TheWeekInCongress.com
Week Ending May 20, 2005
HR 2361 making appropriations for the Department of the Interior, environment, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes.
BRIEF
Somewhat less noted than other government agencies , the Department of Interior (DOI) and its’ related agencies are nevertheless responsible for a multitude of government activities that intertwine with most of us on a daily basis..
The DOI manages, surveys and researches America’s geographical and cultural infrastructure and natural resource assets. Simplistically, if the public owns it and you can walk around on or in it it is likely the responsibility of the DOI. Responsibilities also include the US Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, US Geological Survey, Minerals Management Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Forest Service, and the Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement Agency.
This was the first bill to experience the domestic cuts deemed necessary in the President’s Budget to control spending and reduce the budget deficit. As such the House version of the bill bill reduces spending by about $500 million.
Water spending took a primary role in the bill beginning with a $240 million reduction from $1.1 billion spent in 2005 to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, a fund that provides assistance to States to build water and waste treatment facilities. Additionally an amendment to assure that all EPA regions comply to the old rule regarding blending of treated and untreated waste for discharge into waterway. The EPA had been considering relaxing the rule that required fully treated water discharge when that is feasible but recently notified Congress that it would not go forward with the rule change. The President's desire to eliminate funding for the National Estuary Program and the National Rural Water Association were ignored and received full funding. The House reduced water and land conservation program spending by $190 million despite the President's request to cut $500 million.
Land acquisition and funds for construction on public lands would see cuts totaling about $380 million and enforcement activities carried out by the EPA would be cut $12 million.
Evidence that Congress can and does micromanage agencies can be seen in a couple of general provisions of interest. For example, National Parks are left up to how they will handle travelers passing through the park en route elsewhere. The bill prohibits the Park Service from reducing the entrance rate to the park for such travelers. The Secretary of Interior is authorized to allow the use of leased helicopters or motor vehicles to transport wild horses and burros. The use of funds to close the underground lunchroom at Carlsbad Caverns is prohibited. The use of snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park can continue. And even some matters that are not necessarily relevant to the mission of the department are included such as the provision that prohibits funds to be used "for any activity or the publication or distribution of literature that in any way tends to promote public support or opposition to any legislative proposal on which Congressional action is not complete." The bill also sets limits for legal fees for Cobell v Norton, a lawsuit brought by 500,000 Native Americans who hold that the US Government, for the past 100 years, has not accounted for more than a century of income that has been collected by the government from Native American owned property. Income under question includes income from leases, grazing, mineral rights, and the sale of Native American land.
Regarding more cultural matters the DOI also has its’ hand in the Smithsonian Institution, and the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities, National Counsel of Arts, JFK Center for the Performing Arts, The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, The National Foundation for Arts and Humanities, Commission on Fine Arts, and The National Capital Planning Commission, the Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development; the National Gallery of Art; the National Endowment for the Humanities; the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum;
The Environmental Protection Agency is also funded by this bill to meet its’ responsibilities to control air and water pollution and pollution of the land from toxic waste, pesticides and herbicides, radiation and a variety of other toxic substances.
Last year this bill also included elements of the Department of Energy involving coal and oil shale and, generally, subsurface energy resources and storage but that responsibility has been shifted to the Dept of Energy. Instead the bill funds the EPA, the Forest Service of the Dept. of Agriculture (DOA) and the Indian Health Service under the Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS). Also in the mix are the National Institutes of Health; the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry; programs of the Executive Office of the President; the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board; the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation; and the Presidio Trust.
Sponsor: Representative Charles H. Taylor (R-NC)
Vote: Passed House329 to 89 (RC 199) (May 19, 2005). A Motion to Recommit with Instructions failed 191 to 228 (RC 198) (May 19, 2005) Passed Senate 94 to 0 (RV168) (June 29, 2005)
Cost to the taxpayers: House--$26.2 billion, a reduction of about $500 million over FY 2005. Senate---$26.3 billion.
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MORE INFORMATION
WHAT THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR DOES ALL DAY
THE COMMITTEE REPORT SUMMARY OF THE BILL
AMENDMENTS HOUSE
AMENDMENTS SENATE
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE BILL AFTER PASSAGE IN THE SENATE
1. H.AMDT.169 to reduce
expenses for management of the Department of Interior by $8,000,000. Amendment
also reduces appropriations to the National Forest System by $7,000,000.
Amendment seeks to increase funding for the National Foundation on the Arts and
the Humanities by $15,000,000.
Sponsor: Rep Slaughter, Louise McIntosh [D-NY-28th] (introduced
5/19/2005) Cosponsors (None)
Latest Major Action: 5/19/2005 House amendment agreed to. Status: On
agreeing to the Slaughter amendment (A001) Agreed to by voice vote.
2. H.AMDT.170 to
decrease funding for management of the Department of the Interior by $13,000,000
and to increase funding to implement the Act of October 20, 1976, as amended (31
U.S.C. 6901-6907) by $12,000,000.
Sponsor: Rep Cubin, Barbara [R-WY-At large] (introduced 5/19/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 5/19/2005 House amendment agreed to. Status: On
agreeing to the Cubin amendment (A002) Agreed to by voice vote.
3. H.AMDT.171 to increase
funding to implement the Act of October 20, 1976, as amended (31 U.S.C.
6901-6907) by $4,800,000 and to reduce funding to the National Endowment for the
Arts.
Sponsor: Rep Hefley, Joel [R-CO-5th] (introduced 5/19/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 5/19/2005 House amendment not agreed to. Status: On
agreeing to the Hefley amendment (A003) Failed by recorded vote: 109 - 311 (RC
191).
4. H.AMDT.172 to insert
"oil" after "offshore" on page 53, line 12, strike "and natural gas" on page 53,
line 20 and to strike "and natural gas" on page 54, line 3.
Sponsor: Rep Peterson, John E. [R-PA-5th] (introduced 5/19/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 5/19/2005 House amendment not agreed to. Status: On
agreeing to the Peterson (PA) amendments (A004) Failed by recorded vote: 157 -
262 (RC192).
7. H.AMDT.175 to reduce
funding for the Environmental Protection Agency--Science and Technology by $130
million and to increase funding for the Environmental Protection
Agency--Hazardous Substance Superfund by $130 million.
Sponsor: Rep Terry, Lee [R-NE-2]nd (introduced 5/19/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 5/19/2005 House amendment not agreed to. Status: On
agreeing to the Terry amendment (A007) Failed by recorded vote: 76 - 344 (RC
193).
10. H.AMDT.178 to increase
funding in the Clean Water State Revolving Fund by $100 million.
Sponsor: Rep Obey, David R. [D-WI-7th] (introduced 5/19/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 5/19/2005 House amendment not agreed to. Status: On
agreeing to the Obey amendment (A010) Failed by recorded vote: 186 - 235 (RC194).
11. H.AMDT.179 to strike
"provided" and all that follows on page 71, line 21 through page 72, line 6 and
insert a new section making technical changes.
Sponsor: Rep Gillmor, Paul E. [R-OH-5th] (introduced 5/19/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 5/19/2005 House amendment agreed to. Status: On
agreeing to the Gillmor amendment (A011) Agreed to by voice vote.
12. H.AMDT.180 to
increase funding for the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act of 1980, to reduce funding for grants, including program support
costs, to States, federally recognized tribes, interstate agencies, tribal
consortia, and air pollution control agencies by $2 million and to reduce by $2
million funds for the administrator for carrying out section 128 of CERCLA, as
amended.
Sponsor: Rep Johnson, Eddie Bernice [D-TX-30th] (introduced 5/19/2005)
Cosponsors (None)
Latest Major Action: 5/19/2005 House amendment agreed to. Status: On
agreeing to the Johnson, E. B. amendment (A012) Agreed to by voice vote.
13. H.AMDT.181 to add
$1 million to the National Forest System.
Sponsor: Rep Taylor, Charles H. [R-NC-11th] (introduced 5/19/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 5/19/2005 House amendment agreed to. Status: On
agreeing to the Taylor (NC) amendment (A013) Agreed to by voice vote.
14. H.AMDT.182 to
increase funding for Wildland Management by $27,500,000, to increase funding for
hazardous fuels reduction activities and to reduce funding for the Nation
Endowment for the Arts--Grants and Administration by $30 million.
Sponsor: Rep Beauprez, Bob [R-CO-7th] (introduced 5/19/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 5/19/2005 House amendment not agreed to. Status: On
agreeing to the Beauprez amendment (A014) Failed by recorded vote: 122 - 298 (RC
195).
16. H.AMDT.184 prohibiting
the use of funds from being made available for the selling or slaughter of wild
free-roaming horses and burros.
Sponsor: Rep Rahall, Nick J., II [D-WV-3rd] (introduced 5/19/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 5/19/2005 House amendment agreed to. Status: On
agreeing to the Rahall amendment (A016) Agreed to by recorded vote: 249 - 159 (RC
196).
17. H.AMDT.185 to
provide that no funds may be used to implement the first proviso under the
heading "United States Fish and Wildlife Service-Land Acquisition.".
Sponsor: Rep Doolittle, John T. [R-CA-4th] (introduced 5/19/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 5/19/2005 House amendment agreed to. Status: On
agreeing to the Doolittle amendment (A017) Agreed to by voice vote.
18. H.AMDT.186 to provide
that no funds may be used in contravention of Executive Order 12898 (Federal
Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income
Populations) or to delay the implementation of that Order.
Sponsor: Rep Hastings, Alcee L. [D-FL-23rd] (introduced 5/19/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 5/19/2005 House amendment agreed to. Status: On
agreeing to the Hastings (FL) amendment (A018) Agreed to by voice vote.
19. H.AMDT.187 to
reduce total appropriations in the bill by $261,591,250.
Sponsor: Rep Hefley, Joel [R-CO-5th] (introduced 5/19/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 5/19/2005 House amendment not agreed to. Status: On
agreeing to the Hefley amendment (A019) Failed by recorded vote: 90 - 326 (RC
197).
20. H.AMDT.188 to provide
that no funds in the bill may be used to finalize, issue, implement, or enforce
the proposed policy of the EPA entitled "National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System Permit Requirements for Municipal Wastewater Treatment During
Wet Weather Conditions" dated Nov. 3, 2003.
Sponsor: Rep Stupak, Bart [D-MI-1st] (introduced 5/19/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 5/19/2005 House amendment agreed to. Status: On
agreeing to the Stupak amendment (A020) Agreed to by voice vote.
23. H.AMDT.191 to
prohibit use of funds in the bill by the Administrator of EPA to (1) accept,
consider, or rely on third-party intentional dosing human studies for
pesticides; or (2) to conduct intentional dosing human studies for pesticides.
Sponsor: Rep Solis, Hilda L. [D-CA-32nd] (introduced 5/19/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 5/19/2005 House amendment agreed to. Status: On
agreeing to the Solis amendment (A023) Agreed to by voice vote.
24. H.AMDT.192 to prohibit
use of funds in the bill to be used to send or otherwise pay for the attendance
of more than 50 Federal employees at any single conference occurring outside the
United States.
Sponsor: Rep Garrett, Scott [R-NJ-5]th (introduced 5/19/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 5/19/2005 House amendment agreed to. Status: On
agreeing to the Garrett (NJ) amendment (A024) Agreed to by voice vote.
25. H.AMDT.193 to provide
that no funds in the bill may be used by the Department of the Interior to enter
into or renew any concession contract except a concession contract that includes
a provision that requires that merchandise for sale at units of the National
Park System be made in any State of the United States, the District of Columbia,
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa or the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Sponsor: Rep Costa, Jim [D-CA-20th] (introduced 5/19/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 5/19/2005 House amendment agreed to. Status: On
agreeing to the Costa amendment (A025) Agreed to by voice vote.
AMENDMENTS SENATE
28. S.AMDT.1003 to require conference report inclusion of limitations,
directives, and earmarks.
Sponsor: Sen Coburn, Tom [OK] (introduced 6/23/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 6/28/2005 Senate amendment not agreed to. Status:
Amendment SA 1003 not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 33 - 59.
RV160.
38. S.AMDT.1019 to transfer funding to the Special Diabetes
Program for Indians and the Alcohol and Substance Abuse Program within the
Indian Health Service from funding for federal land acquisition.
Sponsor: Sen Coburn, Tom [OK] (introduced 6/24/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 6/28/2005 Amendment SA 1019 ruled out of order by
the chair.
39. S.AMDT.1020 to express the Sense of the Senate that defense
spending should not be underfunded to support increases in non-defense spending.
Sponsor: Sen Coburn, Tom [OK] (introduced 6/27/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 6/28/2005 Senate amendment agreed to. Status:
Amendment SA 1020 as modified agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
41. S.AMDT.1022 to provide for Congressional security relating
to certain real property.
Sponsor: Sen Frist, William H. [TR-N] (introduced 6/27/2005)
Cosponsors (1)
Latest Major Action: 6/28/2005 Senate amendment agreed to. Status:
Amendment SA 1022 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
42. S.AMDT.1023 to H.R.2361 To prohibit the use of funds by the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to accept, consider, or
rely on third-party intentional dosing human studies for pesticides or to
conduct intentional dosing human studies for pesticides.
Sponsor: Sen Boxer, Barbara [D-CA] (introduced 6/27/2005) Cosponsors
(12)
Latest Major Action: 6/29/2005 Senate amendment agreed to. Status:
Amendment SA 1023 agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay. 60 - 37.
RV 162.
43. S.AMDT.1024 to authorize the imposition of fees for
overnight lodging at certain properties at Fort Baker, California.
Sponsor: Sen Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA] (introduced 6/27/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 6/27/2005 Senate amendment agreed to. Status:
Amendment SA 1024 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent
45. S.AMDT.1026 to prohibit the use of funds to plan, design,
study, or construct certain forest development roads in the Tongass National
Forest.
Sponsor: Sen Sununu, John E. [R-NH] (introduced 6/27/2005)
Cosponsors (4)
Latest Major Action: 6/29/2005 Senate amendment not agreed to. Status:
Amendment SA 1026 not agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 39 - 59.
RV164.
47. S.AMDT.1028 to reinstate a provision relating to National
Parks with deed restrictions.
Sponsor: Sen Frist, William H. [R-TN] (introduced 6/27/2005)
Cosponsors (1)
Latest Major Action: 6/27/2005 Senate amendment agreed to. Status:
Amendment SA 1028 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
49. S.AMDT.1030 to modify a provision relating to funds
appropriated for Bureau of Indian Affairs postsecondary schools.
Sponsor: Sen Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM] (introduced 6/27/2005) Cosponsors
(1)
Latest Major Action: 6/28/2005 Senate amendment agreed to. Status:
Amendment SA 1030 as modified agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
50. S.AMDT.1031 to set aside additional amounts for Youth
Conservation Corps projects.
Sponsor: Sen Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM] (introduced 6/27/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 6/28/2005 Senate amendment agreed to. Status:
Amendment SA 1031 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
51. S.AMDT.1032 to prohibit the use of funds in contravention of
the Executive order relating to Federal actions to address environmental justice
in minority populations and low-income populations.
Sponsor: Sen Durbin, Richard [D-IL] (introduced 6/27/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 6/28/2005 Senate amendment agreed to. Status:
Amendment SA 1032 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
52. S.AMDT.1033 to prohibit the use of funds for the demolition
of buildings at the Zephyr Shoals property, Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
Sponsor: Sen Ensign, John [R-NV] (introduced 6/27/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 6/27/2005 Senate amendment agreed to. Status:
Amendment SA 1033 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
54. S.AMDT.1035 to extend the authority for watershed
restoration and enhancement agreements.
Sponsor: Sen Wyden, Ron [OR] (introduced 6/27/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 6/27/2005 Senate amendment agreed to. Status:
Amendment SA 1035 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
55. S.AMDT.1036 to modify certain administrative provisions
relating to the brownfield site characterization and assessment program.
Sponsor: Sen Reed, Jack [RI] (introduced 6/27/2005) Cosponsors (2)
Latest Major Action: 6/28/2005 Senate amendment agreed to. Status:
Amendment SA 1036 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
56. S.AMDT.1037 to authorize recipients of grants provided under
the brownfield site characterization and assessment program to use grant funds
for reasonable administrative expenses.
Sponsor: Sen Reed, Jack [RI] (introduced 6/27/2005) Cosponsors (2)
Latest Major Action: 6/28/2005 Senate amendment agreed to. Status:
Amendment SA 1037 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
59. S.AMDT.1040 to set aside funds for the University of
Missouri-Columbia to establish a wetland ecology center of excellence.
Sponsor: Sen Bond, Christopher S. [MO] (introduced 6/27/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 6/28/2005 Senate amendment agreed to. Status:
Amendment SA 1040 as modified agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
60. S.AMDT.1041 to withdraw from mineral entry or appropriation
under mining lease laws, and from leasing claims under mineral and geothermal
leasing laws, certain land in the Payette National Forest.
Sponsor: Sen Craig, Larry E. [ID] (introduced 6/27/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 6/27/2005 Senate amendment agreed to. Status:
Amendment SA 1041 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
63. S.AMDT.1044 to set aside funds for the White Sulphur Springs Fish
Hatchery.
Sponsor: Sen Byrd, Robert C. [D-WV] (introduced 6/27/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 6/28/2005 Senate amendment agreed to. Status:
Amendment SA 1044 as modified agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
64. S.AMDT.1045 to set aside funds for a brownfields assessment
of the Fortuna Radar Site.
Sponsor: Sen Conrad, Kent [R-ND] (introduced 6/27/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 6/28/2005 Senate amendment agreed to. Status:
Amendment SA 1045 as modified agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
65. S.AMDT.1046 to provide for a study of the feasibility of
designating the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Watertrail as a
national historic trail.
Sponsor: Sen Sarbanes, Paul S. [D-MD] (introduced 6/27/2005)
Cosponsors (6)
Latest Major Action: 6/29/2005 Senate amendment agreed to. Status:
Amendment SA 1046 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
67. S.AMDT.1048 to require the Secretary of
Agriculture to report to Congress on the rehabilitation of the Biscuit Fire area
of southern Oregon.
