Copyright 1999 Federal News Service, Inc.
Federal News Service
MARCH 10, 1999, WEDNESDAY
SECTION: IN THE NEWS
LENGTH:
1873 words
HEADLINE: PREPARED STATEMENT OF
THE HON.
JAMES R. LYONS
UNDER SECRETARY, NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT
U.S.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
BEFORE THE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS
COMMITTEE
INTERIOR SUBCOMMITTEE
SUBJECT - USDA FOREST SERVICE FISCAL
YEAR 2000 BUDGET
BODY:
Chairman Regula,
Representative Dicks, and Members of the Committee, thank you for the
opportunity to appear before you today to discuss the Forest Service's proposed
budget for Fiscal Year 2000.
I would like to present a brief overview of our
budget request and highlight some of the priorities we've identified in terms of
three broad areas. Chief Dombeck will address these and other areas in greater
detail. The three areas I want to highlight are: 1) the priorities of the
President and the Department of Agriculture in managing the rich natural
resources of this nation's forest and range lands; 2) these priorities and their
tie to the Forest Service's Natural Resource Agenda; and 3) the emphasis being
placed on the Forest Service to be accountable to Congress and the American
people for its performance and use of federal funds. Last year when I testified
before several committees, including this one, I stated that despite the
contentious debates on several Forest Service management issues, Congress and
the Administration agree more than we disagree. Despite the differences
regarding budget priorities and several environmental riders which were part of
the fiscal year 1999 appropriations debate, we worked together to develop a bill
which moved the Forest Service forward towards improved forest and ecological
health and sustainability. I continue to believe we have common interests and
greater agreement than disagreement, although I'm sure we'll be involved in
tough debate again over this year's budget.
First, a brief overview. This
budget proposes an overall increase in discretionary appropriations of 6.5
percent compared to the fiscal year 1999 Appropriation. The budget includes a
healthy emphasis on the basic programs necessary for managing the agency's 192
million acres, which contains a $30 billion infrastructure, 383,000 miles of
road, 74,000 authorized land uses, 23,000 developed recreation sites, and
uncounted dispersed recreation sites. In addition, the budget proposes a
substantial increase of $37.2 million to enhance the agency's leading role in
Forest and Rangeland Research. Finally, the budget also proposes major increases
in State and Private Forestry programs, which are key elements of the
President's initiatives.
President and Department Priorities
The
President has proposed several initiatives in the fiscal year 2000 budget,
including continuation of the Clean water Action Plan, first initiated as part
of the fiscal year 1999 budget. Principally, the President's goal in fiscal year
2000 is to develop Forest Service programs which assure that all the nation's
lands, not just National Forest lands, provide clean water, healthy habitat,
open spaces, and expanded recreation opportunities as well as the sustained
products, goods and services that the public demands of our forested lands.
The President's FY 2000 budget includes the Lands Legacy
Initiative, the largest one-year investment ever made in the
preservation of America's lands, and the continuation of the Clean Water Action
Plan to continue to focus on priority watersheds where protection and
improvement programs are so desperately needed.
The Lands Legacy
Initiative is a $1 billion federal program, and includes $217.6 million
in Forest Service funding. The Initiative focuses on working with states,
tribes, local governments, and willing private partners to protect great places,
conserve open space for recreation and wildlife, and to preserve forests,
farmlands, and coastal areas.
Currently, 30 million people live within an
hour's drive of National Forest land. As the President noted in his State of the
Union address, 7,000 acres of farmland and open space are lost every day to
development. The number of tracts of forestland of 50 acres or less doubled from
1978 to 1994 as our landscape was carved into smaller pieces. Access to, and the
health of these lands are diminishing as a result of this fragmentation. To
address these serious concerns, the President's budget proposes to significantly
increase funding of the agency's State and Private Forestry programs, with an
increase of $80 million, or 48 percent, over fiscal year 1999.
Just over one
year ago, the President and the Vice President announced the Administration's
Clean Water Action Plan. The Plan seeks to protect public health and to restore
water quality by setting strong goals and providing the Federal land management
agencies, the states, tribes, communities and landowners with the tools and
resources to meet them. It charts a new course, emphasizing collaborative
strategies built around watersheds and the communities they sustain.
Last
year, the Congress provided additional resources to support the restoration of
key watersheds and investments in fish and wildlife habitat -- elements
contained in the President's Clean Water Action Plan. I want to thank you, Mr.
Chairman, for your efforts to promote these important investments.
