Interior FY 2001 Budget Focuses on Lands Legacy, Indian Education and Protecting National Treasures

U.S. Department of the Interior

Office of the Secretary

For Immediate Release February 7, 2000

Contact: Tim Ahern (202) 208-6416

Interior FY2001 Budget Focuses on Lands Legacy, Indian Education and Protecting National Treasures

A budget that will start the new century with a sustainable and thoughtful focus
on invaluable natural and human resources.

Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt today unveiled the Interior Department's Fiscal Year 2001 $9.2 billion budget request calling it, "A visionary proposal to benefit all Americans with a focus on enhancing opportunities for Native Americans, preserving precious national lands and resources, building stronger communities, and protecting and enhancing habitats."

Interior's 2001 budget focuses on three themes:

Instilling hope in Indian Country by providing better educational resources to Indian children, improving living conditions on reservations, and strengthening trust management. In his recent visit to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, President Clinton was a witness to the poverty and deplorable living conditions in Indian Country. In response, the President has intensified this Administration's support for the revitalization of Indian Country.

To carry out the President's commitment, the budget proposes funding for "The First Americans: Stewardship, Investment, and Hope Initiative,"a comprehensive solution to meet basic needs in Indian Country and fulfill Federal trust responsibilities. The increases in this budget will improve educational programs for Indian children, improve living conditions on reservations, create new economic opportunities, and improve the potential for future generations.

Protecting America's great places through the President's Lands Legacy Initiative. The President urged in the State of the Union Address the need to fully fund the protection of precious lands for all time and the need to make permanent funding available for this purpose. The Interior budget includes $735 million of the President's $1.4 billion Lands Legacy proposal in 2001. It continues robust funding of Federal land acquisition and creates opportunities for partnerships with States and local governments to promote conservation, urban recreation, and open space planning. The request also includes funding for the U.S. Geological Survey to mobilize scientific resources to provide information needed to plan for smart growth in the 21st Century and to enlist the Department's land management bureaus to help communities protect open space in the face of rapid growth and urban development. President Clinton has said "This Land Legacy endowment would represent by far the most enduring investment in land acquisition ever proposed."

Sustaining America's magnificent natural and historical resources and restoring species. The incomparable national parks, wildlife refuges, and public lands in the stewardship of the Department of the Interior are treasures for the American people, providing scenic grandeur, recreation, and diverse educational and cultural opportunities. The 2001 budget continues and expands efforts to preserve and restore natural resources. It continues the initiative to ensure safe visits for the visiting public and safe workplaces for Department employees. The budget also proposes funding increases to support the commemoration of the Lewis and Clark bicentennial, and focuses resources on species and natural communities that are at risk, such as amphibians and coral reefs.

The First Americans

"We begin this new century by honoring our historic responsibility to empower the first Americans," President Clinton said in the State of the Union Address.

The Numbers

The Department of the Interior's 2001 request for funds subject to annual appropriation by the Congress is $9.2 billion. This is an increase of $979.9 million above the 2000 appropriation. Major changes in the 2001 Budget are listed below.

Stewardship, Investment, and Hope Initiative

The 2001 request includes a total increase of $332. million to support this initiative. Highlights include increases for:

BIA Education Programs - The request for education construction programs is $300.5 million, an increase of $167.3 million or 126 percent over the 2000 enacted level - the largest increase ever requested. Included in the construction request is $126.1 million to replace six schools, and $171.2 million to complete repair and maintenance work at existing schools to address the $800 million backlog of education facility repairs. Up to $30 million of this funding may be used to help Tribes participate in the Administration's school construction bonding initiative. An increase of $42.6 million for Bureau of Indian Affairs education operations will provide for additional teachers, student transportation, and increasing tribal control over school operations.

BIA Tribal Priority Allocations - The budget request includes an increase of $45.3 million for non-trust tribal priority allocations. The increase will: address critical housing repair needs on reservations; provide funds needed to maintain roads and bridges; address increased adjudication in tribal courts; bring Navajo adult care facilities into compliance with state codes; replenish the Indian Self-Determination Fund; provide additional funding for contract support; and provide scholarships for Alaska Native and Indian youth seeking higher education.

Trust Commitments - An increase of $35.1 million will allow the BIA to improve trust management services such as real estate transactions, probate of Indian trust estates, land surveys, and other activities related to the management of lands held in trust by the Federal government. A total of $58.4 million is requested for trust management improvements under the Office of the Special Trustee in 2001. This is a net reduction of $6.9 million resulting from the decline in one-time computer systems acquisition costs and increases in other reform efforts.