Sponsor: Sen Smith, Gordon H. [OR] (introduced 6/27/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 6/28/2005 Senate amendment agreed to. Status:
Amendment SA 1048 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
68. S.AMDT.1049 to provide certain earmarks for State and tribal
assistance grant funds.
Sponsor: Sen Kyl, Jon [R-AZ] (introduced 6/27/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 6/28/2005 Senate amendment agreed to. Status:
Amendment SA 1049 as modified agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
71. S.AMDT.1052 Making emergency supplemental appropriations for
the fiscal year ending September 30, 2005, for the Veterans Health
Administration.
Sponsor: Sen Murray, Patty [WA] (introduced 6/27/2005) Cosponsors
(24)
Latest Major Action: 6/29/2005 Senate amendment agreed to. Status:
Amendment SA 1052 agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay. 96 - 0.
RV 166.
72. S.AMDT.1053 to provide funds for the Memorial to Martin
Luther King, Jr. ($10 million)
Sponsor: Sen Byrd, Robert C. [D-WV] (introduced 6/27/2005)
Cosponsors (37)
Latest Major Action: 6/28/2005 Senate amendment agreed to. Status:
Amendment SA 1053 agreed to in Senate by Voice.
74. S.AMDT.1055 to provide for the consideration of the effect
of competitive sourcing on wildland fire management activities.
Sponsor: Sen Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM] (introduced 6/27/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 6/28/2005 Senate amendment agreed to. Status:
Amendment SA 1055 as modified agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
77. S.AMDT.1058 to H.R.2361 To provide a substitute for title V.
Sponsor: Sen Bingaman, Jeff [D-NM] (introduced 6/27/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 6/28/2005 Senate amendment agreed to. Status:
Amendment SA 1058 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
79. S.AMDT.1060 to make certain funding revisions relating to
Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and Department of the Interior
administrative expenses.
Sponsor: Sen Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA] (introduced 6/27/2005)
Cosponsors (7)
Latest Major Action: 6/28/2005 Senate amendment agreed to. Status:
Amendment SA 1060 as modified agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
80. S.AMDT.1061 to provide that none of the funds made available
in this Act may be used in contravention of 15 U.S.C. section 2682(c)(3) or to
delay the implementation of that section.
Sponsor: Sen Obama, Barack [D-IL] (introduced 6/27/2005) Cosponsors
(None)
Latest Major Action: 6/28/2005 Senate amendment agreed to. Status:
Amendment SA 1061 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
87. S.AMDT.1068 to direct the Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency to conduct a review of all third party intentional human
dosing studies to identify or quantify toxic effects.
Sponsor: Sen Burns, Conrad R. [D-MT] (introduced 6/29/2005)
Cosponsors (3)
Latest Major Action: 6/29/2005 Senate amendment agreed to. Status:
Amendment SA 1068 agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay. 57 - 40.
RV 161.
88. S.AMDT.1071 to H.R.2361 $1.5 billion to make up a shortfall in VA
medical spending.
Sponsor: Sen Santorum, Rick [R-PA] (introduced 6/29/2005) Cosponsors
(17)
Latest Major Action: 6/29/2005 Senate amendment agreed to. Status:
Amendment SA 1071 agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay. 96 - 0.
RV165
WHAT THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR DOES ALL DAY
There are numerous agencies and activities of the Department of Interior ranging from managing parks to concerns of petroleum reserves. The potpourri of activities is something of a window into the enormity of America’s public resources. Here are some of the agencies and their responsibilities as described in the House committee report on the bill:
The Bureau of Land Management is responsible for the management, protection, and development of natural resources, including minerals, timber, rangeland, fish and wildlife habitat, and wilderness on about 261 million acres of the Nation's public lands and for management of 700 million additional acres of Federally-owned subsurface mineral rights.
The Bureau administers more than 18,000 grazing permits and leases nearly 13 million livestock animal unit months on some 214 million acres of public rangeland, and manages rangelands and facilities for 56,000 wild horses and burros, some 261 million acres of wildlife habitat, and over 117,000 miles of fisheries habitat. Grazing receipts are estimated to be about $13.2 million in fiscal year 2005, the same as the estimate for fiscal year 2004 and actual receipts of $11.8 million in fiscal year 2003. The Bureau also administers about 55 million acres of commercial forests and woodlands through the `Management of Lands and Resources' and `Oregon and California grant lands' appropriations. Timber receipts (including salvage) are estimated to be $36.6 million in fiscal year 2005 compared to estimated receipts of $28.9 million in fiscal year 2004 and actual receipts of $13.5 million in fiscal year 2003. The Bureau has an active program of soil and watershed management on 175 million acres in the lower 48 States and 86 million acres in Alaska. Practices such as revegetation, protective fencing, and water development are designed to conserve, enhance, and develop public land, soil, and watershed resources. The Bureau is also responsible for fire protection on the public lands and on all Department of the Interior managed lands in Alaska, and for the suppression of wildfires on the public lands in Alaska and the western States. To carry out it’s duties DOI will spend $840, 401, 000 for 2005. Up $553 million from last year.
US Fish & Wildlife Service
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is to conserve, protect and enhance fish and wildlife and their habitats for the continuing benefit of people. The Service has responsibility for migratory birds, threatened and endangered species, certain marine mammals, and land under Service control.
The Service manages nearly 96 million acres across the United States, encompassing a 544-unit National Wildlife Refuge System, additional wildlife and wetlands areas, and 69 National Fish Hatcheries. A network of law enforcement agents and port inspectors enforce Federal laws for the protection of fish and wildlife. In 2003, the Service celebrated the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the National Wildlife Refuge System. $950,987,000 for 2005 up $19.5 million over 2004
The National Park Service
The National Park Service, established in 1916, has stewardship responsibilities for the protection and preservation of the heritage resources of the national park system. The system, consisting of 388 separate and distinct units, is recognized globally as a leader in park management and resource preservation. The national park system represents much of the finest the Nation has to offer in terms of scenery, historical and archeological relics, and cultural heritage. Through its varied sites, the National Park Service attempts to explain America's history, interpret its culture, preserve examples of its natural ecosystems, and provide recreational and educational opportunities for U.S. citizens and visitors from all over the world. In addition, the National Park Service provides support to tribal, local, and State governments to preserve culturally significant, ecologically important, and public recreational lands. For 2005 $1.7 billion. $76.5 million over 2004
The Minerals management Service
The Minerals Management Service is responsible for collecting, distributing, accounting and auditing revenues from mineral leases on Federal and Indian lands. In fiscal year 2004, MMS expects to collect and distribute about $7.1 billion from active Federal and Indian leases.
The MMS also manages the offshore energy and mineral resources on the Nation's outer continental shelf. To date, the OCS program has been focused primarily on oil and gas leasing. Over the past several years, MMS has been exploring the possible development of other marine mineral resources, especially sand and gravel.
With the passage of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, MMS assumed increased responsibility for oil spill research, including the promotion of increased oil spill response capabilities, and for oil spill financial responsibility certifications of offshore platforms and pipelines. The MMS also operates the Interior Franchise Fund: the entrepreneurial GovWorks enterprise provides important procurement services to a variety of governmental agencies. For 2005 $275.3 million. $11.8 million over 2004.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs
The Bureau of Indian Affairs was created in 1824. Its mission is founded on a government-to-government relationship and trust responsibility that results from treaties with Native groups. The Bureau delivers services to over 1.5 million Native Americans through 12 regional offices and 83 agency offices. In addition, the Bureau provides education programs to Native Americans through the operation of 118 day schools, 52 boarding schools, and 14 dormitories. The Bureau administers more than 45 million acres of tribally owned land, and 10 million acres of individually owned land and over 309,000 acres of Federally owned land, which is held in trust status. For 2005 $1.9 billion. $42.3 million over 2004.
The Office of Insular Affairs
The Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) was established on August 4, 1995, through Secretarial Order No. 3191, which also abolished the former Office of Territorial and International Affairs. The OIA has important responsibilities to help the United States government fulfill its responsibilities to the four U.S. territories of Guam, American Samoa (AS), U.S. Virgin Islands and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI) and also the three freely associated States: the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) and the Republic of Palau. The permanent and trust fund payments to the territories and the compact nations provide substantial financial resources to these governments. During fiscal year 2004 new financial arrangements for the Compacts of Free Association with the FSM and the RMI were implemented; this also included mandatory payments for certain activities previously provided in discretionary appropriations as well as Compact impact payments of $30,000,000 per year split among Guam, CNMI, AS, and Hawaii. For 2005 $72.9 million. $ 809 thousand less than 2004.
American Samoa.$23.1 milliion. $284,000 above the 2004 level.
Northern Mariana Islands/Covenant Grants $27,720,000 for CNMI covenant grants, the same as the 2004 level.
Guam $30,000,000 per year, split among Guam, Hawaii, AS, and the CNMI, are provided to compensate governments for the impact of migration from the compact nations.
The US Forest Service
The U.S. Forest Service manages 192 million acres of public lands for multiple use Nationwide, including lands in 44 States and Puerto Rico, and cooperates with States, other Federal agencies, Tribes and others to sustain the Nation's forests and grasslands. The Forest Service administers a wide variety of programs, including forest and rangeland research, State and private forestry assistance, wildfire suppression and fuels reduction, cooperative forest health programs, and human resource programs. The National Forest System (NFS) includes 155 National forests, 20 National grasslands, 20 National recreation areas, a National tallgrass prairie, 6 National monuments, and 6 land utilization projects. The NFS is managed for multiple use, including timber production, recreation, wilderness, minerals, grazing, fish and wildlife habitat management, and soil and water conservation.
Within the National Forest System, which covers 192 million acres, there are 51 Congressionally designated areas, including 20 National recreation areas, and 7 National scenic areas. The NFS includes a substantial amount of the Nation's softwood inventory. In fiscal year 2002 over 208,000 acres of national forest vegetation was managed through timber sale activities, which produced 1.8 billion board feet of timber products. The NFS hosted over 211 million visits in fiscal year 2002. The NFS includes over 133,000 miles of trails and 25,000 developed facilities, including 4,389 campgrounds, 58 major visitor centers, and about one-half of the Nation's ski-lift capacity. Wilderness areas cover 35 million acres, nearly two-thirds of the wilderness in the contiguous 48 States. The Forest Service also has major habitat management responsibilities for more than 3,000 species of wildlife and fish, and 10,000 plant species and provides important habitat and open space for over 422 threatened or endangered species. Half of the Nation's big game habitat and coldwater fish habitat, including salmon and steelhead, is located on National forest system lands and waters. In addition, in the 16 western States, where the water supply is sometimes critically short, about 55 percent of the total annual yield of water is from National forest system lands. For 2005 $1.7 billion. $256 million less than 2004.
Indian Health Services
The provision of Federal health services to Indians is based on a special relationship between Indian tribes and the U.S. Government first set forth in the 1830s by the U.S. Supreme Court under Chief Justice John Marshall. Numerous treaties, statutes, constitutional provisions, and international law have reconfirmed this relationship. Principal among these is the Snyder Act of 1921, which provides the basic authority for most Indian health services provided by the Federal Government to American Indians and Alaska Natives. The Indian Health Service (IHS) provides direct health care services in 36 hospitals, 59 health centers, 2 school health centers, and 49 health stations. Tribes and tribal groups, through contracts and compacts with the IHS, operate 13 hospitals, 172 health centers, 3 school health centers, and 260 health stations (including 176 Alaska Native village clinics). The IHS, tribes, and tribal groups also operate 9 regional youth substance abuse treatment centers and 2,252 units of staff quarters. $2.6 billion for 2005. $97.9 million over 2004.
The Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is unique in the Federal establishment. Established by the Congress in 1846 to carry out the trust included in James Smithson's will, it has been engaged for over 150 years in the `increase and diffusion of knowledge among men' in accordance with the donor's instructions. For some years, it used only the funds made available by the trust. Then, before the turn of the century, it began to receive Federal appropriations to conduct some of its activities. With the expenditure of both private and Federal funds over the years, it has grown into one of the world's great scientific, cultural, and intellectual organizations. It operates magnificent museums, outstanding art galleries, and important research centers. Its collections are among the best in the world. Its traveling exhibits bring beauty and information throughout the country.
The Smithsonian attracted approximately 25,000,000 visitors in 2003 to its museums, galleries, and zoological park. Additional millions also view Smithsonian traveling exhibitions, which appear across the United States and abroad. Another major attraction is the annual Folklife Festival, which is held on the Mall in Washington, DC. As custodian of the National Collections, the Smithsonian is responsible for more than 140 million art objects, natural history specimens, and artifacts. These collections are displayed for the enjoyment and education of visitors and are available for research by the staff of the Institution and by hundreds of visiting students, scientists, and historians each year. Other significant study efforts draw their data and results directly from terrestrial, marine, and astrophysical observations at various Smithsonian installations.
The Smithsonian complex presently consists of 17 museums and galleries in New York City and the Washington, DC metropolitan area, including a zoological park; a number of research centers including an animal conservation and research center in Front Royal, Virginia; a natural preserve in Panama and one on the Chesapeake Bay; an oceanographic research facility in Fort Pierce, Florida; astrophysical stations in Cambridge, Massachusetts and Mt. Hopkins, Arizona and elsewhere; and supporting administrative, laboratory, and storage areas. For salary and expenses 2005 $499.1 million. $8.2 million over 2004.
The National Gallery of Art
The National Gallery of Art is one of the world's great galleries. Its magnificent works of art are displayed for the benefit of millions of visitors from across this Nation and from other nations. The National Gallery of Art serves as an example of a successful cooperative endeavor between private individuals and institutions and the Federal Government. The many special exhibitions shown in the Gallery and then throughout the country bring great art treasures to Washington and the Nation. In 1999, the Gallery opened a sculpture garden, which provides a wonderful opportunity for the public to have an outdoor artistic experience in a lovely, contemplative setting. For salary and expenses 2005 $93 million. $6.2 million over 2004 spending.
JFK Center for the Performing Arts
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a living memorial to the late President Kennedy and is the National Center for the Performing Arts. The Center consists of over 1.5 million square feet of usable floor space with visitation averaging 10,000 on a daily basis. For operations and maintenance 2005 $17/1 million. $796,000 over 2004 spending.
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars is a unique institution with a special mission to serve as a living memorial to President Woodrow Wilson. The Center performs this mandate through its role as an international institute for advanced study as well as a facilitator for discussions among scholars, public officials, journalists and business leaders from across the country on major long-term issues facing this Nation and the world. For 2005 $8.9 million. $489,000 over 2004 spending.
National Historic Preservation
The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 established the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. The Advisory Council was reauthorized as part of the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-333). The Council's mandate is to further the National policy of preserving historic and cultural resources for the benefit of present and future generations. The Council advises the President and Congress on preservation matters and provides consultation on historic properties threatened by Federal action. For 2005 $4.6 million. $649,000 over 2004 spending.
Holocaust Memorial in Washington, D.C.
In 1980, Congress passed legislation creating a 65 member Holocaust Memorial Council with the mandate to create and oversee a living memorial/museum to victims of holocausts. The museum opened in April 1993. Construction costs for the museum came solely from donated funds raised by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Campaign and appropriated funds were used for planning and development of programmatic components, overall administrative support, and annual commemorative observances. Since the opening of the museum, appropriated funds have been provided to pay for the ongoing operating costs of the museum as authorized by Public Law 102-529 and Public Law 106-292. For 2005 $41.4 million. $1.9 million over 2004 spending. ## All Rights Reserved. No reproduction or distribution without written permission from TheWeekInCongress.com.
OVERALL SPENDING AMOUNTS
The Committee has conducted hearings on the programs and projects provided for in the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill for 2006. The hearings are contained in 9 published volumes totaling nearly 10,000 pages.
During the course of the hearings, testimony was taken at 10 hearings on 8 days, not only from agencies which come under the jurisdiction of the Interior Subcommittee, but also, in written form, from Members of Congress, State and local government officials, and private citizens.
The bill that is recommended for fiscal year 2006 has been developed after careful consideration of all the facts and details available to the Committee.
BUDGET AUTHORITY RECOMMENDED IN BILL BY TITLE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Activity Budget estimates, fiscal year 2006 Committee bill, fiscal year 2006 Committee bill compared with budget estimates
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title I, Department of the Interior: New Budget (obligational) authority $9,792,069,000 $9,808,693,000 +$16,624,000
Title II, Environmental Protection Agency: New Budget (obligational) authority 7,520,600,000 7,708,027,000 +187,427,000
Title III, related agencies: New Budget (obligational) authority 8,411,659,000 8,642,405,000 +230,746,000
Grand total, New Budget (obligational) authority 25,724,328,000 26,159,125,000 +434,797,000
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In addition to the amounts in the accompanying bill, which are reflected in the table above, permanent legislation authorizes the continuation of certain government activities without consideration by the Congress during the annual appropriations process.
Details of these activities are listed in tables at the end of this report. In fiscal year 2005, these activities are estimated to total $3,568,891,000. The estimate for fiscal year 2006 is $3,658,910,000.
The following table reflects the total budget (obligational) authority contained both in this bill and in permanent appropriations for fiscal years 2005 and 2006.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, AND RELATED AGENCIES TOTAL BUDGET AUTHORITY FOR FISCAL YEARS 2005-2006
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Item Fiscal year 2005 Fiscal year 2006 Change
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interior, Environment, and related agencies appropriations bill $26,982,234,000 $26,159,125,000 -$823,109,000
Permanent appropriations, Federal funds 2,985,066,000 3,047,966,000 +62,900,000
Permanent appropriations, trust funds 583,825,000 610,944,000 +27,119,000
Total budget authority 30,551,125,000 29,818,035,000 -733,090,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following tabulation indicates total new obligational authority to date for fiscal years 2004 and 2005, and the amount recommended in the bill for fiscal year 2006. It compares receipts generated by activities in this bill on an actual basis for fiscal year 2004 and on an estimated basis for fiscal years 2005 and 2006. The programs in this bill are estimated to generate $13.9 billion in revenues for the Federal Government in fiscal year 2006. Therefore, the expenditures in this bill will contribute to economic stability rather than inflation.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Item Fiscal year--
2004 2005 2006
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
New obligational authority $27,316,209,000 $26,982,234,000 $26,159,125,000
Receipts:
Department of the Interior 9,643,359,000 12,497,212,000 13,418,547,000
Forest Service 445,533,000 439,106,000 447,050,000
Total receipts 10,088,892,000 12,936,318,000 13,865,597,000
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THE COMMITTEE REPORT SUMMARY OF THE BILL
The Committee recommends appropriations of new budget authority aggregating $5.9 billion for Indian programs in fiscal year 2006. This is an increase of $108 million above the budget request and an increase of $108 million above the amount appropriated for fiscal year 2005. Spending for Indian services by the Federal Government in total is included in the following table.
