Secretary of the Interior Manuel Lujan today announced that the Department's Fiscal Year 1992 $8.7 billion budget continues the Bush Administration's commitment to improving our Nation's human, cultural and natural resources. Underscoring Lujan's goal of responsible stewardship, the budget increases funding for the America the Beautiful and Legacy '99 initiatives and establishes a new Tribal Horizons program.
In addition, Lujan directed Interior officials to incorporate four major themes in the programs they administer: protection of American battlefields; improved management of hazardous wastes on public lands; enhanced outdoor recreation opportunities; and self-determination for American Indians.
"The President's budget commits the Interior Department to improve our stewardship for America's public lands and for its human resources," Lujan said. "We must remain mindful that though Interior's mandate is vast and varied, our mission is to meet the economic, environmental and aesthetic needs of this and future generations of Americans."
Tribal Horizons is the major new budget initiative for the Interior Department in Fiscal Year 1992. Emphasis will be placed on improving management of Interior-sponsored Indian programs and enhancing educational opportunities for all American Indians. Over $100 million in new funding is proposed to carry out Lujan's Tribal Horizons directives.
Lujan is requesting an increase of $55 million in Fiscal Year 1992 for the President's America the Beautiful initiative to expand Interior programs that protect natural resources and enhance recreational opportunities on public lands. New components of Interior's $556 million America the Beautiful effort include programs to protect American battlefields, address threatened coastal resources and establish a cost-sharing grant program designed to preserve America's natural resources.
To complement America the Beautiful, the Department will continue implementing its Legacy '99 initiative by requesting $823 million in Fiscal Year 1992 funds. The initiative is designed to substantially reduce the backlog of rehabilitation and maintenance projects on federal lands. The goal of Legacy '99 is to achieve these objectives by the year 1999 - Interior's 150th anniversary.
Lujan highlighted several other important initiatives including global change research, increased funding for environmental studies of the Nation's Outer Continental Shelf and Department-wide support for education programs. Lujan also emphasized Interior's Volunteers program, the Historically Black and Hispanic College and University programs, the Take Pride in America campaign and the War on Drugs.
Editors Note: Budgetary highlights from the FY1992 Interior Department budget are attached together with the text of the Secretary's remarks and a booklet that reviews significant accomplishments of the Interior Department during the past two years.