BIA Law Enforcement - An increase of $18.8 million will support the third year of the joint Interior/ Department of Justice Presidential Initiative on Law Enforcement in Indian Country. These funds will be used to strengthen core law enforcement functions on reservations by hiring uniformed police and providing communications and detention services. The Department of Justice is requesting $173.3 million in 2001 to support tribal law enforcement programs.

BIA/BOR Rocky Boy's Settlement - The request includes $8 million for BIA and an increase of $15.5 million for the Bureau of Reclamation for the Rocky Boy's Indian Water Rights Settlement.

Fractionated Indian Land Consolidation - With an increase of $7.5 million, BIA will continue to acquire and consolidate highly fractionated interests in allotted Indian lands.

Lands Legacy

The 2001 request includes $735 million in support of the President's Lands Legacy Initiative, an increase of $391 million over levels appropriated for the Lands Legacy Initiative in 2000. Key components in the second year of Lands Legacy are:

LWCF Federal Land Acquisition - The 2001 Land and Water Conservation Fund request is $320 million, an increase of $71.5 million over the amount available for Federal land acquisition within the $264.5 million provided in comparable appropriation accounts in 2000. The Fish and Wildlife Service request is $111.6 million, the Bureau of Land Management request is $60.9 million, and the NPS request is $147.5 million. Major areas of focus in the request are: Southern California, the New Jersey-New York watershed, Florida Everglades, NPS Civil War battlefield parks, Interior units along the Lewis and Clark Trail, the Lower Mississippi River Delta, the Northern Forest, and the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Other high priority lands will also be acquired with these land and water conservation funds.
LWCF State Conservation Grants - The National Park Service request includes $150 million for matching grants to States for land or easements that benefit the public, such as open space preservation, greenways, outdoor recreation, wetlands, and wildlife habitat. The request provides an increase of $109 million over the $40 million in grant funding and $1 million in administrative funding for these grants provided in 2000.

State Non-Game Wildlife Grants - A new program will provide grants totaling $100 million to States, Tribes, and territories. They will support non-game wildlife goals with habitat restoration and other activities associated with non-game wildlife related recreation such as bird watching. The grants can also be used to acquire lands with high wildlife and resource values.
Cooperative Endangered Species Fund - The FWS request includes a $42 million increase, for a total of $65 million, for the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund to support collaborative species protection strategies with State and local governments.

State Planning Partnerships - The USGS request includes $50 million to assist local communities, regional, and State efforts to protect open space and manage urban growth. Included in this amount are $30 million for the Community/Federal Information Partnerships, $10 million for Decision Support for Resource Management, and $10 million for Urban Dynamics/Decision Support.

Urban Parks and Recreation Recovery Program - The Urban Parks and Recreation Recovery program provides $20 million for matching grants to rehabilitate parks and improve recreation services in economically distressed urban areas, an increase of $18 million over 2000.

North American Wetlands Conservation Fund - A budget increase of $15 million for the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund will provide for increased protection of wetlands and associated habitat used by migratory birds and other wildlife. The fund provides matching grants for conservation partnerships with private parties, States, and local communities.

Strengthening Communities

As the United States faces the challenge of planning for rapid growth, the need to maintain a link to the natural world has become central to preserving and strengthening our communities, our economy and our quality of life. Through Lands Legacy and other funding initiatives, the 2001 budget directly supports communities. In addition to preserving green spaces through land acquisition, the budget includes over $2.4 billion grants and technical assistant at the State and local level for habitat and species restoration, historic preservation, recreation and education.

To illustrate how Interior's diverse programs support communities, there are several regions of special focus where Federal, State and local collaborative efforts can address development pressures, threats to the environment, and species protection needs.

In Southern California the 2001 budget includes $14.4 million for land acquisition to protect resource and provide increased recreation opportunities in San Diego and Santa Monica. An Example of our technical assistance funding request in Southern California is for Fish and Wildlife Service to support local efforts such as the San Diego Multi-Species Conservation Plan that will protect 85 rare plant and animal species.