GOVERNMENT-WIDE FEDERAL FUNDING FOR NATIVE AMERICAN PROGRAMS
[In thousands of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FY 2004 actual FY 2005 enacted FY 2006 Pres. bud Change from FY05
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Department of Agriculture 798,812 877,371 899,771 22,400
Army Corps of Engineers 34,490 41,376 22,829 -18,547
Department of Commerce 20,945 21,668 20,657 -1,011
Department of Defense 18,000 18,000 0 -18,000
Department of Education 2,438,510 2,524,650 2,550,101 25,451
Department of Health & Human Services 4,263,144 4,359,999 4,456,322 96,323
Department of Housing & Urban Development 733,085 650,970 590,796 -60,174
Department of the Interior 2,887,399 3,030,079 2,984,840 -45,239
Department of Justice 234,594 232,016 245,185 13,169
Department of Labor 69,602 69,032 68,488 -544
Department of Transportation 274,861 329,491 329,581 90
Department of Veterans Affairs 571 567 580 13
Environmental Protection Agency 243,895 239,004 205,560 -33,443
Small Business Administration 1,979 987 0 -987
Smithsonian Institution 51,630 45,925 45,792 -133
Department of the Treasury 4,000 4,000 0 -4,000
Other Agencies & Independent Agencies 96,924 101,594 39,582 -62,012
Grand Total 12,172,441 12,546,729 12,460,084 -86,644
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Land Acquisitions and Forest Legacy- Lands shall not be acquired for more than the approved appraised value (as addressed in section 301(3) of Public Law 91-646) except for condemnations and declarations of taking, unless such acquisitions are submitted to the Committees on Appropriations for approval in compliance with these procedures.
Land Exchanges- Land exchanges, wherein the estimated value of the Federal lands to be exchanged is greater than $500,000, shall not be consummated until the Committees on Appropriations have had a 30-day period in which to examine the proposed exchange.
Appropriations Structure- The appropriation structure for any agency shall not be altered without advance approval of the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.
The Committee's fiscal year 2006 budget recommendations reflect the necessity to stay within a constrained allocation in this time of conflict in Iraq and homeland security concerns. The recommendations are also sensitive to the need to address the budget deficit. The Committee's recommendations reflect the belief that: (1) proposed cuts to many core programs are unacceptable; (2) large increases for grant programs are unrealistic; (3) reductions to Indian health, welfare and education programs are unacceptable; (4) critical forest health programs must be continued; (5) untested and unproven grant programs and new land acquisition are a low priority; and (6) large, expensive partnership projects that have not been approved in advance by the Committee are unacceptable because they result in additional operational costs and displace critical backlog maintenance requirements.
Reductions to programs in Indian Country, including education grants, welfare programs, and Indian school and hospital construction funding have been restored to the maximum extent possible given the overall funding available in the Committee's recommendations for fiscal year 2006. We must maintain our commitments to American Indian and Alaska Natives and critically needed education and health programs are central to our ability to meet those commitments.
Wildfire management efforts and forest health programs are some of the most critically important core programs on which the Committee has focused scarce resources. The Committee recommendation increases funding for wildland fire management by $351 million above the request and $146 million above the fiscal year 2005 enacted level, including a total of $492 million for hazardous fuels reduction. In addition, the Committee has maintained funding for critical and essential forest health management programs and for national fire plan support. Without these funds, we will not be able to protect communities and natural resources and we will have ever-increasing wildfire suppression costs in the future and the number and severity of large fire events will grow.
The Committee believes strongly that the agencies funded in the Interior and Related Agencies bill need to more effectively manage the funds they have. Travel costs need to be closely monitored and controlled. The number, size, and cost of government-sponsored conferences also should be reduced.
The Committee expects the Departments and agencies funded in this bill to make maximum use of low cost airfares, consistent with General Services Administration guidelines. The GSA permits the use of lower fares, available to the general public, offered by non-contract carriers, if such use will result in a lower total trip cost. Consistent with GSA guidelines, the Committee expects each Department and agency to determine if such lower fares are available and, if so, those lower fares should be used unless the contract carrier that would have otherwise been used will provide a comparable fare. This direction applies to all official travel funded in this bill.
Major new construction projects should not be initiated at the expense of critical operations and maintenance requirements. Likewise, no new construction project should be initiated without a thorough analysis of the future staffing, operations, and maintenance costs that will result, and the Committee should be consulted at the earliest possible stage when a major construction project is under consideration. This has been a particular problem in the National Park Service.
The Committee appreciates the need for information technology improvements, enterprise services networks, and implementing portions of the President's management agenda. However, to date, a lot of funding has been dedicated to these initiatives without a well thought-out and reasonable approach to addressing requirements. Commercially available systems, through the private sector, should be used to the maximum extent possible rather than building customized new systems. Likewise, the Committee does not endorse the practice of assessing costs against programs to build bigger administrative bureaucracies in response to new administrative and technology requirements or the practice of reducing program budgets on the basis of presumed future savings. These costs should be clearly justified and requested under administrative accounts and any future savings associated with administrative improvements should be demonstrated before budget reductions are proposed. While portions of the Administration's management agenda may indeed be useful, funds should not be taken from all agencies to provide centralized funding for the various lead agencies. If funding is needed for government wide initiatives, it should be requested and managed by each lead agency.
The Committee has made difficult choices in formulating its fiscal year 2006 budget recommendations. Each agency funded in the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies bill needs to examine its way of doing business in these constrained fiscal times and focus on its core, proven programs and on better management of resources.
The Committee has been unable to provide funds for the Cooperative Conservation Initiative challenge cost share program because of severe fiscal constraints. However, the Committee remains supportive of the concept and has continued the traditional agency challenge cost share program. The Committee has no objection to broadening the scope of the ongoing program to encompass resource protection activities.
The Bureau of Land Management is responsible for the multiple use management, protection, and development of a full range of natural resources, including minerals, timber, rangeland, fish and wildlife habitat, and wilderness on about 261 million acres of the Nation's public lands and for management of 700 million additional acres of Federally-owned subsurface mineral rights. The Bureau is the second largest supplier of public outdoor recreation in the Western United States.
Under the multiple-use and ecosystem management concept the Bureau administers more than 18,000 grazing permits and leases and nearly 13 million livestock animal unit months on 214 million acres of public rangeland, and manages rangelands and facilities for 56,000 wild horses and burros, 261 million acres of wildlife habitat, and over 117,000 miles of fisheries habitat. Grazing receipts are estimated to be about $12.2 million in fiscal year 2006, the same as the estimate for fiscal year 2005 and actual receipts of $11.8 million in fiscal year 2004. The Bureau also administers about 55 million acres of commercial forests and woodlands through the `Management of Lands and Resources' and `Oregon and California Grant Lands' appropriations. Timber receipts (including salvage) are estimated to be $55.4 million in fiscal year 2006 compared to estimated receipts of $33.0 million in fiscal year 2005 and actual receipts of $13.5 million in fiscal year 2004. The Bureau has an active program of soil and watershed management on 175 million acres in the lower 48 States and 86 million acres in Alaska. Practices such as revegetation, protective fencing, and water development are designed to conserve, enhance, and develop public land, soil, and watershed resources. The Bureau is also responsible for fire protection on the public lands and on all Department of the Interior managed lands in Alaska, and for the suppression of wildfires on the public lands in Alaska and the western States.
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
Appropriation enacted, 2005 $836,826,000
Budget estimate, 2006 850,177,000
Recommended, 2006 845,783,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 +8,957,000
Budget estimate, 2006 -4,394,000
-----------------------------------------
The Committee recommends $845,783,000 for management of lands and resources, $4,394,000 below the budget request and $8,957,000 above the fiscal year 2005 enacted level.
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
Insert graphic folio 01 20754A.001
Insert graphic folio 02 20754A.002
Insert graphic folio 03 20754A.003
Land Resources.--The Committee recommends $189,919,000 for land resources, $2,956,000 above the budget request and $1,905,000 above the fiscal year 2005 enacted level. Changes from the budget request include increases of $1,000,000 for the San Pedro Partnership and $1,100,000 for Santa Ana River conservation and land management programs, $156,000 for accelerated soil surveys in Wyoming, $1,000,000 for the Idaho strategic plan for noxious weed control, and a decrease of $300,000 for rangeland restoration.
The increase provided for the Upper San Pedro Partnership shall be used only for water conservation and retention projects within the Upper San Pedro river region.
Wildlife and Fisheries.--The Committee recommends $41,048,000 for wildlife and fisheries, the same as the budget request and $4,137,000 above the fiscal year 2005 enacted level.
Threatened and Endangered Species.--The Committee recommends $21,572,000 for threatened and endangered species, the same as the budget request and $428,000 above the fiscal year 2005 enacted level.
Recreation Management.--The Committee recommends $64,604,000 for recreation management, $1,000,000 above the budget request and $5,015,000 above the fiscal year 2005 enacted level. The change from the budget request is an increase of $1,000,000 for the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa National Monument plan implementation.
The managers urge the Bureau to comply with the provisions of the Steens Act and allow landowner, lessee and inholder access to their property within the boundary of the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area. Unless funding is provided for land acquisition or exchanges, landowners should be afforded full access to their property.
Energy and Minerals.--The Committee recommends $110,069,000 for energy and minerals including Alaska minerals, $2,000,000 above the budget request and $494,000 above the fiscal year 2005 enacted level. The change from the budget request is an increase of $2,000,000 for oil and gas management.
The Committee believes that U.S. oil shale development is an important domestic energy resource. This energy source has the potential to help reduce America's growing dependence on foreign oil imports, provided that such oil shale development, for both research and development as well as large scale commercial projects, is conducted in an environmentally acceptable and economically feasible manner. The Committee directs the Bureau to report by December 31, 2005, on the administrative, regulatory, and statutory steps that may be necessary to proceed with oil shale development, including, but not limited to, acreage limitations on leases and permitting measures needed to stimulate oil shale research and commercial development.
Realty and Ownership Management.--The Committee recommends $81,146,000 for realty and ownership management, the same as the budget request and $11,478,000 below the fiscal year 2005 enacted level.
Resource Protection and Maintenance.--The Committee recommends $85,866,000 for resource protection and maintenance, $2,250,000 above the budget request and $4,365,000 above the fiscal year 2005 enacted level. Changes from the request include increases of $1,250,000 for the law enforcement initiative and $1,000,000 for California desert conservation area plans. The increase for law enforcement activities should be directed to increasing law enforcement presence on the Southwestern border in New Mexico, Arizona, and California.
Transportation and Facilities Maintenance.--The Committee recommends $76,291,000 for transportation and facilities maintenance, the same as the budget request and $1,522,000 below the fiscal year 2005 enacted level.
Land and Resource Information Systems.--The Committee recommends $18,217,000 for land and resource information systems, the same as the budget request and $155,000 above the fiscal year 2005 enacted level.
Mining Law Administration.--The Committee recommends $32,696,000 for mining law administration. Offsetting fees are equal to the amount made available to support this activity.
Workforce and Organizational Support.--The Committee recommends $147,619,000 for workforce and organizational support, the same as the budget request and $5,458,000 above the fiscal year 2005 enacted level.
Challenge Cost Share.--The Committee recommends $7,396,000 for the Bureau's traditional challenge cost share program, $12,600,000 below the budget request and the same as the fiscal year 2005 enacted level.
Bill Language- Language is included in Title IV--General Provisions concerning e government initiatives, competitive sourcing studies and the Service First initiative.
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
Appropriation enacted, 2005 $831,295,000
Budget estimate, 2006 756,564,000
Recommended, 2006 761,564,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 -69,731,000
Budget estimate, 2006 +5,000,000
-----------------------------------------
The Committee recommends $761,564,000 for wildland fire management, $5,000,000 above the budget request and $69,731,000 below the fiscal year 2005 enacted level. When adjusted for emergency appropriations there is an increase of $28,880,000 above the fiscal year 2005 enacted level.
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
Insert graphic folio 04 20754A.004
The appropriation includes $272,852,000 for preparedness, $234,167,000 for fire suppression operations, $211,220,000 for hazardous fuels reduction, $24,476,000 for burned area rehabilitation, $5,000,000 for rural fire assistance, $7,849,000 for deferred maintenance and capital improvement and $6,000,000 for the joint fire science program.
The Committee has provided the requested funds for the hazardous fuels program but wants to ensure that these funds are used to address the Nation's highest priority fuels projects. The Committee continues to stress that the Department should be coordinating hazardous fuels activities with the Department of Agriculture, State fire agencies and community wildfire protection plans.
The Committee does not approve the new budget alignment within wildland fire management. Including joint fire science and facilities activities in the preparedness budget artificially inflates the preparedness budget and makes it difficult to compare to previous readiness levels. The Committee sees no compelling reason to include any other activities in the preparedness or suppression budgets.
The Committee remains concerned about the high costs of large fire incidents. The Department of the Interior, along with the Forest Service should ensure that cost containment is an important priority when suppressing wildland fires. Therefore, the Committee directs the Department of the Interior and the Forest Service to continue reports directed previously and to examine, using independent panels, any individual wildfire incident which results in expenses greater than $10,000,000.
The Committee has partially restored the rural fire assistance program. The Administration's rationale for the reduction was that similar funding was available within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for rural fire assistance. The Committee is skeptical that the Department of the Interior will receive commensurate funding from FEMA and will be able retain the same flexibility in directing the funding to the highest priority needs. The Committee directs the Department to report, no later than December 31, 2005, with detailed information on how the FEMA funding will be received and allocated.
Bill Language.--Language is included under the wildland fire management account allowing the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to transfer not more than $9,000,000 between the two Departments for wildland fire management programs and projects. Language is also included allowing the use of wildfire suppression funds in support of Federal emergency response actions.
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
Appropriation enacted, 2005 $11,340,000
Budget estimate, 2006 6,476,000
Recommended, 2006 11,476,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 +136,000
Budget estimate, 2006 +5,000,000
----------------------------------------
The Committee recommends $11,476,000 for construction, $5,000,000 above the budget request and $136,000 above the 2005 enacted level. The increase above the budget request is to address high priority deferred maintenance construction projects that improve recreation facilities and public access.
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
Appropriation enacted, 2005 $11,192,000
Budget estimate, 2006 13,350,000
Recommended, 2006 3,817,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 -7,375,000
Budget estimate, 2006 -9,533,000
----------------------------------------
The Committee recommends $3,817,000 for land acquisition, a decrease of $9,533,000 below the budget request and $7,375,000 below the fiscal year 2005 enacted level. This amount includes $1,500,000 for emergencies and hardships, and $2,317,000 for acquisition management.
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
Appropriation enacted, 2005 $107,497,000
Budget estimate, 2006 110,070,000
Recommended, 2006 110,070,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 +2,573,000
Budget estimate, 2006 0
-----------------------------------------
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
Insert graphic folio 05 20754A.005
The Committee recommends $110,070,000 for the Oregon and California grant lands, the same as the budget request and $2,573,000 above the fiscal year 2005 enacted level.
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
Appropriation enacted, 2005 $10,000,000
Budget estimate, 2006 10,000,000
Recommended, 2006 10,000,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 0
Budget estimate, 2006 0
----------------------------------------
The Committee recommends an indefinite appropriation of not less than $10,000,000 to be derived from public lands receipts and Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act lands grazing receipts. Receipts are used for construction, purchase, and maintenance of range improvements, such as seeding, fence construction, weed control, water development, fish and wildlife habitat improvement, and planning and design of these projects.
The Committee recommends an indefinite appropriation estimated to be $32,940,000, the budget request, for service charges, deposits, and forfeitures. This appropriation is offset with fees collected under specified sections of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and other Acts to pay for reasonable administrative and other costs in connection with rights-of-way applications from the private sector, miscellaneous cost-recoverable realty cases, timber contract expenses, repair of damaged lands, the adopt-a-horse program, and the provision of copies of official public land documents.
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
Appropriation enacted, 2005 $12,405,000
Budget estimate, 2006 12,405,000
Recommended, 2006 12,405,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 0
Budget estimate, 2006 0
----------------------------------------
The Committee recommends an indefinite appropriation estimated to be $12,405,000, the budget request, for miscellaneous trust funds. The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 provides for the receipt and expenditure of moneys received as donations or gifts (section 307). Funds in this trust fund are derived from the administrative and survey costs paid by applicants for conveyance of omitted lands (lands fraudulently or erroneously omitted from original cadastral surveys), from advances for other types of surveys requested by individuals, and from contributions made by users of Federal rangelands. Amounts received from the sale of Alaska town lots are also available for expenses of sale and maintenance of town sites. Revenue from unsurveyed lands, and surveys of omitted lands, administrative costs of conveyance, and gifts and donations must be appropriated before it can be used.
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is to conserve, protect and enhance fish and wildlife and their habitats for the continuing benefit of people. The Service has responsibility for migratory birds, threatened and endangered species, certain marine mammals, and land under Service control.
The Service manages nearly 96 million acres across the United States, encompassing a 545-unit National Wildlife Refuge System, additional wildlife and wetlands areas, and 69 National Fish Hatcheries. A network of law enforcement agents and port inspectors enforce Federal laws for the protection of fish and wildlife. In 2003, the Service celebrated the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------
Appropriation enacted, 2005 $962,940,000
Budget estimate, 2006 985,563,000
Recommended, 2006 1,005,225,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 +42,285,000
Budget estimate, 2006 +19,662,000
------------------------------------------
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
Insert graphic folio 06 20754A.006
Insert graphic folio 07 20754A.007
The Committee recommends $1,005,225,000 for resource management, an increase of $42,285,000 above the budget request and $19,662,000 above the fiscal year 2005 level. Changes to the budget request are detailed below.
Ecological Services.--The Committee recommends $260,893,000 for ecological services, an increase of $10,320,000 above the budget request.
