.0 million below the request for 2001.
The Indian Land and Water Claim Settlements Appropriation is funded at the request level. Therefore, $8.0 million is provided for the Rocky Boys Water Settlement, and the Ute Indian Rights Settlement is continued at the $24.9 million level.
The House reduces Executive Direction by $200,000 and does not fund the requested $7.5 million increase for Indian land consolidation to expand the land consolidation program to address fractionation of Indian Lands.
Safe Visits: Maintenance and Construction
Note: The BLM estimates include the Wildland Fire figure of $9.270 million in both FY 2000 enacted and FY 2001 request.
The House provides an increase for maintenance funding (based on preliminary estimates for BLM, USGS, and FWS) of $20.3 million over the enacted level, but a decrease below the request of $3.8 million.
The National Park Service does not receive funding for condition assessments and maintenance management systems ($3.0 million requested). BIA is level funded for these two items.
Please see attached list, "FY 2001 Construction," for detail.
The mark does not provide funding for the $5.0 increase USGS requested to assume Landsat-7 mission operations responsibilities.
Crosscutting and Regional Initiatives
H. +/- PB Everglades
The bill contains language requiring the concurrence of the Secretary of the Interior in regulations for management of the Central and Southern Florida Water Project. The language is substantially the same as that contained in the Administration's WRDA 2000 proposal. The bill also contains language prohibiting land acquisition in the Eight and One Half Square Mile Area.
Forest Plan for the Pacific Northwest
The House did not provide any of the $3.0 million increase requested to survey and manage special status species included in BLM's O&C account.
Amphibian Monitoring and Research
The House mark does not support the requested $14.4 million increase for AML state and tribal reclamation grants, which included a $2.0 increase requested for the Appalachian Clean Streams Initiative. Instead, the mark contains unrequested bill language earmarking the increase expressly for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to address reclamation and AMD remediation in its anthracite coal region.
Language is also added to provide MMS greater flexibility in operating the royalty-in-kind pilot program by allowing MMS to use a portion of revenues from sales of oil and gas received under this program to pay for the costs, such as transportation and processing costs, of bringing these products to the wholesale market.
NPS National Recreation and Preservation
The Committee funds the Urban Parks and Recreation program at $2.0 million, $18.0 million below the request.
NPS Historic Preservation Fund
The House provides $41.3 million for the Historic Preservation Fund, $30.7 million below the request. The House mark fully funds the amounts requested for State Historic Preservation Offices and Tribal Grants, but slightly decreases the amount requested for Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The House does not fund the "Save America's Treasures" program ($30.0 million requested).
The House mark provides $615,000 less than the Administration's request for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes program.
The House accepted the proposed reduction of $3.0 million in discretionary funding provided to Guam in 2000 for impact of Compact assistance, but it did not support offsetting this decrease with a $5.4 million net increase in mandatory Covenant grant funding for the same purpose, as proposed in the President's Budget.
For the Office of the Inspector General, the bill does not allow for pay or other uncontrollable costs totaling $1.5 million or the requested $618,000 for five additional auditors or $645,000 for five additional investigators. All three bureaus face possible reductions in force at these funding levels. The Natural Resources Damage and Recovery program also did not receive its request to offset uncontrollable costs.
MAJOR LEGISLATIVE LANGUAGE ITEMS
OCS Moratoria. The bill includes the President's proposal to continue the moratoria on Outer Continental Shelf leasing that has appeared in the Interior and Related Agencies Act for a number of years. However, the language does not include the reference proposed in the budget to the President's moratorium statement of June 12, 1998. (House §107-110)
BLM Grazing Permit Renewals. Requires the renewal by the BLM of grazing permits and leases expiring in 2001 until the Secretary completes processing of the permit or lease application. (House §116)
Administrative Law Judges/Indian Probate. The House continues last year's authority to hire individuals other than ALJs on a temporary basis to render Indian probate decisions and reduce the backlog of Indian probate cases. (House §117)
Prohibition on Establishing Kankakee NWR (IL). The bill continues last year's provision limiting establishment of the Kankakee refuge in Indiana that is inconsistent with the Corps of Engineer's efforts to control flooding and siltration in that area. (House §119)
Prohibition on Establishing North Delta NWR (CA). The bill prohibits establishment of the proposed North Delta Refuge in the Yolo Bypass area in the Central Valley of California. (House §122)
American Heritage Rivers. The bill continues a 2000 prohibition on funds being used to support CEQ or other Executive Office of the President functions for purposes related to the American Heritage Rivers program. (House §327)
Prohibition on Use of Answering Machines. The bill continues a prohibition on the use of answering machines by all agencies funded by the bill during core business hours except in emergency situations. (House §328)
Tribal Contracting and Compacting Moratorium. The House includes language continuing the moratorium - imposed in 1999, but not 2000 - on Tribes assuming additional duties through new or expanded P.L. 93-638 contracts, grants and self-governance compacts. The moratorium applies to all agencies funded in the bill, but makes an exception for BIA's education construction program. (House §331)
Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project (ICBEMP). The House bill prohibits the use of funds to implement the final record of decision for the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project unless BLM and the Forest Service comply with rulemaking procedures under the Regulatory Flexibility Act. Imposition of this new requirement will prevent completion of the project during the Clinton Administration. (House §334)
Monument Designations - Ban on Funding. The bill prohibits spending on the four new monuments established this ear, as well as on any additional monuments that the President may designate. (House §335)