Interior Emphasizes Environmental Efforts In 1973 Budget Request

Secretary of the Interior Rogers C. B. Morton today announced a fiscal year 1973 spending program $2.6 billion. Over $2.3 of this is included in the annual appropriation request to Congress, with the remainder coming from various permanent appropriations and trust funds.

Morton said: “We have revamped priorities for the coming fiscal year to enable us to use funds for those new missions and requirements that these times have bequeathed to the Department of the Interior.

“Ours is truly a department of natural resources...with a necessary concern for the human aspects of resources development,” he continued. “New program thrusts will improve environmental quality controls in resources development. They will also help provide us with the capacity to meet our increasing responsibilities in mine health and safety, recreation development, and education and economic development for Indians and people of the Territories.”

He further pointed out thatrevenue8 from sales and leasing of public lands are estimated to exceed Interior's budget requests by about a billion dollars in the fiscal year 1973. “The major increase is due to a recent court decision (involving the State of Louisiana and the U. S.) Releasing funds in escrow. Moreover, about $68 million will go to the Federal Treasury from sales of the Federal hunting stamps and collections for exercise taxes on ammunition, sports firearms and small handguns--all of which will used fish and wildlife programs.

Largest Increases for Indians and Reclamation

The Bureau of Indian Affairs, with a request of $521.8 million, presents the largest of the Interior bureau budgets. Fifty million dollars of this total is for the 1973 payment authorized under the Alaska Native Claims Act (signed by the President in December 1971). The budget also proposes a $12. 5 million supplemental appropriation in 1972 to comply with the requirement in the Act which authorizes this amount to be appropriated the year in which the Act becomes effective.

The funds for Native Claims would represent the first of a series of payments authorized, in landmark legislation that settles land claims of Alaska Natives dating back to the purchase of Alaska in 1867.

Major BIA program directions call for $174. 8 million for elementary, secondary and higher education; more than$42 million for adult employment training and placement services; and $45 million for the first phase of a new push for reservation road construction. (A list of school construction and other projects is available on request.) The overall program emphasizes BlA’s newly announced policy of reservation-by-reservation development.

The Navajo Irrigation Project, funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and constructed by the Reclamation Bureau, will receive $10.5 million for this vitally needed development--$1.5 million more than in 1972.

The largest increase in program development funds requests is for the Bureau of Reclamation, which seeking $115 million more than its current is funding. The thrust is upon a construction program that will help stimulate economies by speeding up construction of several major ongoing projects, as well as starting new ones.

A portion of the Reclamation increase is earmarked for the Colorado River Basin Project and tile Upper Colorado River Basin Fund. The added funds would also permit Reclamation to accelerate work on the Central Valley Project, California; the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project, Colorado; the Palmetto Bend Project, Texas; the Mountain Park Project, Oklahoma; the Garrison Diversion Unit, Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program, in North, and South Dakota; the Central Utah Project, Bonneville Unit, in Utah; and the Central Arizona Project.

New water project starts are also built into the 1973 Reclamation budget request. They include the Oahe Unit in South Dakota, the Riverton Extension Unit in Wyoming, segments of the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program" as well as four new loan program projects. The loan programs are: Graham-Curtis Project, Arizona; Kanawha Water District, California; Roy Water Conservancy Sub district, Utah and, San Luis Water District, California.

In the field of water resources research, the Department of the Interior is continuing its present level of activities in saline water conversion experiments and, in aid to research institutions for work in the-field of critical water problems. A Federal-State cooperative program is at present supporting more than 800 separate research projects and is providing training for 2, 000 scholars in water resources planning and protection studies. Fiscal Year '1973 requests for the Office of Saline Water are '$26. 8 million; and the Office of Water Resources Research $14. 2 million.

New Clean Energy Studies

"Clean energy" research receives' major emphasis under activities of the Bureau of Mines and the Office of Coal Research.