Increases for endangered species candidate conservation programs include $300,000 for Idaho sage grouse and $300,000 for the Fisher (Martes pennanti).
Increases for recovery programs include $1,000,000 to restore the Platte River recovery program, $1,500,000 for wolf monitoring in Idaho, $200,000 for the Gabbro soils inventory in California, $2,000,000 for Pacific salmon grants to be administered through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, $700,000 to restore funding for the Upper Colorado River recovery program, $500,000 for Florida manatee protection and recovery, and $300,000 for Northern Aplomado falcon recovery efforts through the Peregrine Fund.
For the Partners for Fish and Wildlife program, there is a decrease of $4,000,000 to the proposed program expansion of the Upper Klamath Basin restoration program, and increases of $1,400,000 for Washington regional fisheries enhancement groups, $700,000 for environmental data quality and access for the Washington salmon recovery effort, $180,000 for technical assistance at the New Jersey Meadowlands; $750,000 for restoration in the Tunkhannock, Bentley, and Bowman's Creek watersheds in Pennsylvania, $500,000 for fish passage in the west branch of the Susquehanna River, $500,000 for Georgia streambank restoration, $500,000 for nutria eradication at the Blackwater NWR, MD, $500,000 for Susquehanna River headwaters multiple use wetlands, and $500,000 for a study of Colorado River flow and aquatic habitats from Longhorn Dam to Matagorda Bay.
In project planning, increases include $270,000 to restore the FERC review/relicensing program, $550,000 for the Middle Rio Grande initiative, $100,000 to continue operations at the Cedar City, UT ecological services office, and $170,000 to restore the base program.
In coastal programs there are increases of $200,000 for the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group, $200,000 for Long Live the Kings, and $300,000 to restore funding for the Tampa and Florida panhandle field offices, and a decrease of $2,500,000 to the proposed coastal program expansion.
In the environmental contaminants program, there is an increase of $2,700,000. The Committee rejects the budget proposal to reduce this account.
Refuges and wildlife.--The Committee recommends $490,358,000 for refuges and wildlife, a decrease of $2,783,000 below the budget request.
In refuge operations, there is a net increase of $500,000. For wildlife and habitat management, there is a $7,600,000 decrease for the departmental challenge cost share program, and increases of $1,400,000 to restore the spartina grass control program at the Willapa NWR, WA, $1,000,000 for cooperative projects with friends groups on invasive species control, $1,100,000 to restore the base budget for general operations, and $2,000,000 to continue `minimum staffing' implementation using an updated refuge operating needs system. For refuge visitor services, there are increases of $2,000,000 to restore the visitor facility enhancements program and $600,000 to restore the base budget for general operations.
In migratory bird management, there is a decrease of $3,483,000. For conservation and monitoring decreases include $750,000 for focal species management, $200,000 for survey and monitoring, and $200,000 for population and habitat assessment. For the joint ventures program, decreases include $1,433,000 for new joint ventures, $800,000 for existing joint ventures, and $100,000 for national administration. The Committee is very supportive of the migratory bird management program and has retained some of the increases proposed in the budget request.
In law enforcement operations, there is an increase of $200,000 to restore partially the law enforcement vehicle replacement program.
Fisheries.--The Committee recommends $118,756,000 for fisheries, an increase of $11,100,000 above the budget request. For hatchery operations, there is a decrease of $600,000. For hatchery maintenance, there is an increase of $1,500,000 to restore partially whirling disease research. For fish and wildlife management, increases include $1,150,000 to restore the proposed general reduction, $1,750,000 for the national fish habitat initiative, $1,700,000 to restore the fish passage program, $500,000 to restore the Great Lakes fish and wildlife restoration program, $2,000,000 for Washington State salmon mass marking of hatchery fish, $500,000 for Washington hatchery improvement to be divided equally between the Hatchery Scientific Review Group and Long Live the Kings, $250,000 for the Regional Mark Processing Center, and $350,000 for Yukon River Salmon Treaty programs. There is also an increase of $2,000,000 to restore the marine mammals program.
General Administration.--The Committee recommends $135,218,000 for general administration, a net increase of $1,025,000 above the budget request. In general operations, there is an increase of $2,025,000 to restore the proposed reduction for unidentified management efficiencies. For the National Conservation Training Center, there is a decrease of $375,000 for operations and an increase of $375,000 for maintenance. For the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, there is an increase of $300,000 to restore the base program. For the science excellence initiative, there is a decrease of $1,500,000. In international affairs, there is a decrease of $200,000 for the international wildlife trade program and an increase of $400,000 to restore base funding for the wildlife without borders program.
Bill Language.--The Committee recommends continuing bill language earmarking funding for the endangered species listing program. A total of $18,130,000, as requested, is earmarked for listing, of which $12,852,000 is earmarked for critical habitat designation.
The Committee agrees to the following:
1. Funds provided for wolf monitoring in Idaho include $460,000 for the Nez Perce Tribe, $940,000 for the Idaho Office of Species Conservation, and $100,000 for the Service's Snake River Basin Office.
2. Funds for the Gabbro soils inventory are to conduct a survey to evaluate the degree of protection afforded five plant species relative to recovery plan targets.
3. The Committee has retained the proposed general increase for the Endangered Species Act consultation program and expects the Service to use this increase to address the backlog of critical consultation needs such as those associated with the American burying beetle in Oklahoma and the extraordinary needs in California.
4. Last year the Committee urged the Service and the Department not to abandon their commitment to addressing the critical operations and maintenance backlog needs of the National Wildlife Refuge System now that 100th anniversary of the refuge system has passed. The Service was directed to update its minimum staffing analysis, which forms the basis for tier one of the Refuge Operating Needs System, no later than January 15, 2005. The Committee has not received that updated analysis and expects the Service to comply with that requirement prior to conference action on the fiscal year 2006 appropriations bill.
5. In fulfilling its responsibilities for the operation of Vieques NWR, the Service should continue to consult with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
6. The increase above the 2005 level for migratory bird management should be used mainly to fill the large number of critical staff vacancies.
7. The Peregrine Fund should be funded at $700,000 in fiscal year 2006, which includes $300,000 for Northern Aplomado Falcon recovery activities.
8. The Service should continue and intensify its efforts to collect reimbursements for fisheries mitigation efforts and use those funds to address habitat restoration and conservation. The fiscal year 2007 budget justification should include an update on the Service's efforts in this area.
9. The Committee commends the extensive efforts of the fisheries program over the past year to collect, correct, and standardize data on program spending and to identify critical operational shortfalls caused by base budget erosion. The Committee-recommended increases to the base budget are based on those data. The Committee expects the fisheries program to address inequities in field station funding when allocating base budget increases; to include consideration of reimbursable funding; to incorporate the results of the recent workforce planning effort; and to maintain salary and benefit costs, as a percent of total budget, at the same levels for each field station.
10. The Committee is pleased with the development of the National Fish Habitat Initiative, and believes that this model has the potential to be a very effective tool for reversing the declines of aquatic species caused largely by habitat degradation. The Committee recommends $1,750,000 for the National Fish Habitat Initiative. Of the amount provided, 80% should be used to implement on-the-ground, cost-shared habitat restoration projects, identified in the Fisheries Operational Needs System and in direct support of fish habitat partnerships and pilot joint ventures, and 20% should be used to support continued development of the National Fish Habitat Plan.
11. The Committee is concerned about the number of depleted populations of Federal trust species; particularly those lacking adequate population assessments and management plans. Many of these species are indicators of larger ecosystem and human health issues and regular monitoring of the health of these populations is necessary. The Committee is pleased with the efforts of the fisheries program to address this need, and expects that a portion of the recommended base budget increase will be used for this purpose. The Committee further encourages the Service to support this effort in future budget requests.
12. The Committee continues to believe that the Service's science initiative needs to be closely coordinated with, and jointly funded by, the U.S. Geological Survey and has provided $500,000 for the Service and $200,000 for the Survey for the initiative.
13. The Committee has recommended bill language in Title IV--General provisions prohibiting the use of funds for Safecom and Disaster.gov activities. Funds requested for these activities should be reprogrammed to cover equitably program shortfalls not funded in the budget request (associated with the underestimates of administrative costs when the Cost Allocation Methodology funds were realigned to programs in fiscal year 2005) .
14. Since enactment of the Captive Wildlife Safety Act, the Service has worked to craft the required regulations. The Service is pursuing this effort, in consultation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, and is committed to providing an effective and enforceable framework for implementing this law. The Committee expects the Service to publish a proposed rule as soon as possible and to report to the Committee on implementation requirements (funding and staffing) associated with the rule no later than November 1, 2005.
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Appropriation enacted, 2005 $93,210,000
Budget estimate, 2006 19,676,000
Recommended, 2006 41,206,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 -52,004,000
Budget estimate, 2006 +21,530,000
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The Committee recommends $41,206,000 for construction, a decrease of $52,004,000 below the fiscal year 2005 level and an increase of $21,530,000 above the budget request.
The Committee agrees to the following distribution of funds:
[Dollars in thousands]
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Project Description Budget request Committee recommendation Difference
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Allegheny NFH, PA Water Supply Improvements [cc] 0 725 725
Clark R. Bavin Forensics Laboratory, OR Renovation/Upgrade Facility--Phase II [cc] 0 3,355 3,355
Crab Orchard NWR, IL Visitor Center Dam Rehabilitation [cc] 2,625 2,625 0
Big Oaks NWR, IN Old Timbers Lake Dam Rehabilitation--Phase II [d/cc] 150 150 0
Balcones Canyonlands NWR, TX Martin Lake and Martin West Dams [p/d/cc] 500 500 0
Kenai NWR, AK Visitor Center/Water and Sewer Lines [cc] 0 500 500
Klamath Basin NWR Complex, CA Water Supply and Management--Phase V [cc] 0 2,500 2,500
Kofa NWR, AZ Structural Replacement of Four Buildings--Phase II [cc] 1,515 1,515 0
Craig Brook NFH, ME Wastewater Treatment Compliance--Phase III [cc] 2,480 2,480 0
Division of Safety, Security and Aviation Replacement of Survey Aircraft--Phase III 1,500 1,500 0
Fish Springs NWR, UT Seismic Safety/Rehabilitation of 6 Buildings [cc] 0 300 300
Hanford Reach NM/Saddle Mountain NWR, WA Visitor Center [cc] 0 2,250 2,250
Northwest Power Planning Area Fish Screens, etc 0 3,000 3,000
Servicewide Bridge Safety Inspections 570 570 0
Servicewide Dam Safety Programs & Inspections 720 720 0
Servicewide Visitor Contact Facilities 0 5,000 5,000
Tualatin NWR, OR Visitor Center and Administration Building [cc] 0 3,900 3,900
Subtotal, Line Item Construction 10,060 31,590 21,530
Nationwide Engineering Services:
Cost Allocation Methodology 2,456 2,456 0
Environmental Compliance 1,000 1,000 0
Other, non-project specific Nationwide Engineering Services 5,900 5,900 0
Seismic Safety Program 130 130 0
Waste Prevention, Recycling, Environmental Management 130 130 0
Subtotal, Nationwide Engineering Services 9,616 9,616 0
Total 19,676 41,206 21,530
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The Service should continue to use a standardized design approach for visitor centers and should request funding for visitor centers on the priority list. The Committee has provided funding to complete several projects that are currently underway. The budget request was irresponsible in not including construction funds for construction projects in process.
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Appropriation enacted, 2005 $37,005,000
Budget estimate, 2006 40,992,000
Recommended, 2006 14,937,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 -22,068,000
Budget estimate, 2006 -26,055,000
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The Committee recommends $14,937,000 for land acquisition, a decrease of $26,055,000 below the budget request and $22,068,000 below the enacted level. This amount includes $1,750,000 for inholdings, $1,750,000 for emergencies and hardships, $1,724,000 for exchanges, $7,893,000 for acquisition management, and $1,820,000 for cost allocation methodology.
The landowner incentive program provides funds to States, territories and tribes for matching, competitively awarded grants to establish or supplement landowner incentive programs that provide technical and financial assistance to private landowners. The purpose of these incentive programs is to restore and protect habitat of Federally listed, proposed, and candidate species under the Endangered Species Act and other at risk species on private lands. Eligible grantees include the States, the District of Columbia, Indian Tribes, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa.
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Appropriation enacted, 2005 $21,694,000
Budget estimate, 2006 40,000,000
Recommended, 2006 23,700,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 +2,006,000
Budget estimate, 2006 -16,300,000
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The Committee recommends $23,700,000 for the landowner incentive program, an increase of $2,006,000 above the fiscal year 2005 level and $16,300,000 below the budget request.
Given the constrained allocation for fiscal year 2006, the Committee has focused on restoring funding for the core, proven, mission-essential programs of the Service. The Committee does not object to new programs, but these grant programs should only be funded in addition to, and not at the expense of, mission-essential programs including proven, cost-shared, partnership programs.
The private stewardship grants program provides grants and other assistance to individuals and groups engaged in local, private, and voluntary conservation efforts that benefit federally listed, proposed, and candidate species, and other at risk species.
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Appropriation enacted, 2005 $6,903,000
Budget estimate, 2006 10,000,000
Recommended, 2006 7,386,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 +483,000
Budget estimate, 2006 -2,614,000
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The committee recommends $7,386,000 for private stewardship grants, an increase of $483,000 above the fiscal year 2005 level and $2,614,000 below the budget request.
Eighty percent of the habitat for more than half of the listed endangered and threatened species is on private land. The Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund provides grants to States and territories for endangered species recovery actions on non-Federal lands and provides funds for non-Federal land acquisition to facilitate habitat protection. Individual States and territories provide 25 percent of grant project costs. Cost sharing is reduced to 10 percent when two or more States or territories are involved in a project.
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Appropriation enacted, 2005 $80,462,000
Budget estimate, 2006 80,000,000
Recommended, 2006 84,400,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 +3,938,000
Budget estimate, 2006 +4,400,000
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The Committee recommends $84,400,000 for the cooperative endangered species conservation fund, an increase of $3,938,000 above the fiscal year 2005 level and $4,400,000 above the budget request. The increase to the budget request is for habitat conservation plan land acquisition.
Bill Language- Language is included deriving only the species recovery land acquisition and HCP land acquisition portions of this account from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, instead of deriving the entire funding from the LWCF as proposed in the budget request.
Through this program the Service makes payments to counties in which Service lands are located, based on their fair market value. Payments to counties are estimated to be $20,914,000 in fiscal year 2006 with $14,414,000 derived from this appropriation and $6,500,000 from net refuge receipts estimated to be collected in fiscal year 2005.
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Appropriation enacted, 2005 $14,214,000
Budget estimate, 2006 14,414,000
Recommended, 2006 14,414,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 +200,000
Budget estimate, 2006 0
-----------------------------------------
The Committee recommends $14,414,000, the budget request, for the National wildlife refuge fund, an increase of $200,000 above the fiscal year 2005 funding level.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, through the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund, leverages partner contributions for wetlands conservation. Projects to date have been in 50 States, 13 Canadian provinces, 25 Mexican states, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In addition to this appropriation, the Service receives funding from receipts in the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration account from taxes on firearms, ammunition, archery equipment, pistols, and revolvers, and from the Sport Fish Restoration account from taxes on fishing tackle and equipment, electric trolling motors and fish finders, and certain marine gasoline taxes. By law, sport fish restoration receipts are used for coastal wetlands in States bordering the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, States bordering the Great Lakes, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the freely associated States in the Pacific, and American Samoa.
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Appropriation enacted, 2005 $37,472,000
Budget estimate, 2006 49,949,000
Recommended, 2006 40,000,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 +2,528,000
Budget estimate, 2005 -9,949,000
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The Committee recommends $40,000,000 for the North American wetlands conservation fund, an increase of $2,528,000 above the fiscal year 2005 level and $9,949,000 below the budget request. Decreases to the budget request include $9,549,000 for wetlands conservation grants and $400,000 for program administration.
The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act of 2000 authorizes grants for the conservation of neotropical migratory birds in the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean, with 75 percent of the amounts available to be expended on projects outside the U.S. There is a three to one matching requirement under this program.
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Appropriation enacted, 2005 $3,944,000
Budget estimate, 2006 0
Recommended, 2006 4,000,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 +56,000
Budget estimate, 2005 +4,000,000
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The Committee recommends $4,000,000 for the neotropical migratory bird conservation program, an increase of $56,000 above the fiscal year 2005 level and $4,000,000 above the budget request. The Administration proposed $4,000,000 for this program as part of the multinational species conservation fund.
This program provides critically needed resources for conservation of neotropical migratory birds. The Committee expects the Service to coordinate closely with the Service's international program on neotropical migratory bird conservation program implementation.
This account combines funding for programs under the former rewards and operations (African elephant) account, the former rhinoceros and tiger conservation account, the Asian elephant conservation program, and the great ape conservation program.
The African Elephant Act of 1988 established a fund for assisting nations and organizations involved with conservation of African elephants. The Service provides grants to African nations and to qualified organizations and individuals to protect and manage critical populations of these elephants.
The Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act of 1994 authorized programs to enhance compliance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and U.S. or foreign laws prohibiting the taking or trade of rhinoceros, tigers, or their habitat.
The Asian Elephant Conservation Act of 1997 authorized a grant program, similar to the African elephant program, to enable cooperators from regional and range country agencies and organizations to address Asian elephant conservation problems. The world's surviving populations of wild Asian elephants are found in 13 south and southeastern Asian countries.
The Great Ape Conservation Act of 2000 authorized grants to foreign governments, the CITES secretariat, and non-governmental organizations for the conservation of great apes.
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Appropriation enacted, 2005 $5,719,000
Budget estimate, 2006 8,300,000
Recommended, 2005 5,900,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 +181,000
Budget estimate, 2005 -2,400,000
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The Committee recommends $5,900,000 for the multinational species conservation fund, an increase of $181,000 above the fiscal year 2005 level and $2,400,000 below the budget request. Changes to the budget request include a decrease of $4,000,000 for neotropical migratory birds (which is funded in a separate account) and increases of $400,000 for African elephant conservation, $400,000 for Asian elephant conservation, $300,000 for rhinoceros and tiger conservation and $500,000 for great ape conservation. The Committee expects these funds to be matched by non-Federal funding to leverage private contributions to the maximum extent possible.