Water
resources have always played a prominent role in the management of our National
Forests. The Organic Act of 1897 designated "securing favorable conditions of
water flows" as one of the primary purposes for establishing the National
Forests. Many communities, especially in the West, depend on healthy forested
watersheds for their sources of clean drinking water. More than 50 percent of
the water in our nation originates from and flows through forested lands on its
way to suburbs and cities. Wildlife, particularly fish and other aquatic
species, must have an adequate quantity and quality of water to survive.
Looking over the landscape, it is clear that the Lands Legacy
Initiative and the Clean Water Action Plan, as partially implemented
through the Forest Service, are critical in meeting healthy watershed and clean
water objectives.
The Forest Service budget increases Clean Water Action
Plan funding by $89 million from the 1999 appropriation and $131 million over
1998. The Results Act annual performance plan for 2000 provides for some solid
increases in outputs that, over time, will make a significant qualitative
improvement in conditions on the ground.
The Forest Service is the leading
provider of outdoor recreation on public lands. The Lands Legacy
Initiative, through increased land acquisition, will improve
recreational access as well as promote healthy watersheds and open space.
The fiscal year 2000 budget contains additional initiatives. As was proposed
last year, the Administration again intends to forward legislation to stabilize
payments to states. I believe it is essential to provide these payments through
a process that does not link the output of forest products to the education of
our rural school children or the quality of the roads used by their parents. If
enacted, the legislation will result in long-term predictability of payments
needed by the states and counties of America. Natural Resource Agenda
The
President's budget strongly supports the Forest Service's Natural Resource
Agenda.
Wildlife, grazing, fire, fisheries, and other programs increase
by $48.6 million to support watershed health and restoration. Increased funding
contained in this budget is essential for restoring and protecting watershed
health.
Proposed budget increases of $113.2 million in programs such as
Forest and Rangeland Research, in addition to the State and Private Forestry
programs I've already mentioned, will promote long term land health.
Management of the National Forest road system is a third component of the
Natural Resource Agenda. With a funding increase of $22.6 million, this road
system, which is expansive enough to circle the globe more than 15 times, will
receive critically needed funds for maintenance.
Lastly, as part of the
Natural Resource Agenda, the President's budget continues to provide strong
emphasis on recreation. The Forest Service is the leading provider of outdoor
recreation on public lands in the United States. We are pleased with the
emphasis Congress has shown in promoting recreation. The Recreation Fee
Demonstration Program is one such example, and a resounding success. Through
this program, we have improved facilities and visitors experiences at fee sites.
However, I want to emphasize that 95 percent of recreational experiences on the
National Forests involve use of non-fee dispersed sites. The President's budget
continues to emphasize this type of recreational use through appropriated funds.
I strongly encourage your continued support of these programs in order to
maintain quality experiences for those who use the forests for highly dispersed
activities, but who are unable to pay for use of these sites, are not close to
fee sites, or who desire to recreate in the undeveloped non-fee areas of the
National Forests.
Forest Service Accountability
The success of the
Natural Resource Agenda and the initiatives proposed by the President are
critical to the long-term health and conservation of the National Forests and
the nation's state, local, and non-industrial private lands. Effective Forest
Service leadership is what will facilitate these long-term successes. However,
leadership will not be successful if the Forest Service does not aggressively
address what can only be described as severe lapses in its financial management
and overall performance accountability. As you know, the agency's financial
health, decision-making, and overall accountability has been scrutinized and
extensively criticized in more than 20 studies initiated by Congress, the
Department, and internally.
Let me say, I have no doubt the Forest Service
has gotten the message! Through reorganization and placement of professionals in
top leadership positions, the agency has placed the financial management role in
a position that assures attention and oversight in equal stature and priority to
its Natural Resource Agenda. While I believe it is important for Congress to
actively perform its oversight of the agency's financial condition, I believe it
is also important to ask for some degree of patience. The agency's books and
records took a decade or more to turn sour. It will take at least the rest of
fiscal year 1999 to implement a new General Ledger, and at least through fiscal
year 2000 to receive a clean financial opinion.
Meanwhile, the Forest
Service is taking action to improve. This includes paying detailed attention to
management of indirect costs, restructuring the process for charging overhead to
permanent and trust funds, and actively working on implementing performance
measures consistent with the Results Act, which should ultimately lead to
proposals for a revised budget structure to reflect the integrated nature of
work it accomplishes on the ground.
Summary
Mr. Chairman, I am confident
that with your support we can work together to build a Forest Service program
that accomplishes long-term land health objectives, delivers clean water,
provides quality access, assures diverse recreational opportunities for greater
numbers of Americans, and continues providing strong livelihoods for communities
for generations to come.
Thank you for the opportunity to address you today.
I would be pleased to answer any questions you may have.
END
LOAD-DATE: March 12, 1999