Mine health and safety programs, including $13 million for construction of a training academy for mine inspectors (to be located at Beckley, West Va.) account for most of the increases requested in fiscal 1973 for the Bureau of Mines. Additionally, funds are earmarked for training to establish a complement of 1,350 inspectors.

The Mines Bureau is also asking for about $1.5 million for research into removal of sulfur dioxide from smelter gases. Another $4.5 million additional over current appropriations is earmarked for construction of a pilot plant for production of pipeline quality gas from coal.

Coal gasification research will be boosted by increases requested for the Office of Coal Research (OCR). In keeping with the President's Clean Energy Message of June 1971, OCR will proceed with research in which high sulfur coals will be converted to low BTU fuel gas for gas-turbine/steam turbine electric generation. The requested fund increases will also intensify research into conversion of coal into clean liquid fuels, as well as hydrogasification development. OCR is seeking $45 million, up nearly 50% from present levels.

Earth Studies to Preserve Environment

Natural environmental frailties, and methods to counteract them, are the focus of much of Geological Survey's planned activities for the Fiscal Year 1973. Survey is requesting nearly $15 million more than its 1972 adjusted appropriations, for a total of $145. 6 million.

Earthquake hazards reduction for which $8.6 million, an increase of $7 million, is sought--will focus on identification and mapping of high risk regions and earthquake prediction and control. It is expected that zoning criteria, building codes and structural designs will be increasingly influenced by data derived from the earthquake hazards reduction program.

Offshore geologic investigations, particularly of areas with high oil and gas production potential, would be augmented by nearly $2 million additional funding, doubling the present level for this activity. The program would include marine engineering studies and studies of trace element movements in estuary areas, as well as analysis and mapping of offshore conditions.

Geothermal areas would be classified, evaluated, environmental effects of geothermal developments under a greatly expanded geothermal resources program planned by Geological Survey. The program for fiscal year 1973 calls for $2.5 million, an increase of $1.8 million over the fiscal year be classified, evaluated, and monitored for environmental effects of geothermal developments under a greatly expanded geothermal resources program planned by Geological Survey. The program for fiscal year 1973 calls for $2.5 million, an increase of $1.8 million over the fiscal 1972 appropriation.

Nearly $5 million more, for a total of $10.6 million, is being sought for support of satellite monitoring and mapping, and critical research in the field of remote sensing. This is the EROS program--Earth Resources Observation Systems.

Water pollution abatement and intensified investigations into environmental impacts of water resource programs upon fish and wildlife appear as major thrusts for fiscal 1973 in the budget requested by the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife. Expansion of fish hatcheries (including those on Indian reservations), fish culture research and development, wildlife research, and improved visitor information centers are planned under a program that calls for '$4 million above the 1972 appropriation of $84 million.

In cooperation with the Electric Research Council, the Department of the Interior is endeavoring to improve technology and reduce/costs of placing high-voltage electrical lines underground. A budget of $1 million is proposed for fiscal year 1973.

American Heritage Focus for Parks and Recreation

Gearing up for the Bicentennial Era, the National Park Service is asking for an increase of more than $30 million for improved operations, and upkeep of national parks. NPS is also planning a construction program that includes air and water pollution control projects, the start of activities related to the Bicentennial celebration, and expansion of urban park capacities.

This massive new building and "improvement effort is designed to meet the requirements of growing millions of visitors to our national parks and historic areas. (A listing of park areas scheduled for significant design and construction activity appears in the narrative analysis for the National Park Service budget material available upon request.)

Although the bureau of Outdoor Recreation request for, Fiscal Year 1973 indicates a reduction of $61 million below funds appropriated for current fiscal year operations, the decrease does not reflect declining effort under the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

In 1971 the authorization for the fund was increased from $200 to $300 million. However, it was not until 1972 that appropriations were requested for the additional amount authorized; Therefore, 1972 was a "catch-up" appropriation. The request of $300 million in 1973 is for the full annual authorization. It will provide for Federal and State acquisition of lands for recreational use, particularly in areas with large population concentrations.