The State and tribal wildlife grants program provides funds for States to develop and implement wildlife management and habitat restoration for the most critical wildlife needs in each State. States are required to develop comprehensive wildlife conservation plans to be eligible for grants and to provide at least a 25 percent cost share for planning grants and at least a 50 percent cost share for implementation grants.
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Appropriation enacted, 2005 $69,028,000
Budget estimate, 2006 74,000,000
Recommended, 2006 65,000,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 -4,028,000
Budget estimate, 2006 -9,000,000
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The Committee recommends $65,000,000 for State and tribal wildlife grants, a decrease of $4,028,000 below the fiscal year 2005 level and $9,000,000 below the budget request. Within the amount provided, $6,000,000 is for competitively awarded grants to Indian tribes.
Bill Language.--Bill language is continued specifying that each State or eligible entity has two years to enter into specific grant agreements. If fiscal year 2006 funds remain unobligated at the end of fiscal year 2007, the unobligated funds will be reapportioned to all States and eligible entities, together with any new appropriations provided in fiscal year 2008. Bill language also is included providing direction on redistributing funds for States with disapproved plans.
The Committee agrees to the following:
1. Not more than 3 percent of the appropriated amount may be used for Federal administration of the program. Administrative costs for each grantee should also be held to a minimum so that the maximum amount of funding is used for on-the-ground projects.
2. Funds made available under this account should be added to revenues from existing State sources and not serve as a substitute for revenues from such sources.
3. Priority for the use of these funds should be placed on those species with the greatest conservation need. Funds should be used to address the habitat requirements of species identified in State wildlife plans/strategies in order to preclude the need to list more species as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act.
The Committee reiterates its expectation that each State and other participating entity in the formula grant program will submit its comprehensive wildlife conservation plan on time. The Service should notify each State or other entity, as soon as possible after receipt of its plan, whether the plan is approved, conditionally approved, or disapproved. If a plan is conditionally approved, the submitting entity should be given a limited but reasonable amount of time to address the Service's concerns and submit a revised plan for approval. Such extension of time should not exceed 6 months. If a plan is disapproved, the submitting entity is no longer entitled to receive funds from the program. Should an entity with a disapproved plan elect to submit a revised plan in the future, it may do so but, until a plan is approved, that entity will not be entitled to receive any funds from the program.
The mission of the National Park Service is to preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The National Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.
The National Park Service, established in 1916, has stewardship responsibilities for the protection and preservation of the heritage resources of the national park system. The system, consisting of 388 separate and distinct units, is recognized globally as a leader in park management and resource preservation. The national park system represents much of the finest the Nation has to offer in terms of scenery, historical and archeological relics, and cultural heritage. Through its varied sites, the National Park Service attempts to explain America's history, interpret its culture, preserve examples of its natural ecosystems, and provide recreational and educational opportunities for U.S. citizens and visitors from all over the world. In addition, the National Park Service provides support to tribal, local, and State governments to preserve culturally significant, ecologically important, and public recreational lands.
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Appropriation enacted, 2005 $1,683,564,000
Budget estimate, 2006 1,734,053,000
Recommended, 2006 1,754,199,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 +70,635,000
Budget estimate, 2006 +20,146,000
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The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
Insert graphic folio 08 20754A.008
The Committee recommends $1,754,199,000 for operation of the National Park System, an increase of $70,635,000 above the enacted level and $20,146,000 above the budget request. The Committee has redirected funds to provide for a $30,000,000 base increase for the parks. This is in addition to the budget request which provides for pay and uncontrollable expenses. These funds are to be distributed proportionately to all park units and to remain in park base budgets.
Resource Stewardship.--The Committee recommends $354,116,000 for resources stewardship, the same as the budget request and $6,080,000 above the enacted level.
Included in this amount are increases above the enacted level of $4,931,000 for natural resources challenge vital signs. The Committee accepts the following reductions in the budget: $648,000 for fleet management reform, and $3,931,000 for the Natural Resource Preservation Program. Also included is $5,728,000 for uncontrollable expenses.
Visitor Services.--The Committee recommends $346,181,000 for visitor services, the same as the budget request and $7,727,000 above the enacted level. Included in this amount is an increase above the enacted level of $119,000 for fee metrics/data analysis. The Committee accepts the following reductions in the budget: $129,000 for fleet management reform, and $986,000 for the Presidential Inaugural activities. Also included is $8,723,000 for uncontrollable expenses.
Maintenance.--The Committee recommends $594,686,000 for maintenance, a reduction of $900,000 below the budget request and $11,947,000 above the enacted level. Included in this amount is an increase of $2,500,000 for repair and rehabilitation of historic structures. The Committee accepts a reduction of $388,000 for fleet management reform. Also included is $9,835,000 for uncontrollable expenses. Within the total amount provided for repair and rehabilitation, there is $80,000 for campground rehabilitation at Ozark National Scenic Riverways, $200,000 for historic landscaping at Gettysburg NMP, $200,000 for Alice Ferguson (Wareham Lodge), $497,000 for Indiana Dunes NL (West Beach), $206,000 for Indiana Dunes NL (Dunbar Beach), $300,000 for Death Valley NP (Cow Creek), $140,000 for San Juan NHS sewer repairs, and $243,000 for El Morro restrooms.
Park Support.--The Committee recommends $298,659,000 for park support, a reduction of $8,594,000 from the budget request, and $8,259,000 above the enacted level. Included in this amount are increases of $400,000 for Jamestown 2007, $578,000 for IT intrusion detection, $525,000 to establish an IT test lab, $750,000 for an IT security plan review, $500,000 for IT upgrade equipment, $1,725,000 for an IT active directory and $1,235,000 for the enterprise services network. The Committee accepts the following reductions in the budget: $129,000 for fleet management reform, $1,416,000 for management efficiencies, $644,000 for IT certification and accreditation, $87,000 for E-Government initiatives, $247,000 for wild and Scenic Rivers and $2,427,000 for Lewis and Clark challenge cost share. Also included is $7,496,000 for uncontrollable expenses. The Committee expects the Service to continue to allocate one-third of the funds provided for the challenge cost share program to the National Trails System.
The Committee has been unable to provide funds for the cooperative conservation challenge cost share program because of fiscal constraints. However, the Committee remains supportive of the concept and has provided funds to continue the traditional agency challenge cost share program and has no objection to broadening the scope of the ongoing program to encompass resource protection activities.
External Administrative Costs.--The Committee recommends $130,557,000 for external administrative costs, the same as the budget request and $6,622,000 above the enacted level. The Committee accepts the reduction of $1,337,000 for central office consolidation (GSA space rental). Also included is $7,959,000 for uncontrollable expenses.
South Florida Initiative.--The Committee continues its support for the restoration of the Everglades and the protection and preservation of the national parks and national wildlife refuges located in the region. Since this initiative began, the Committee has provided over $1 billion in funding to the Department of the Interior and its bureaus for restoration projects and activities. Restoration programs funded by the Committee include land acquisition for Federal and State areas, water quality improvements, science, the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force, Modified Water Deliveries, and the Department's participation in implementing the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. The Committee recognizes that although progress has been made in the last decade, challenges remain. These challenges must be addressed to ensure that the Everglades is preserved and restored and that the Federal investment in the Everglades is protected. To this end, it is imperative that overall Everglades restoration goals, as established by the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force, as well as individual project restoration goals, be achieved.
The Committee remains deeply concerned over efforts to improve water quality. Without clean water, the Everglades will be irretrievably altered and its unique habitat will be degraded. This will further frustrate Everglades restoration efforts now underway. The Committee remains troubled that the State of Florida is not fully achieving its obligations under the 1992 Consent Decree entered in United States v. South Florida Water Management District. The Committee understands that the interim levels for total phosphorus concentration at A.R.M. Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, which remain in effect until more protective and stringent levels are required at the beginning of 2007, were exceeded in 2002 and again in 2004. This trend is troubling. The Committee understands that the U.S. District Court, which retains jurisdiction over the Consent Decree, is considering whether exceeding these interim levels should be deemed a violation of the Consent Decree. Notwithstanding the outcome of the court proceedings, the Committee directs the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to keep the Committee fully apprised of its effort to establish additional water quality monitoring and modeling at A.R.M. Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. The Committee directs that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provide the Committee with the refuge's annual and quarterly reports summarizing the implementation of the additional monitoring and modeling at the refuge. Additionally, the Committee expects that the annual report required by P.L. 108-108 and prepared jointly by the Departments of the Interior, Justice, and Army and the Environmental Protection Agency summarizing the status of the water entering A.R.M. Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge and Everglades National Park will be submitted expeditiously and on-time in the future as the report is long over-due. In the interim, the Committee expects that the Department will continue its work with its State and Federal partners to ensure that discharges to A.R.M. Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge and Everglades National Park achieve the levels and limits specified in the Consent Decree and do not cause adverse impact to these important Federal resources.
The Committee is also concerned that the Everglades restoration program may not be proceeding in a manner that guarantees the achievement of the primary Federal interest, the restoration of the Everglades. The strong intergovernmental partnership that is necessary for restoration success is not apparent. Although the Committee appreciates the State of Florida's announcement of its Acceler8 program and its intention to provide up-front funding to implement a number of Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan projects within the next five years, the Committee has heard concerns expressed by some stakeholders that the Acceler8 program was developed without adequate collaboration and that the projects being implemented are largely water storage projects and do not provide the anticipated natural system benefits. Given these concerns, the Committee directs the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the Secretary of the Army, to submit a report by December 31, 2005 on the status of the Everglades restoration projects now underway. The report should summarize the status of the projects, the anticipated environmental benefits of each project, and whether the projects being implemented by the State and the Army Corps together provide for natural system restoration. To the extent that changes in the sequencing of projects are necessary to achieve natural system restoration, the Committee directs that the report recommend such changes.
Additionally, the Committee has heard concerns expressed by some stakeholders that some non-Federal lands may need to be acquired to fully achieve natural system restoration. In response to questions posed by the Committee, the Department agrees that this is a valid concern. Given that the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force has developed a land acquisition strategy that identifies the lands that remain to be acquired, as well as tools that may be available to assist in the acquisition of these lands, the Committee directs the Secretary of the Interior, as Chair of the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force (Task Force), to provide a more detailed report to the Committee from the Task Force identifying and prioritizing for acquisition the lands that are necessary to achieve natural system restoration goals. The report should identify funding strategies involving innovative partnerships, as well as timeframes, as to when the necessary lands will be acquired so that they will be available for restoration purposes. The Committee directs that the Secretary of the Interior submit the Task Force report no later than December 31, 2005.
The Committee is pleased with the improvements in coordination that the Department has made to its science programs supporting Everglades restoration activities. The Department's Science Plan provides a road-map to ensure that the science that is being conducted supports the needs of the land managing agencies and the decisions that will affect Interior-managed resources. Similar to last year, the Committee directs that the Department submit a report by December 31, 2005 describing the scientific research projects to be funded in the National Park Service and the U.S. Geological Survey with the fiscal year 2006 appropriations. The report should provide details for each research project, including how each research project is consistent with the Department's Science Plan, as well as how the project is filling gaps in scientific information and supporting the decisions that need to be made.
National Park Foundation.--Last year, the Committee directed the National Park Service to work cooperatively with the National Park Foundation to implement fully the GAO recommendations regarding improving communications, documentation and strategic focus of activities. These recommendations also addressed ways to strengthen the Proud Partner program that would ensure transparency and accountability. The Committee appreciates the level of cooperation by both the Service and the new leadership of the National Park Foundation. The National Park Service Director has assured the Committee all GAO recommendations have been implemented and that the Service will have full access to the details of all future and renewal Proud Partners agreements and will be a signatory to those agreements.
The Service is reminded that existing agency policies, as well as sound financial management practices, require that all fundraising that benefits the National Park Service, including activities of the Foundation, require written agreements and approved fundraising plans.
Other.--The Committee continues to support the decision by Ozark National Scenic Riverways to retain the carpentry and maintenance positions at the park. The Committee recognizes the urgent needs at ONSR for these skilled personnel. The Committee expects that these positions will be retained.
The Committee understands that the Service is working closely with the Town of Blowing Rock, North Carolina to resolve permanently, through administrative means or, if necessary, a land exchange, the long standing issue of the access to water as part of the town's municipal water supply. The Committee expects the Service to allow the town of Blowing Rock to continue its water usage while moving forward with the needed steps to provide a permanent remedy, including facilitating and funding the necessary compliance effort. The Committee requests a status report no later than March 1, 2006.
The Committee expects the Service to provide the same level of funding as provided in fiscal year 2005 for the Johnstown Area Heritage Association Museum, as well as the Ice Age National Scientific Reserve, and continue this funding in the operations account in future years.
The Committee strongly encourages the National Park Service to complete the management plan for the Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park no later than September 1, 2007.
Bill language is included under this account specifying how the additional park base increase should be allocated.
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
Appropriation enacted, 2005 $80,076,000
Budget estimate, 2006 80,411,000
Recommended, 2006 82,411,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 +2,335,000
Budget estimate, 2006 +2,000,000
----------------------------------------
The Committee recommends $82,411,000 for the U.S. Park Police, an increase of $2,000,000 above the budget request and $2,335,000 above the enacted level. Increases from the enacted level are for uncontrollable expenses and for new recruit classes. Decreases from the enacted level totaling $986,000 are for Inauguration activities.
The Committee directs the U.S. Park Police to submit a final report no later than January 15, 2006, detailing how it has implemented each recommendation in the original National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) report. If certain recommendations have not been agreed to, a full explanation is required. This process has taken nearly four years and three NAPA studies to complete. The Committee expects final resolution by the above mentioned date.
The National recreation and preservation appropriation provides for outdoor recreation planning, preservation of cultural and National heritage resources, technical assistance to Federal, State and local agencies, and administration of Historic Preservation Fund grants.
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
Appropriation enacted, 2005 $60,973,000
Budget estimate, 2006 36,777,000
Recommended, 2006 48,997,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 -11,976,000
Budget estimate, 2006 +12,220,000
----------------------------------------
The Committee recommends $48,997,000 for national recreation and preservation, an increase of $12,220,000 above the budget request and a reduction of $11,976,000 below the enacted level. The Committee has agreed with the budget request and has eliminated the Statutory or Contractual Aid category. Critical elements of this account have been moved to the operations account.
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the budget estimate by activity are shown in the following table:
Insert graphic folio 009 20754A.009
Insert graphic folio 010 20754A.010
Recreation Programs.--The Committee recommends $554,000 for recreation programs, the same as the budget request and an increase of $11,000 above the enacted level. The increase is for uncontrollable expenses.
Natural Programs.--The Committee recommends $9,545,000 for natural programs, the same as the budget request and a decrease of $1,320,000 below the enacted level. Programmatic decreases include $512,000 for rivers and trails studies, $500,000 for rivers, trails, and conservation assistance and $495,000 for national natural landmarks. An increase of $187,000 is for uncontrollable expenses.
Cultural Programs.--The Committee recommends $19,953,000 for cultural programs, an increase of $2,231,000 above the budget request and $200,000 below the enacted level. The programmatic increase includes the restoration of $1,931,000 for the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training in Louisiana. The Committee strongly urges the Service to continue to provide funding for this purpose in future budget submissions.
In addition, $300,000 is provided to produce a digitization design plan for a long range project to digitize archival records consisting of over 80,000 listings of buildings, districts, sites, structures, and objects in the National Register of Historic Places. In designing this plan, the Service should be creative in working with entities such as the Library of Congress both for technical assistance and to avoid duplication of systems. While the Committee understands the critical need and importance of this project, the Service must prioritize its needs in future budget requests.
Decreases to cultural programs include $99,000 for Gettysburg, $100,000 for Creole Heritage Center, and $296,000 for underground railroad grants. An increase of $215,000 is provided for uncontrollable expenses. Within available funds, the Service is directed to initiate planning authorized in the American Revolution Commemoration Act. The Service is strongly encouraged to provide funds in the fiscal year 2007 budget for this activity.
International Park Affairs- The Committee recommends $1,618,000 for international park affairs, the same as the budget request and $25,000 above the enacted level. This increase is for uncontrollable expenses.
Environmental and Compliance Review- The Committee recommends $399,000 for environmental and compliance review, the same as the budget request and $8,000 above the enacted level. This increase is for uncontrollable expenses.
Grant Administration- The Committee recommends $1,913,000 for grant administration, the same as the budget request and $47,000 above the enacted level. his increase is for uncontrollable expenses.
The Committee has not provided funds for the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Water Trail initiative. Since fiscal year 2000, this Committee has provided $9,500,000 for this effort. A routine oversight program review conducted by the House Appropriations Committee's Surveys and Investigation staff uncovered several problems. The report indicates that there is a deficiency of responsible program management including, but not limited to, a lack of scrutiny of the matching fund requirements, use of grant funds to subsidize operations at grant sites, and an inappropriate use of grant funds with third party non-profit organizations. The review concluded that in addition to poor management, there was clearly too much funding chasing too few eligible projects.
NATIONAL HERITAGE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM
Heritage Partnership Program- The Committee recommends $15,015,000 for heritage partnerships, an increase of $9,989,000 above the budget request and $436,000 above the enacted level. The Committee recommends the following distribution of funds:
|
Project |
Amount |
|
America's Agricultural Heritage Partnership (Silos & Smokestacks) |
$750,000 |
|
Augusta Canal National Heritage Area |
400,000 |
|
Automobile National Heritage Area |
500,000 |
|
Blue Ridge National Heritage Area |
900,000 |
|
Cane River National Heritage Area |
900,000 |
|
Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor |
800,000 |
|
Erie Canalway National Corridor |
700,000 |
|
Essex National Heritage Area |
900,000 |
|
Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area |
500,000 |
|
John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor |
845,000 |
|
Lackawanna Valley National Heritage Area |
650,000 |
|
Mississippi Gulf National Heritage Area |
175,000 |
|
National Aviation Heritage Area |
200,000 |
|
National Coal Heritage Area |
123,000 |
|
Ohio and Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor |
900,000 |
|
Oil Region National Heritage Area |
200,000 |
|
Quinnebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor |
850,000 |
|
Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area |
900,000 |
|
Schuylkill River Valley National Heritage Area |
500,000 |
|
Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District |
500,000 |
|
South Carolina National Heritage Corridor |
900,000 |
|
Tennessee Civil War Heritage Area |
500,000 |
|
Wheeling National Heritage Area |
900,000 |
|
Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area |
400,000 |
|
Subtotal, Projects |
14,893,000 |
|
Administration |
122,000 |
|
Total |
$15,015,000 |
The Historic Preservation Fund supports the State historic preservation offices to perform a variety of functions, including State management and administration of existing grant obligations; review and advice on Federal projects and actions, determinations, and nominations to the National Register; Tax Act certifications; and technical preservation services. The States also review properties to develop data for planning use.