The budget includes $5 million to expand four National Wildlife Refuges in the Lower Mississippi Delta in order to protect some of the last remaining bottomland hardwood forests. One example of the Departments technical assistance funding request in the Lower Mississippi Delta is a $7 million initiative will enable the U.S. Geological Survey to conduct studies into the causes of coastal wetland loss and reduced water quality.
A $8 million request for land acquisition at National Wildlife Refuges in the New York-New Jersey Watershed will preserve wildlife habitat amid the existing urban sprawl. The NPS State Conservation Grants program will allow the States of New York and New Jersey to match funds in order to protect wetlands in Raritan Bay, Hackensack watershed, and Staten Island.

Land Management Operations

An increase of $214.3 million is requested for the operation of land management agencies to safeguard the integrity of the Nation's parks, refuges, and public lands through sound stewardship, and through partnering with States, communities, and private organizations. Major changes include:

BLM Planning Improvement - A $19 million increase is requested for BLM to enhance and accelerate the land use planning process that assures protection of resources while providing for the many uses of the public lands.

BLM Designated Areas - An additional $16 million is requested to stabilize and restore natural and cultural resources on BLM lands designated for protection of special values. Included in this request is new funding for the operation of three newly designated national monuments and additional funding for operations along the Lewis and Clark Trail, cleanup of abandoned dumps, desert tortoise monitoring, habitat improvements, and efforts to control wild burro populations in the California Desert Conservation Area.

BLM Restoration of Public Lands - An additional $14 million is requested to address restoration issues on BLM lands including $9 million to manage the explosive population of wild horses and burros, $3.5 million to implement the Clean Water Action Plan's Unified Federal Policy, and $1.5 million for integrated weed management.

FWS Refuge Operations and Fisheries - The request includes a $19.9 million increase for operations and maintenance of the National Wildlife Refuge system to achieve management improvement recommendations and preserve wildlife habitats and facilities at these refuges for future generations.

FWS Law Enforcement - A budget increase of $12.6 million will fund critical needs for improved law enforcement. It also provides additional resources to enforce national and international wildlife protection laws and protects wildlife from increasingly sophisticated criminals.

FWS Endangered Species Operation - The request includes an increase of $7 million for the endangered species program, with the majority of the increase to assist States and private parties in preparation of habitat conservation plans and conservation agreements to better manage resources and allow development while protecting endangered species.

Operation of the National Park System

An additional $90.3 million is requested for the national park system including $24 million to address specific program needs at 72 parks and three trails as well as increased funding for the U.S. Park Police, $18 million for the second year of the NPS natural resource initiative, and $28.4 million for uncontrollable costs. Also included is an additional $13.6 million to support programs that directly benefit parks such as the challenge cost share program, enhanced information management, and technical assistance capabilities within the NPS seven regions.

Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Fund

The request includes a $15.3 million increase for the Abandoned Mine Land program, including up to a $2 million increase for the Appalachian Clean Streams program. Acid mine drainage from abandoned mines pollutes streams and destroys habitat. These programs rehabilitate mine land and polluted streams in partnerships with States, Tribes, and other organizations.

Science Programs

An increase of $15 million for Interior's science priorities will support Interior's continued commitment to using the best science available to solve land management problems. An additional $7.1 million will continue efforts to accelerate the modernization of natural hazard detection sensors and networks and expand the use of telemetry for real time warning capabilities. The budget also includes a new request for $5 million for USGS to assume operation of the Landsat 7 satellite.

Alaska Subsistence

A budget increase of $12.9 million is requested to fully implement the Court-ordered Federal takeover of the subsistence fisheries program in Alaska. This includes $7.5 million that will be housed in a centrally controlled fish monitoring account managed by FWS and $5.4 million for program operation in FWS, NPS, BIA, and BLM.

Energy and Water Development

As mentioned above, an increase of $15.5 million is requested in the BOR budget for the recently enacted Rocky Boy's Indian Water Rights Settlement (in addition to the BIA increase of $8 million). An additional $14.7 million is requested for construction of the Indian Distribution Systems of the Central Arizona Project; and an additional $11.9 million is proposed for the Dam Safety Program to protect the downstream public by ensuring the safety and reliability of BOR dams.

Major Decreases

Major decreases in the 2001 budget request from the 2000 appropriated levels include: a $4.6 million reduction in the Commercial Salmon Fisheries Capacity Reduction program as funding to implement the Pacific Salmon Treaty is provided for in the Administration's $100 million Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund included in the Department of Commerce's budget; a decrease of $11.7 million for the direct funding of the Lower Snake River Compensation Plan; and decreases of $46.2 million for NPS construction and $9.3 million for FWS construction.

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