Leasing -- Controls and Revenues

Fund increases requested by the Bureau of Land Management--$13.7 million over the current fiscal year's appropriations-- are primarily for the following activities: stepped-up inventorying and environmental analyses; upgrading fire protection; environmental safeguards in concert with outer continental shelf oil and gas leasing schedules; surface resources protection of lands under mineral exploration; a new program of cataloging land office records for the Eastern States; and a new program to implement land, minerals and survey work in support of the Alaska Native Claims Act of 1971.

Expenditures by the Bureau of Land Management are invariably offset by substantial revenues to the U. S. Treasury and to State and county governments from mineral leasing, timber sales, grazing fees and land sales. Against a total requested appropriation of approximately $92.3 million, BLM estimates receipts of $3. 3 billion. About $98 million of these receipts will go to States and counties, and nearly $17 million will be credited to the Oregon and California Grant Land Fund.

NOTE:

Attached is a bureau- by-bureau summary of amounts requested for Fiscal Year 1973, commencing July 1, 1972.

Also attached is a list of individuals available to answer detailed inquiries relating to each bureau or office budget request.

Key people to 'call for additional information regarding Department of the Interior's 1973 FY Budget Requests.

Budget Synopsis

Fiscal Year 1973

(In thousand of dollars)

Fiscal Year 1973

A budget of $521, 853,000 is proposed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs for fiscal year 1973. The amount is a net increase $102,322,000 over funding for the current fiscal year.

The increases' indicated in the new budget are designed to boost the momentum of the major goals set forth by the Administration of providing the American Indian with the opportunity and assistance to live in prosperity, dignity, and honor; and opening the way to total Indian involvement. A new thrust in fiscal year 1973 to Indian involvement is to assist those tribes which have or are developing comprehensive development plans.

Approximately $10 million of' the increase would go for, education of Indian children. The total education program will provide for the enrollment of additional Indian children in Federal schools and a more adequate level of funding for these schools. They will permit scholarship assistance for additional Indian college students and allow funding for -these students at a higher level. The program will encourage increased parental support for school programs, improved school attend­ance, tutoring of students, etc. These funds will also provide for increased Indian enrollment and increased operating costs in public school districts educating reservation Indian children.

The construction program in fiscal year 19173 includes funds for new classrooms, new buildings, project design drawings for future school projects, and the purchase of equipment for schools now under construction.

Resources management programs would be used to improve the production of natural resources, which, together with commercial and industrial development, will create many Indian employment opportunities on or near reservations. At the direction of the Secretary of the Interior, an office of Indian Water Rights has been established with the responsibility to direct all aspects of the Department's effort to protect the water rights of the American Indians; the budget request includes $1. 7 million for the water rights activities.

Indian Education

In fiscal year 1973, $174.8 million is requested.

Among other efforts it would provide program assistance for an additional 2,700 Indian students who will be attending public schools. Monies are needed to offset advances in the cost of living as well as to provide for special educational projects such as special English language teachers, bicultural classes, kindergartens, and school home coordinators. Approximately 81,000 elementary and secondary children attending public schools will benefit from this program.

Indian students are enrolling in colleges and universities in greater number each year. During fiscal year 1973, scholarship grants will be provided for 10,500 Indian men and women. The majority of students receiving assistance through the Bureau's higher education program come from homes with income below today's poverty level.

In keeping with the new thrusts, tribal Organizations are encouraged and assisted to assume the operational control of the educational programs which affect them. It is estimated that tribal groups will assume operation of three dormitories and all or part of the education program at twenty-one schools. Enrollment in Federal schools is expected to increase approximately 4,000 students for an anticipated, enrollment of 59,300. Funds being requested for Federal schools are to provide for maintenance of the current program and not for program expansion.

A new program relating to early childhood education is being initiated. This program, operating on a pilot basis, will provide parent-child centers for preschool children. The basic strategy of the program will be to capitalize on the cultural heritage of the child and it as a base for the development of a comprehensive early childhood education program. The program would focus on the entire family and would provide a continuance of education, health, and nutrition and social services.