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
Appropriation enacted, 2005 $71,739,000
Budget estimate, 2006 66,205,000
Recommended, 2006 72,705,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 +966,000
Budget estimate, 2006 +6,500,000
----------------------------------------
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
Insert graphic folio 011 20754A.011
The Committee recommends $72,705,000 for historic preservation fund programs, an increase of $6,500,000 above the budget request and $966,000 above the enacted level.
The Committee recommendation provides $36,000,000 for State historic preservation offices, $3,205,000 for tribal grants, $30,000,000 for Save America's Treasure grants, and $3,500,000 for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). The HBCU program is a competitive program administered by the Service. The cost share on this program is 70 percent Federal and, 30 percent private. In addition, there are HBCU unexpended balances of $6,300,000 that have been available since 2000. Because of budget constraints, the Committee has not agreed to fund a new Preserve America initiative.
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
Appropriation enacted, 2005 $352,982,000
Budget estimate, 2006 307,362,000
Recommended, 2006 291,230,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 -61,752,000
Budget estimate, 2006 -16,132,000
-----------------------------------------
The Committee recommends $291,230,000 for construction, a decrease of $16,132,000 below the budget request and $61,752,000 below the enacted level.
The Committee recommends the following distribution of funds:
|
Project |
Amount |
|
Amistad National Recreation Area, TX |
$1,003,000 |
|
Big Bend National Park, TX (curatorial) |
2,100,000 |
|
Blue Ridge Parkway, NC |
804,000 |
|
Blue Ridge Parkway, NC (visitor center) |
3,500,000 |
|
Chaco Culture National Historical Park, NM |
4,238,000 |
|
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, DC/MD/WV |
1,847,000 |
|
Cumberland Island National Seashore, GA (Plum Orchard) |
3,247,000 |
|
Cuyahoga Valley National Park, OH (rehabilitation) |
2,500,000 |
|
Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, OH (Wright Dunbar Plaza) |
450,000 |
|
Death Valley National Park, CA |
5,791,000 |
|
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, PA (cabins) |
700,000 |
|
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, NJ |
2,871,000 |
|
Everglades National Park, FL |
25,000,000 |
|
Fire Island National Seashore, NY |
764,000 |
|
George Washington Memorial Parkway, VA (Arlington House) |
1,251,000 |
|
George Washington Memorial Parkway, VA (maintenance) |
400,000 |
|
Glacier National Park, MT |
758,000 |
|
Grand Portage National Monument, MN |
4,000,000 |
|
Grand Teton National Park, WY |
1,673,000 |
|
Gulf Islands National Seashore, FL/MS |
971,000 |
|
Homestead National Historic Site, NE (visitor center) |
1,000,000 |
|
Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, OH |
389,000 |
|
Hot Springs National Park, AR |
6,059,000 |
|
Independence National Historical Park, PA |
3,932,000 |
|
Independence National Historical Park, PA |
2,000,000 |
|
Kalaupapa National Historical Park, HI |
3,779,000 |
|
Keweenaw National Historical Park, MI (Calumet- Hecla) |
1,650,000 |
|
Lincoln Library, IL |
4,000,000 |
|
Moccasin Bend NAD, TN (erosion) |
2,000,000 |
|
Mount Rainier National Park, WA |
14,307,000 |
|
Mount Rainier National Park, WA |
7,900,000 |
|
Olympic National Park, WA |
10,098,000 |
|
Pinnacles National Monument, CA |
4,794,000 |
|
Point Reyes National Seashore, CA |
2,160,000 |
|
Redwood National Park, CA |
2,169,000 |
|
Rosie the Riveter National Historical Park, CA (planning) |
200,000 |
|
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, CA |
4,350,000 |
|
Saratoga National Historical Park, NY (Victory Woods) |
310,000 |
|
Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site, MA |
3,078,000 |
|
Shenandoah National Park, VA |
4,835,000 |
|
Southwest Pennsylvania Heritage Commission, PA |
2,500,000 |
|
Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island National Monuments, NJ |
8,452,000 |
|
Stones River National Battlefield, TN (tour) |
610,000 |
|
Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site, AL |
6,767,000 |
|
White House, DC |
6,523,000 |
|
Wind Cave National Park, SD |
4,928,000 |
|
Wolf Trap National Park, VA |
3,000,000 |
|
Yellowstone National Park, WY |
11,118,000 |
|
Yellowstone National Park, WY |
4,114,000 |
|
Yellowstone National Park, WY |
11,175,000 |
|
Yosemite National Park, CA |
2,176,000 |
|
Project Total |
204,241,000 |
|
Emergency/Unscheduled |
3,944,000 |
|
Housing |
7,889,000 |
|
Equipment replacement |
26,900,000 |
|
Planning, construction |
19,925,000 |
|
General management plans |
13,754,000 |
|
Construction program management |
28,605,000 |
|
Dam safety |
2,662,000 |
|
Managed partnership projects |
310,000 |
|
Subtotal |
103,989,000 |
|
Subtotal (before use of prior year funds) |
308,230,000 |
|
Use of prior year balances |
-17,000,000 |
|
Total Construction |
$291,230,000 |
The Committee commends the Service for the quality of its construction budget in recent years. The focus on critical backlog maintenance over the last ten years has made a significant impact on the most serious projects and the impact of the Choosing By Advantage system is very evident on small but significant projects that had not competed well in the past. In addition, the Committee is pleased at the progress made on the condition assessments as well as the new asset management program that is focused on life-cycle costs. Hopefully, this will help prevent reoccurrence of a large deferred maintenance backlog in the future.
The Committee believes that keeping up with backlog maintenance needs should remain a high priority. However, the Service should begin to integrate the most critical, new construction requirements into future budget submissions. The Committee continues to be concerned that, each year, the same parks seem to appear in the line item construction request. In many cases, there are multiple projects for one park unit. It is obvious that certain parks have been competing well within the system, however, professional judgment needs to be applied to ensure fairness and equity to all park units. The Committee strongly encourages the Service to make adjustments in future budget requests.
Although the Committee understands that much of the unobligated balances in construction are tied to large projects, and acknowledges the progress made to expend these funds, the Committee continues to encourage the Service to reduce these balances to a more reasonable level.
Partnership Construction Projects- The Committee is pleased with the recent progress that has been made to get large partnership construction projects under control. However, the Committee reminds the Service that most of the 44 projects should not be forwarded to Congress for funding and those that do complete the new process, and are considered high priorities, should be included in annual budget requests when appropriate. With the Director's personal assurance, the Committee understands that there will be no surprises in the future and that all parks will adhere to the long-standing bill language requiring Committee notification and approval prior to any commitment on projects in excess of $5,000,000.
The Committee expects that Director's order 21 will be finalized no later than July 15, 2005. Any future modifications to this agreement should be forwarded to the Committee.
Curatorial Facilities- The Committee has noticed a growing number of parks requesting curatorial facilities. The Committee acknowledges that many collections in the parks are not stored under ideal circumstances. The Service has three separate facilities to deal with this issue; the Midwest Archeological Center, the Northeast Cultural Resources Center and the new Western Archeological Center, which has significant storage space remaining.
It is obvious that decisions on these individual park facilities are being made ad hoc without any Service-wide analysis or plan. The Committee directs the Associate Director for Cultural Resources to work with the Associate Director for Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands to study the issue of collection storage in the parks and report findings and recommendations to the Committee by September 2006. Any future funding requirements should be weighed against other Service-wide priorities.
Other- The Committee has included $2,100,000 to complete the curatorial facility at Big Bend National Park; $3,500,000 to continue work on the Blue Ridge Parkway destination center; $3,247,000 to complete rehabilitation work on the Cumberland Island National Seashore, Plum Orchard home, and $2,500,000 for rehabilitation work at Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio.
Funding in the amount of $450,000 is provided to complete work on the Wright Dunbar Plaza, part of Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park; $700,000 is to continue cabin replacement at the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area; $400,000 is for maintenance projects along the George Washington Parkway in Virginia, and $1,000,000 is to continue work on the Homestead National Historic Site visitor center.
The Committee has provided $1,650,000 to complete work on the Calumet-Hecla House in Keweenaw National Historical Park; $4,000,000 for the Lincoln Library; $2,000,000 for erosion work at Moccasin Bend NAD; $200,000 to initiate planning for the Rosie the Riveter National Historical Park, and $310,000 to complete work on the Saratoga National Historical Park, Victory Woods project. In addition, $2,500,000 is provided for the Southwest Pennsylvania Heritage Commission and $610,000 is for planning the Stones River National Battlefield driving tour. The Committee encourages the park to seek non-Federal assistance to help complete its project.
The Committee has provided $175,000 to initiate planning for a museum concept plan for the Wilson's Creek NB Sweeney museum collection. The region should consider this a high priority project and continue to provide funds in future budget requests for this effort. Also provided is $250,000 to complete planning associated with the Manhattan Project Sites study.
The Committee has provided $3,000,000 to undertake the most essential deferred maintenance requirements at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. The Committee cautions the Service that prior to beginning any expenditure of these funds, the Service should develop a planned program of expenditures, in priority order, focused on health and safety improvements, code compliance, and utility upgrades. The Committee expects the plan to represent a stand-alone set of work that can be accomplished within the funds provided and that is not dependent on subsequent appropriations. If additional enhancements at the park are deemed a priority to accomplish the mission, the Service and the Wolf Trap Foundation should consider a capital improvement partnership agreement, in accordance with the new partnership construction process. The Committee should be consulted prior to any agreements being signed.
The Committee has not provided funds for two Lake Mead NRA projects included in the budget request. These projects should be funded with the receipts from the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act.
The Committee is aware of proposals by Gateway National Recreation Area to improve the recreation playing fields and comfort stations at Miller Field and Great Kills. The Committee is supportive of improving the outdoor recreation opportunities at this park and directs the Service to develop a plan for phased implementation of the most critical improvements needed. Once a plan is developed, the Committee will be able to consider the funding requirements needed to initiate site-specific pre-design.
The Committee is aware of the significant interest in greater New Bedford in the plan to initiate a comprehensive ethnographic study of the park and its surroundings in order to develop a better understanding of the roles that the area's various communities and neighborhoods played in the history of the whaling industry. The Service is directed to initiate this study within available funds.
The Committee expects planning for restoration of the Bodie Island Lighthouse to be completed toward the end of fiscal year 2006. The Service should request construction funds when appropriate.
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
Appropriation enacted, 2005 -$30,000,000
Budget estimate, 2006 -30,000,000
Recommended, 2006 -30,000,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 0
Budget estimate, 2006 0
-----------------------------------------
The Committee recommends the rescission of $30,000,000 in the annual contract authority provided by 16 U.S.C. 460l-10a. This authority has not been used in years, and there are no plans to use it in fiscal year 2006.
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
Appropriation enacted, 2005 $146,349,000
Budget estimate, 2006 54,467,000
Recommended, 2006 9,421,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 -136,928,000
Budget estimate, 2006 -45,046,000
-----------------------------------------
The Committee recommends $9,421,000 for land acquisition and State assistance, a decrease of $45,046,000 below the budget request and $136,928,000 below the enacted level. Within the funds provided, $1,587,000 is for assistance to States for administrative expenses, and $7,834,000 is for Federal land acquisition program activities, including $4,000,000 for emergencies and hardships, $9,749,000 for acquisition management, and $4,000,000 for inholdings. The Committee recommendation includes the use of $9,915,000 in prior year funds from the Cat Island project at Gulf Islands National Seashore. Negotiations for this acquisition have been ongoing since March 2002. Funds were appropriated in fiscal years 2003 and 2004, and the Service, the property owner, and the Trust for Public Land have been unable to reach agreement on the terms and conditions of the acquisition or on an appraisal, both necessary precursors to an agreement on valuation and cost. Because of these delays, the Committee is redirecting these funds to urgently needed park base increases.
The United States Geological Survey was established by an act of Congress on March 3, 1879 to provide a permanent Federal agency to conduct the systematic and scientific `classification of the public lands, and examination of the geological structure, mineral resources, and products of the National domain'. The USGS is the Federal government's largest earth-science research agency, the Nation's largest civilian mapmaking agency, and the primary source of data on the Nation's surface and ground water resources. Its activities include conducting detailed assessments of the energy and mineral potential of the Nation's land and offshore areas; investigating and issuing warnings of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, and other geologic and hydrologic hazards; research on the geologic structure of the Nation; studies of the geologic features, structure, processes, and history of other planets of our solar system; topographic surveys of the Nation and preparation of topographic and thematic maps and related cartographic products; development and production of digital cartographic databases and products; collection on a routine basis of data on the quantity, quality, and use of surface and ground water; research in hydraulics and hydrology; the coordination of all Federal water data acquisition; the scientific understanding and technologies needed to support the sound management and conservation of our Nation's biological resources; and the application of remotely sensed data to the development of new cartographic, geologic, and hydrologic research techniques for natural resources planning and management, surveys, investigations, and research.
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
Appropriation enacted, 2005 $936,464,000
Budget estimate, 2006 933,515,000
Recommended, 2006 974,586,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 +38,122,000
Budget estimate, 2006 +41,071,000
-----------------------------------------
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
Insert graphic folio 012 20754A.012
Insert graphic folio 013 20754A.013
The Committee recommends $974,586,000 for surveys, investigations, and research, an increase of $41,071,000 above the budget request and $38,122,000 above the fiscal year 2005 enacted level.
National Mapping Program- The Committee recommends $133,203,000 for the national mapping program, $250,000 below the budget request and $14,452,000 above the fiscal year 2005 enacted level. The change to the request is a reduction of $250,000 for the science impact proposal.
The Committee commends the Survey and the Administration for finally providing a detailed proposal to continue existing Landsat satellite operations and implement the Landsat Data Continuity Mission, which will place the next generation Landsat sensor in orbit. Long-term remote sensing data are vital to many aspects of the government and private sector and are strongly supported by this Committee.
Geologic Hazards, Resources and Processes- The Committee recommends $239,246,000 for geologic hazards, resources, and processes, $31,110,000 above the budget request and $8,752,000 above the fiscal year 2005 enacted level. Changes from the request include increases of $250,000 for the global dust study, $1,248,000 for Florida shelf research, $28,478,000 for mineral research and assessments and $1,134,000 for Alaska mineral resource assessments.
The Committee strongly disagrees with the proposed reduction in the Survey's mineral resources program. Minerals and mineral products are important to the U.S. economy, with processed minerals adding billions of dollars to the economy. Mineral commodities are essential to both national security and infrastructure development. Mineral resources research and assessments are a core responsibility of the Survey. The Committee does not agree that objective data on mineral commodities can be generated in the private sector.
Water Resources Investigations- The Committee recommends $211,751,000 for water resources investigations, $7,580,000 above the budget request and $551,000 above the fiscal year 2005 enacted level. Changes from the request include $230,000 for the base toxic hydrology program, $100,000 for the Hood Canal dissolved oxygen study, $750,000 for the San Pedro partnership, and $6,500,000 for the water resource research institutes.
The Committee is concerned with reports that suggest that the Water Resource Division (WRD) of the Survey is providing or seeking to provide a variety of commercial services to Federal and non-Federal entities in direct competition with the private sector. The Committee strongly discourages WRD from providing commercially available services to Federal and non-Federal entities through its cooperative water program unless these services are performed by a private sector firm under contract with the Survey or the entity with which the Survey has entered into a cooperative agreement. The Committee encourages the Survey to focus its efforts on carrying out its important mission of serving as a national database for hydrologic data, theory, and research. The Survey should submit a report to the House Committee on Appropriations by December 31, 2005, regarding its past, present and future efforts to avoid competing with the private sector.
The Committee agrees with the proposed increase for the water availability project. The Committee expects the Survey to continue with this important program and establish a second pilot project, as outlined in the Survey's November 2003 implementation plan. The Committee urges the Administration to request funding in future budgets to expand this program for other areas of the Country.
Biological Research- The Committee recommends $174,765,000 for biological research, $1,840,000 above the budget request and $3,066,000 above the fiscal year 2005 enacted level. Changes to the request include increases of $1,430,000 for the Great Lakes Science Center for safety needs associated with the docking of the research vessel Kiyi, $150,000 for invasive species database coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, $500,000 for manatee research, $335,000 for equipment at the anadromous fish lab, $250,000 for the Tunison lab, $175,000 for the Potomac snakehead program, $200,000 for the Upper Midwest Environmental Science Center, $400,000 to restore funding for the Nebraska Fish and Wildlife Cooperative Unit, and decreases of $550,000 for the science on the DOI landscape initiative, $750,000 for Glen Canyon adaptive management, and $300,000 for invasive species.
Enterprise Information- The Committee recommends $47,087,000 for enterprise information, $680,000 below the budget request, and $2,714,000 above the fiscal year 2005 enacted level. The change to the budget request is a decrease of $680,000 for the `disaster.gov' initiative.
Science Support- The Committee recommends $72,337,000 for science support, the same as the budget request and $6,753,000 above the fiscal year 2005 enacted level.
Facilities- The Committee recommends $96,197,000 for facilities, $1,471,000 above the budget request and $1,586,000 above the fiscal year 2005 enacted level. The change to the request is an increase of $1,471,000 to restore rental payments associated with the mineral assessments program.
Bill Language.--Language is included in Title IV--General Provisions concerning egovernment initiatives and competitive sourcing studies.
The Minerals Management Service is responsible for collecting, distributing, accounting and auditing revenues from mineral leases on Federal and Indian lands. In fiscal year 2005, MMS expects to collect and distribute about $9.5 billion from active Federal and Indian leases. The MMS also manages the offshore energy and mineral resources on the Nation's outer continental shelf (OCS). To date, the OCS program has been focused primarily on oil and gas leasing. Over the past several years, MMS has been exploring the possible development of other marine mineral resources, especially sand and gravel. With the passage of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, MMS assumed increased responsibility for oil spill research, including the promotion of increased oil spill response capabilities, and for oil spill financial responsibility certifications of offshore platforms and pipelines. The MMS also operates the Interior Franchise Fund: the entrepreneurial GovWorks enterprise provides important procurement services to a variety of governmental agencies.
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
Appropriation enacted, 2005 $166,820,000
Budget estimate, 2006 160,416,000
Recommended, 2006 152,676,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 -14,144,000
Budget estimate, 2006 -7,740,000
-----------------------------------------
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
Insert graphic folio 014 20754A.014
Insert graphic folio 015 20754A.015
The Committee recommends an appropriation of $152,676,000 for royalty and offshore minerals management, a decrease of $7,740,000 below the budget request and $14,144,000 below the 2005 enacted level. In addition, the Committee recommends use of $122,730,000 in receipts, which agrees with the Administration request to increase receipts and fees by $19,000,000. The Committee recommendation provides for the requested activities with two exceptions noted below, and provides small increases for fixed costs. The Committee has recommended bill language which allows the royalty-in-kind (RIK) program to continue hereafter; this allows the MMS to recover transportation costs, salaries, and other administrative costs directly related to the royalty-in-kind program. Therefore, the $9,800,000 requested for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to the RIK conversion initiative and the CAM program funding initiative are not included in the appropriation. The Committee encourages the MMS to establish multi-year agreements for RIK transportation and processing, if advantageous to the Federal government.
Bill Language.--Language is included earmarking $77,529,000 for royalty management activities, a decrease of $9,800,000 below the request and an increase of $2,112,000 above the enacted level.
---------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
Appropriation enacted, 2005 $7,006,000
Budget estimate, 2006 7,006,000
Recommended, 2006 7,006,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 0
Budget estimate, 2006 0
---------------------------------------
The Committee recommends $7,006,000 to be derived from the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, to conduct oil spill research and financial responsibility and inspection activities associated with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, Public Law 101-380. The Committee recommendation is equal to the budget request and the fiscal year 2005 level.
The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM), through its regulation and technology account, regulates surface coal mining operations to ensure that the environment is protected during those operations and that the land is adequately reclaimed once mining is completed. The OSM accomplishes this mission by providing grants to those States that maintain their own regulatory and reclamation programs and by conducting oversight of State programs. Further, the OSM administers the regulatory programs in the States that do not have their own programs and on Federal and Tribal lands. Through its abandoned mine land (AML) reclamation fund account, the OSM provides environmental restoration at abandoned coal mines using tonnage-based fees collected from current coal production operations. In their unreclaimed condition these abandoned sites may endanger public health and safety or prevent the beneficial use of land and water resources.
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
Appropriation enacted, 2005 $108,368,000
Budget estimate, 2006 110,535,000
Recommended, 2006 110,535,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 +2,167,000
Budget estimate, 2006 0
-----------------------------------------
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
Insert graphic folio 016 20754A.016
The Committee recommends $110,535,000, the budget request, for regulation and technology, including the use of $100,000 in civil penalty collections. This is $2,167,000 above the 2005 level. The increase is to offset partially increases in uncontrollable costs for States and the OSM and for other requested activities.
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
Appropriation enacted, 2005 $188,205,000
Budget estimate, 2006 246,014,000
Recommended, 2006 188,014,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 -191,000
Budget estimate, 2006 -58,000,000
-----------------------------------------
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
Insert graphic folio 017 20754A.017
The Committee recommends $188,014,000 for the abandoned mine reclamation fund, $58,000,000 below the budget request and $191,000 below the fiscal year 2005 level. The recommendation does not include the requested allocation of $58,000,000 to implement the Administration's legislative proposal which would return the State share balances to certified States. The recommendation includes other aspects of the Administration request under this heading. The Committee has retained language, as in past years, which limits funding for minimum program States to $1,500,000. The Committee recommendation does not include the special authority for Maryland grants.
The Committee has included language which transfers the balance in the fund for the rural abandoned mine program (RAMP), which has not been used for 10 years, to the Federal share fund, so the funds could be used in the future for emergencies and other Federal obligations.
The Committee sees merit in the Administration's previous legislative proposal to extend and modify the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA). The Committee notes that legislative action is still pending, so funds are not included at this time for its implementation. The Committee encourages the authorizing committees to act on this reasonable legislative proposal, which would increase the rate at which dangerous abandoned sites would be reclaimed; do so at a lower cost; and provide a fair and reasonable method of compensating Wyoming and other governments, which have completed abandoned coal mine reclamation. Absent legislative action, existing law will allow continued distribution of AML funds to States in a manner similar to that which occurred in fiscal year 2005.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs was created in 1824. Its mission is founded on a government-to-government relationship and trust responsibility that results from treaties with Native groups. The Bureau delivers services to over 1.5 million Native Americans through 12 regional offices and 83 agency offices. In addition, the Bureau provides education programs to Native Americans through the operation of 118 day schools, 52 boarding schools, and 14 dormitories. The Bureau administers more than 45 million acres of tribally owned land, 10 million acres of individually owned land, and over 309,000 acres of Federally owned land, which is held in trust status.
-------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
Appropriation enacted, 2005 $1,926,091,000
Budget estimate, 2006 1,924,230,000
Recommended, 2006 1,992,737,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 +66,646,000
Budget estimate, 2006 +68,507,000
-------------------------------------------
The Committee recommends $1,992,737,000 for the operation of Indian programs, $68,507,000 above the budget request and $66,646,000 above the fiscal year 2005 enacted level.
The Committee agrees with the Bureau that an alternative budget structure for the operation of Indian programs is badly needed. The current budget structure is confusing and complex and offers little opportunity to review funding levels and assess performance on a programmatic level. However, the Committee is concerned that there was inadequate consultation with Tribes when preparing this new budget structure. The Committee is also concerned that the process of making budgetary data available to Tribes is inadequate.
The Committee directs the Bureau to do the following:
1. Consult with Tribal leaders on an alternative budget structure that is: (1) aligned programmatically, (2) provides full transparency for Tribal priority allocations funding, (3) increases accountability for Bureau programs and program managers, and (4) clearly delineates funding levels of the central and regional offices. The Committee expects a progress report by October 31, 2005. The Committee directs the Bureau to submit a revised budget structure as a part of the fiscal year 2007 budget justification.
2. Develop an internet website, hosted by the Office of the Secretary, that: (1) allows Tribes to access Bureau of Indian Affairs and Office of Special Trustee budget information, (2) displays the distribution of funding that affects Indian country, and (3) contains information and links to all Federal grant programs that provide funding for Indian country.
3. Submit a report, by December 31, 2005, outlining the Bureau of Indian Affairs current process for consulting Tribes and Tribal leaders on administrative, funding, and operational changes to programs and projects.
The Bureau's regulations prescribe detailed procedures for placing land into trust, including consideration of the impact on local tax revenues and jurisdictional conflicts that may arise. The Committee directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study of Bureau procedures and practices in implementing these regulations, including the role played by Tribes that contract with BIA to manage real estate service programs. The GAO should report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations no later than May 1, 2006. The Committee is aware that GAO studies can take time, and directs the GAO to undertake this study as soon as the Interior Appropriations bill passes the House floor.
Tribal Priority Allocations.--The Committee recommends $778,609,000 for Tribal priority allocations, $17,920,000 above the request and $8,526,000 above the fiscal year 2005 enacted level. Changes from the budget request include increases of $1,500,000 for Indian Child Welfare Act activities, $6,420,000 for welfare assistance, $8,838,000 for Johnson O'Malley assistance grants, and $1,162,000 for community fire protection.
The funding increase for Indian Child Welfare Act activities should be used for counseling and after-school care programs for at-risk children.
The Committee has restored the proposed reductions to the welfare assistance program, the Johnson O'Malley assistance grants, and the community fire protection program within the Tribal priority allocations. The Committee feels that the justification for the reductions--that there are other programs in the government that could provide these funds--is completely unfounded. The budget request provided no information to support claims that other funding sources are readily available to offset the reductions in this budget.
Other Recurring Programs.--The Committee recommends $636,337,000 for other recurring programs, $34,036,000 above the budget request and $23,418,000 above the fiscal year 2005 enacted level. Changes from the budget request include increases of $15,000,000 for Indian school equalization program (ISEP) formula funds, $3,360,000 to restore the early childhood development program, $5,000,000 for student transportation, $1,200,000 for irrigation operations and maintenance, $3,750,000 to partially restore the Washington timber-fish-wildlife program, $1,806,000 for the Chippewa/Ottawa Resource Authority (CORA), $3,000,000 for the inter-tribal bison council, $320,000 for the Upper Columbia United Tribes, and $600,000 for the circle of flight program.
The funding increase provided for the ISEP should be directed to basic educational programs, with one exception. The Committee directs the Bureau to provide $2,000,000 to the FOCUS program for assisting at-risk students, encouraging more parental participation in schools, and encouraging participation in after-school activities. The Committee directs the Bureau to report, by December 31, 2005, on the allocation and use of FOCUS funds.
The funding increase in the irrigation operations and maintenance program is to upgrade irrigation systems for the Navajo Agriculture Products Industry. This funding is in addition to the base funding increase of $750,000 proposed in the budget for the Navajo irrigation project.
Within the funding provided for the Washington timber-fish-wildlife program, $1,000,000 should be used for the mass marking of salmon.
Non Recurring Programs.--The Committee recommends $67,691,000 for nonrecurring programs, $2,366,000 above the budget request and $8,294,000 below the fiscal year 2005 enacted level. The increases above the budget request are $396,000 for Seminole-Florida Everglades restoration and $1,970,000 to restore reductions to the endangered species program.
Central Office Operations.--The Committee recommends $151,534,000 for central office operations, the same as the budget request and $11,513,000 above the fiscal year 2005 enacted level. The Committee agrees with the requested increase for trust services to address the probate backlog.
Regional Office Operations.--The Committee recommends $41,590,000 for regional office operations, the same as the budget request and $228,000 above the fiscal year 2005 enacted level.
Special Programs and Pooled Overhead.--The Committee recommends $317,516,000 for special programs and pooled overhead, $14,185,000 above the budget request and $31,255,000 above the fiscal year 2005 enacted level. Changes from the budget request include increases of $8,500,000 for law enforcement activities, $3,451,000 for the United Tribes Technical College, $1,726,000 for Crownpoint Institute and $508,000 for the National ironworkers training program.
The funding increases provided for law enforcement should be used for high priority law enforcement needs in Indian country including, but not limited to, community policing programs and drug enforcement. None of these funds should be retained by the central or regional offices for administrative activities. The Bureau should provide the Committee with a report detailing the use of these funds by December 31, 2005.
The Committee believes that the United Tribes Technical College and Crownpoint Institute are institutions of higher learning that provide an educational benefit to Indian country. The continued reduction of funding for these institutions in budget requests is of great concern. The Committee urges the Department and the Office of Management and Budget to give these colleges full consideration in future budget requests and to work with these institutions to resolve concerns over funding formulas.
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
Appropriation enacted, 2005 $319,129,000
Budget estimate, 2006 232,137,000
Recommended, 2006 284,137,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 -34,992,000
Budget estimate, 2006 +52,000,000
-----------------------------------------
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
Insert graphic folio 022 20754A.022
The Committee recommends $284,137,000 for construction, $52,000,000 above the budget request and $34,992,000 below the fiscal year 2005 enacted level.
Education.--The Committee recommends $225,875,000 for education construction, $52,000,000 above the budget request and $37,497,000 below the fiscal year 2005 enacted level. Changes from the budget request include increases of $32,000,000 for replacement school construction, $1,000,000 for employee housing, and $19,000,000 for facilities improvement and repair.
The Committee is concerned about the reduction to Indian school construction and repair. This Committee has made substantial progress in replacing Indian schools, but much remains to be done. The Committee does not agree that the Bureau needs to reduce funding for new schools to finish ongoing projects. The Committee has restored a portion of the funding and directs the Bureau to proceed with the construction of the next schools on the Bureau's priority list. The Committee has also included an increase to the school maintenance and repair program that should be used to address the most immediate health and safety maintenance needs in Bureau schools.
Public Safety and Justice.--The Committee recommends $11,777,000 for public safety and justice construction, the same as the budget request and $4,396,000 above the 2005 enacted level.
Resources Management.--The Committee recommends $38,272,000 for resources management construction, the same as the budget request and $2,017,000 below the 2005 enacted level.
General Administration and Construction Management.--The Committee recommends $8,213,000 for general administration and construction management, the same as the budget request and $126,000 above the 2005 enacted level.
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----------------------------------------
Appropriation enacted, 2005 $44,150,000
Budget estimate, 2006 24,754,000
Recommended, 2006 34,754,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 -9,396,000
Budget estimate, 2006 +10,000,000
----------------------------------------
The Committee recommends $34,754,000 for Indian land and water claim settlements and miscellaneous payments to Indians, $10,000,000 above the budget request and $9,396,000 below the 2005 enacted level. Funding includes $634,000 for the White Earth land settlement, $254,000 for the Hoopa-Yurok, $144,000 for Pyramid Lake, $8,111,000 for Colorado Ute, $10,167,000 for Cherokee, Choctaw and Chickasaw settlement, $10,000,000 for the Quinault settlement, and $5,444,000 for the Zuni Water settlement.
Bill Language.--Language is included under Indian Land and Water Claims Settlements providing $10,000,000 for payment to the Quinault Indian Nation for the north boundary settlement agreement.
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---------------------------------------
Appropriation enacted, 2005 $6,332,000
Budget estimate, 2006 6,348,000
Recommended, 2006 6,348,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 +16,000
Budget estimate, 2006 0
---------------------------------------
The Committee recommends $6,348,000 for the Indian guaranteed loan program account, the same as the budget request and $16,000 above the fiscal year 2005 enacted level.
The Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) was established on August 4, 1995, through Secretarial Order No. 3191, which also abolished the former Office of Territorial and International Affairs. The OIA has important responsibilities to help the United States government fulfill its responsibilities to the four U.S. territories of Guam, American Samoa (AS), U.S. Virgin Islands and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI) and also the three freely associated States: the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) and the Republic of Palau. The permanent and trust fund payments to the territories and the compact nations provide substantial financial resources to these governments. During fiscal year 2004 new financial arrangements for the Compacts of Free Association with the FSM and the RMI were implemented; this also included mandatory payments for certain activities previously provided in discretionary appropriations as well as Compact impact payments of $30,000,000 per year split among Guam, CNMI, AS, and Hawaii.
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----------------------------------------
Appropriation enacted, 2005 $75,581,000
Budget estimate, 2006 74,263,000
Recommended, 2006 76,563,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 +982,000
Budget estimate, 2006 +2,300,000
----------------------------------------
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
Insert graphic folio 023 20754A.023
The Committee recommends $76,563,000 for assistance to territories, $982,000 above the fiscal year 2005 level and $2,300,000 above the budget request.
Territorial Assistance.--The Committee recommends $25,733,000 for territorial assistance, $651,000 above the fiscal year 2005 level and $2,300,000 above the budget request. Increases to the budget request include $500,000 for additional oversight of the implementation of the Compacts of Free Association, $800,000 for payments to replace the Prior Service Trust Fund, and $1,000,000 to continue health care programs in the RMI. The Committee directs that technical assistance grant support to the Pacific Basin Development Commission be maintained at no less than the fiscal year 2005 level.
The Committee recommends an additional $500,000 to the Office of Insular Affairs subactivity to support oversight of the implementation of the Compacts of Free Association, including at least one additional position and increased oversight travel funds for the Honolulu Field Office and additional support at headquarters. The Committee notes that the field office is charged with managing over $114,000,000 in Compact sector grant funds, and was given an additional responsibility of managing the $18,000,000 Supplemental Education Grant program which replaced Federal programs. Although the Office of Insular Affairs is working diligently with five Honolulu-based and two in-country grant managers, the Committee has determined that additional funding for oversight and management is essential. This is especially true for the education sector, which currently has one manager to oversee $57,000,000 in grants to both the FSM and RMI. The Committee expects the Department to continue reviewing funding and staffing levels for Compact oversight so the Department can assure the Congress and the American public that all compact grants funds are used appropriately for high priority needs.
The Committee reiterates its support for the agreement among the pension systems of the Republic of Palau, the CNMI, the RMI, and the FSM to assume responsibilities for the enrollees of the Prior Service Benefits Trust Fund. The Committee recommendation includes $800,000 for distribution among the pension systems for payments to the enrollees, provided the agreement is fully implemented by each jurisdiction. The Committee directs the Department to continue to work with the Board of Directors of the Prior Service Benefits Trust Fund and the directors of each pension system to ensure that the agreements are implemented and that prior service benefits can be paid to the enrollees. The Committee also directs that this funding be reprogrammed for general technical assistance uses if there is a failure to fully implement the new agreement.
The Committee has also included $1,000,000 for continuation of health care programs in the RMI. The funds shall be used first to provide primary health care to members of the Enewetak, Bikini, Rongelap, and Utrik communities residing on Enewetak Atoll, Kili Island, Mejetto Island, Rongelap Atoll following resettlement, and Utrik Atoll. Such primary medical care shall consist of a clinic with at least one doctor and an assistant, necessary supplies, and logistical support.
The Committee notes that the OIA spent $655,000 on two business development conferences in Los Angeles. This required about 4,000 OIA FTE hours and extensive contractor involvement; 13 staff from DC and OIA field offices in American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands traveled to Los Angeles for the conference. The Committee directs the OIA to provide the House and Senate Appropriations Committees project cost plans before and after similar future conferences, as well as for the future `Business Opportunities Missions'. It is imperative that these economic development efforts be reasonable and cost effective given the great need for technical assistance in the territories.
American Samoa.--The Committee recommends $23,110,000 for American Samoa operations as requested, an increase of $331,000 above the fiscal year 2005 level.