Indian Community Services

There are about 300,000 Indian people on 82 reservations in 15 States where the local authorities have not assumed civil and/or criminal jurisdiction. It is the responsibility of the Federal Government to provide for the safety and protection of these communities. An increase of $0.4 million is required to keep the program operating at the fiscal year 1972 level. An additional $0.5 million will be utilized to operate and staff with trained community members, two “community treatment centers scheduled to open during fiscal year 1973.

Emphasis at these centers will be directed at development of programs designed to prevent adult and juvenile delinquent behavior as well as to provide rehabilitative services to offenders.

The proposed increase of $4.8 million in welfare assistance funds reflects the continuous rise in caseload and a small increase in unit cost. An additional 500 employable assistance recipients be enrolled in the Tribal Work Experience program during fiscal year 1973.

The Bureau’s budget calls for a total of $9.7 million for Indian housing assistance. While the bulk of new home construction on reservations is handled by the Department of Housing and Urban Development under a separate appropriation, Bureau of Indian Affairs funded programs will account for 530 new homes and 5,100 renovations.

The adult education and community development budget of $2.6 million will provide adult education and community development programs to help inadequately prepared adults obtain the educational skills necessary to improve both their employment opportunities and their abilities to contribute to the self-government of their communities. The funds will also help tribes to assume management over and responsibilities for programs) services and municipal functions which in the part have been provided for them.

To combat the problem of the chronically high unemployment rate-­ now about 40 percent with an additional 20 percent underemployed-- this budget proposes $17.3 million in funding for direct employment which would provide direct job placement efforts to over 4,080 placements in fiscal year 1973. This program is being redirected to provide training, and job opportunities on or near reservations as emphasis is placed on reservation development - assisting tribes to develop their own businesses and to bring industry to the reservations. Expansion of job development near the reservations to establish work commuting situations is also being given emphasis. To become employable many Indians need job training either school training or on-the-Job training. The 1973 budget would continue funds for these programs at $24.8 million resulting in over 6,000 job placements in that year.

Working hand-in-hand with the training and job placement programs is the new concept involving Indians called the Indian Action Team program. The general structure of the Indian Action Team program is designed to accommodate tribally developed solutions to local tribal problems in. construction and manpower training areas. Each tribe, acting through its various standing committees, may decide upon construction and training programs that meet the need of its community.

Included in the budget request is approximately $1.6 million operating costs for the preparation and coordination of the Alaska Native rolls and the increased workload for real estate services resulting from the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act., (The Alaska Native Claims Act, enacted December 18, 1971, authorizes the appropriation of $12.5 million in fiscal year 1972 and $50.0 million in fiscal year'1973.)

The Natural Resources

The natural resources, timber, land and water are the Indians most prized possession and must be adequately protected while at the same time providing the maximum benefit to the Indian landowners.

To achieve this goal the Bureau has sought to provide progressive management services to the Indian people. In 1973, professional and sub professional services in the fields of forest and range management and soil conservation will be provided. The establishment of the water inventory and water rights protection office will fill a much needed function to insure that loss of this valuable natural resource natural their will not continue.

Plans are that all efforts, will be directed to conserve the resources through proper management, to receive maximum benefits for the landowners, and to assist the, Indian people to increase use of own natural resources.

Road Construction on Indian Reservations

In fiscal year 1973, Bureau of Indian Affairs will emphasize the needs of developing adequately road systems on Indian reservations. The Bureau is requesting appropriations of $45 million in fiscal year 1973 and increase of $19.4 million. The development of Indian reservations is dependent on adequate road systems. Economic and social development, improved Indian education and health are all dependent upon roads and without them, Indians are destined for continual dependency.

Buildings and Utilities Construction Program Fiscal Year 1973

Summary of Projects

Irrigation Construction Summary Projects