The Committee has reviewed recent work by the GAO concerning accountability for key Federal grants to American Samoa. Through Presidential delegation, the Secretary of the Interior exercises ultimate control and responsibility for, and has authority to take a proactive role in, the administration of the Territory of American Samoa. The Committee urges the Secretary to use this authority to coordinate with all Federal agencies that award funds to American Samoa and to encourage the other agencies to consider designating American Samoa a high-risk grantee under the Grants Management Common Rule. A coordinated approach to designation could include a common, basic set of special conditions to be applied by all Federal grant awarding agencies to grants to American Samoa. The designation could also include a basic set of corrective actions that American Samoa must take, including earning clean single audit opinions for two consecutive years before the special conditions are removed.
The Committee also notes that the Lyndon B. Johnson Tropical Medical Center's poor physical infrastructure weakens its ability to deliver a minimum standard of care to the population of American Samoa. The Committee urges the Secretary to coordinate with other Federal agencies to resolve infrastructure and safety deficiencies at this Center to ensure continued Federal funding for the island's only medical service provider. The Committee directs the Secretary to designate an additional $2,000,000 to the Center's base budget from the total operations grants made available to the American Samoa Government, to be used to help alleviate the shortages of medicines and medical supplies at the Center. The Committee also urges the Secretary to clearly assign staff responsibility for coordinating Federal activities in American Samoa.
Northern Mariana Islands/Covenant Grants.--The Committee recommends $27,720,000 for CNMI covenant grants, the same as the budget request and the fiscal year 2005 level. The Committee directs the Office of Insular Affairs to implement the allocations presented in the budget request, however the Secretary may use discretion to modify the Covenant funding formula to address court-ordered infrastructure projects in the respective territories.
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Appropriation enacted, 2005 $5,450,000
Budget estimate, 2006 4,862,000
Recommended, 2006 5,362,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 -88,000
Budget estimate, 2006 +500,000
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The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
Insert graphic folio 024 20754A.024
The Committee recommends $5,362,000 for the compact of free association, $500,000 above the budget request and $88,000 below the fiscal year 2005 level. The Committee recommendation continues Enewetak support.
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----------------------------------------
Appropriation enacted, 2005 $95,821,000
Budget estimate, 2006 120,155,000
Recommended, 2006 118,755,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 +22,934,000
Budget estimate, 2006 -1,400,000
----------------------------------------
The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
Insert graphic folio 025 20754A.025
The Committee recommends $118,755,000 for salaries and expenses for departmental management, a decrease of $1,400,000 below the budget request and $22,934,000 above the 2005 enacted level. Changes from the budget request include decreases of $500,000 for Take Pride in America, $700,000 for law enforcement and security, and $200,000 for partnership training. Departmental programs that are denied requested increases in this appropriation should not be augmented with staffing and funds from individual bureaus or any other source to achieve the requested level of activity.
Land Appraisal Consolidation.--The Committee has gone along with the consolidation of bureau-level appraisal offices into a central, Department-level office. However, the Committee was led to believe that this consolidation would result in significant cost savings. The Committee approves the budget request increase of $7,441,000 for appraisal services, but expects future budget requests to contain increases for fixed costs only.
Partnership Training.--The Committee has denied funding for partnership training.
Bill Language.--Language is included in General Provisions, Department of the Interior, which limits the number of FTEs to 34 and detailees to 8 in the Office of Law Enforcement and Security. Since the tragedy of September 11, 2001, the Committee has responded to the need for stronger emergency response and coordination among the Interior Department's bureaus. Significant funds have been provided to the individual bureaus to supplement their security needs. The Committee believes that the level specified in the bill language is sufficient, given tight fiscal constraints, to deal with security needs.
Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) provides for payments to local units of government containing certain federally owned lands. These payments are designed to supplement other Federal land receipt sharing payments that governments may be receiving. The recipients may use payments received for any governmental purpose.
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
Appropriation enacted, 2005 $226,805,000
Budget estimate, 2006 200,000,000
Recommended, 2006 230,000,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 +3,195,000
Budget estimate, 2006 +30,000,000
-----------------------------------------
The Committee recommends $230,000,000 for PILT, $30,000,000 above the budget request and $3,195,000 above the fiscal year 2005 level.
The Central Hazardous Materials Fund was established to include funding for remedial investigations/feasibility studies and cleanup of hazardous waste sites for which the Department of the Interior is liable pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act. The fund includes sums recovered from or paid by a party as reimbursement for remedial action or response activities.
---------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
Appropriation enacted, 2005 $9,855,000
Budget estimate, 2006 9,855,000
Recommended, 2006 9,855,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 0
Budget estimate, 2006 0
---------------------------------------
The Committee recommends $9,855,000, the same as the budget request and the fiscal year 2005 enacted level, for the central hazardous materials fund. This account was previously located in the Bureau of Land Management.
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----------------------------------------
Appropriation enacted, 2005 $51,656,000
Budget estimate, 2006 55,752,000
Recommended, 2006 55,340,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 +3,684,000
Budget estimate, 2006 -412,000
----------------------------------------
The Committee recommends $55,340,000 for salaries and expenses of the Office of the Solicitor, a decrease of $412,000 below the budget request and an increase of $3,684,000 above the fiscal year 2005 enacted level. Changes from the budget request include decreases of $207,000 for support for legal staff, $200,000 for two additional FOIA appeals support positions, and $5,000 for training, audit, and evaluation. Departmental programs that are denied requested increases in this appropriation should not be augmented with staffing and funds from individual bureaus or any other source to achieve the requested level of activity.
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----------------------------------------
Appropriation enacted, 2005 $37,275,000
Budget estimate, 2006 40,999,000
Recommended, 2006 39,566,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 +2,291,000
Budget estimate, 2006 -1,433,000
----------------------------------------
The Committee recommends $39,566,000 for salaries and expenses of the Office of Inspector General, a decrease of $1,433,000 below the budget request and an increase of $2,291,000 above the fiscal year 2005 enacted level. Changes from the budget request include decreases of $470,000 for two FTEs and PCS moves for the Office of Evaluations and Quick Response, $750,000 for five FTEs for investigations, $100,000 for IT standardization, accreditation, and equipment, $59,000 for security clearances, and $54,000 for mentor program training. Departmental programs that are denied requested increases in this appropriation should not be augmented with staffing and funds from individual bureaus or any other source to achieve the requested level of activity.
The Office of Special Trustee for American Indians (OST) was established by the American Indian Trust Fund Management Reform Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-412). The Special Trustee is charged with general oversight of Indian trust asset reform efforts Department-wide to ensure proper and efficient discharge of the Secretary's trust responsibilities to Indian Tribes and individual Indians. The Office of the Special Trustee was created to ensure that the Department of the Interior establishes appropriate policies and procedures, develops necessary systems, and takes affirmative actions to reform the management of Indian trust funds. In carrying out the management and oversight of the Indian trust funds, the Secretary has a responsibility to ensure that trust accounts are properly maintained, invested and reported in accordance with the American Indian Trust Fund Management Reform Act of 1994, Congressional action, and other applicable laws.
The Special Trustee for American Indians also has responsibility for the related financial trust functions including deposit, investment, and disbursement of trust funds. The Department has responsibility for what may be the largest land trust in the world. Indian trust lands today encompass approximately 56 million acres of land--over 10 million acres belonging to individual Indians and nearly 45 million acres owned by Indian Tribes. On these lands, Interior manages over 100,000 leases for individual Indians and Tribes. Leasing, use permits, sale revenues, and interest of approximately $192 million per year are collected for approximately 245,000 individual Indian money accounts, and about $414 million per year is collected for about 1,400 Tribal accounts per year. In addition, the trust manages approximately $3 billion in Tribal funds and $400 million in individual Indian funds.
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Appropriation enacted, 2005 $193,540,000
Budget estimate, 2006 269,397,000
Recommended, 2006 191,593,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 -1,947,000
Budget estimate, 2006 -77,804,000
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The Committee recommends $193,593,000 for the Office of Special Trustee for American Indians, $77,804,000 below the budget request and $1,947,000 below the fiscal year 2005 enacted level.
Program operations, support, and improvements.--The Committee recommends $189,361,000 for program operations, support and improvements, $77,804,000 below the budget request and $1,963,000 below the fiscal year 2005 enacted level. The reduction is for historical accounting.
The Committee has included the requested funds in the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Office of Special Trustee for trust management reform and improving trust systems, and has continued historical accounting activities at the fiscal year 2005 level. The Committee does not agree to the large increase requested in historical accounting and has shifted this funding to help offset the reductions proposed in the Administration's request to Indian education and health care.
Executive Direction.--The Committee recommends $2,232,000 for executive direction, the same as the budget request, and $16,000 above the 2005 enacted level.
Since 1996, the committee has appropriated hundreds of millions of dollars for activities related to the Cobell v. Norton litigation. The Committee feels very strongly that these funds could have been better used to fund greatly needed health and education programs in Indian country. The Committee believes that this case must be resolved without negatively impacting future funding levels for Indian programs in this bill. The Committee recognizes that, in addition to mediation talks that have taken place in the last year, the House and Senate authorizing committees have made commitments to develop a comprehensive legislative solution to this ongoing problem.
The Committee rejects the notion that, in passing the American Indian Trust Management Reform Act of 1994, Congress had any intent of ordering an historical accounting on the scale of that which continues to be ordered by the Court. Such an undertaking would certainly be a poor use of Federal and trust resources.
Bill Language.--As in fiscal year 2005 and in previous years, the Committee has included bill language under the Office of Special Trustee that limits the amount of funding available for historical accounting to $58,000,000. The clear intent of the Committee is to definitively limit the amount of funding available to conduct historical accounting activities.
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Appropriation enacted, 2005 $34,514,000
Budget estimate, 2006 34,514,000
Recommended, 2006 34,514,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 0
Budget estimate, 2006 0
----------------------------------------
The Committee recommends $34,514,000 for Indian land consolidation, the budget request and the fiscal year 2005 enacted level.
The purpose of the Natural Resource Damage Assessment Fund is to provide the basis for claims against responsible parties for the restoration of injured natural resources. Assessments ultimately will lead to the restoration of injured resources and reimbursement for reasonable assessment costs from responsible parties through negotiated settlements or other legal actions.
Operating on a `polluter pays' principle, the program anticipates recovering over $32 million in receipts in fiscal year 2005, with the vast majority to be used for the restoration of injured resources. The program works to restore sites ranging in size from small town landfills to the Exxon Valdez oil spill of 1989 in Alaska.
Prior to fiscal year 1999, this account was included under the United States Fish and Wildlife Service appropriation. The account was moved to the Departmental Offices appropriation because its functions relate to several different bureaus within the Department of the Interior.
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Appropriation enacted, 2005 $5,737,000
Budget estimate, 2006 6,106,000
Recommended, 2006 6,106,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 +369,000
Budget estimate, 2006 0
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The Committee recommends $6,106,000, the budget request, for the natural resource damage assessment fund, an increase of $369,000 above the fiscal year 2005 level.
Sections 101 and 102 provide for emergency transfer authority with the approval of the Secretary.
Section 103 provides for the use of appropriations for certain services.
Sections 104 through 106 prohibit the expenditure of funds for Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) leasing activities in certain areas. These OCS provisions are addressed under the Minerals Management Service.
Section 107 prohibits the National Park Service from reducing recreation fees for non-local travel through any park unit.
Section 108 permits the transfer of funds between the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Office of Special Trustee for American Indians.
Section 109 continues a provision allowing the hiring of administrative law judges to address the Indian probate backlog.
Section 110 continues a provision permitting the redistribution of tribal priority allocation and tribal base funds to alleviate funding inequities.
Section 111 continues a provision requiring the allocation of Bureau of Indian Affairs postsecondary schools funds consistent with unmet needs.
Section 112 continues a provision permitting the conveyance of the Twin Cities Research Center of the former Bureau of Mines for the benefit of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Section 113 continues a provision authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to use helicopter or motor vehicles to capture and transport horses and burros at the Sheldon and Hart National Wildlife Refuges.
Section 114 authorizes federal funds for Shenandoah Valley Battlefield NHD and Ice Age NST to be transferred to a State, local government, or other governmental land management entity for acquisition of lands.
Section 115 continues a provision prohibiting the closure of the underground lunchroom at Carlsbad Caverns NP, NM.
Section 116 continues a provision preventing the demolition of a bridge between New Jersey and Ellis Island.
Section 117 continues a provision limiting compensation for the Special Master and Court Monitor appointed by the Court in Cobell v. Norton to 200 percent of the highest Senior Executive Service rate of pay.
Section 118 continues a provision allowing the Secretary to pay private attorney fees for employees and former employees in connection with Cobell v. Norton.
Section 119 continues a provision dealing with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's responsibilities for mass marking of salmonid stocks.
Section 120 requires the use of Departmental Management funds for operational needs at the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge airport.
Section 121 prohibits the conduct of gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (25 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.) on lands described in section 123 of the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001, or land that is contiguous to that land.
Section 122 continues a provision prohibiting the use of funds to study or implement a plan to drain or reduce water levels in Lake Powell.
Section 123 allows the National Indian Gaming Commission to collect $12,000,000 in fees for fiscal year 2006.
Section 124 makes funds appropriated for fiscal year 2006 available to the tribes within the California Tribal Trust Reform Consortium and others on the same basis as funds were distributed in fiscal year 2005, and separates this demonstration project from the Department of the Interior's trust reform reorganization.
Section 125 provides for the renewal of certain grazing permits in the Jarbidge Field office of the Bureau of Land Management.
Section 126 authorizes the acquisition of lands and leases for Ellis Island.
Section 127 permits the Secretary of the Interior to issue grazing permits within the Mojave National Preserve.
Section 128 implements rules concerning winter snowmobile use on Yellowstone National Park.
Section 129 limits the use of funds for staffing for the Department of Interior's Office of Law Enforcement and Security.
The Environmental Protection Agency was created by Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1970, which consolidated nine programs from five different agencies and departments. Major EPA programs include air and water quality, drinking water, hazardous waste, research, pesticides, radiation, toxic substances, enforcement and compliance assurance, pollution prevention, oil spills, Superfund, Brownfields, and the Leaking Underground Storage Tank program. In addition, EPA provides Federal assistance for wastewater treatment, sewer overflow control, drinking water facilities, and other water infrastructure projects. The agency is responsible for conducting research and development, establishing environmental standards through the use of risk assessment and cost-benefit analysis, monitoring pollution conditions, seeking compliance through a variety of means, managing audits and investigations, and providing technical assistance and grant support to States and tribes, which are delegated authority for actual program implementation. Under existing statutory authority, the Agency may contribute to specific homeland security efforts and may participate in some international environmental activities.
Among the statutes for which the Environmental Protection Agency has sole or significant oversight responsibilities are:
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended.
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, as amended.
Toxic Substances Control Act, as amended.
Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended.
Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, as amended.
Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972, as amended.
Oil Pollution Act of 1990.
Public Health Service Act (Title XIV), as amended.
Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended.
Clean Air Act, as amended.
Safe Drinking Water Act, as amended.
Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2002.
Bioterrorism Act of 2002.
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), as amended.
Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act of 2002 (amending CERCLA).
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986.
Pollution Prevention Act of 1990.
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended.
Pollution Prosecution Act of 1990.
Pesticide Registration Improvement Act of 2003.
For fiscal year 2006, the Committee recommends $7,708,027,000 for the Environmental Protection Agency, a decrease of $318,458,000 below the fiscal year 2005 level and $187,427,000 above the budget request. Changes to the budget request are detailed in each of the appropriation accounts.
The Committee agrees to the following:
1. In 2001, the EPA requested that the National Academy of Sciences review the situation regarding the use of human studies. In its 2005 report, the Committee urged EPA to consider the Academy's recommendations on the use of human volunteer studies in its regulatory programs. EPA is currently following the Academy's recommendations on the use of human volunteer studies and, on February 8, 2005, issued a Federal Register notice clarifying its policy. The notice outlines EPA's plans for rulemaking. The Committee commends EPA for its clarification of policy with respect to human studies and will continue to monitor the Agency's efforts in this area.
2. The Committee continues to be concerned that unclear regulations, conflicting court decisions, and inadequate scientific information are creating confusion about the extent to which reporting requirements in the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act cover emissions from poultry, dairy, or livestock operations. Producers want to meet their environmental obligations but need clarification from the Environmental Protection Agency on whether these laws apply to their operations. The Committee believes that an expeditious resolution of this matter is warranted.
3. The Committee expects the EPA to prepare its fiscal year 2007 budget justification in the order specified in the table accompanying this report and to delineate clearly the differences between the fiscal year 2006 enacted level and the fiscal year 2007 request for each activity. The Committee recommends discontinuing the annual operating plan beginning in fiscal year 2006. The Committee has approved the fiscal year 2005 operating plan.
4. The Committee generally has provided funding for fixed cost increases, as requested, including pay costs, rent, utilities, and security. The Committee has also agreed to many of the proposed realignments of programs. EPA should only make further adjustments, consistent with the requirements of the reprogramming guidelines contained in the front of this report. Also, in accordance with the reprogramming guidelines, the Committee should be notified regarding reorganizations of offices, programs, or activities prior to the planned implementation of such reorganizations.
5. The EPA should review the distribution of funds among regions and make adjustments, as needed, to ensure that funding is strategically aligned to meet the highest priority needs.
6. EPA should establish and enforce, through the Office of Environmental Information, an information technology management policy with an emphasis on standardization across all of EPA
The Science and Technology account funds all Environmental Protection Agency research (including, by transfer of funds, Hazardous Substances Superfund research activities) carried out through grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements with other Federal agencies, States, universities, and private business, as well as in-house research. This account also funds personnel compensation and benefits, travel, supplies and operating expenses for all Agency research. Research addresses a wide range of environmental and health concerns across all environmental media and encompasses both long-term basic and near-term applied research to provide the scientific knowledge and technologies necessary for preventing, regulating, and abating pollution, and to anticipate emerging environmental issues.
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Appropriation enacted, 2005 $744,061,000
Budget estimate, 2006 760,640,000
Recommended, 2006 765,340,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 +21,279,000
Budget estimate, 2006 +4,700,000
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The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
Insert graphic folio 026 20754A.026
Insert graphic folio 027 20754A.027
Insert graphic folio 028 20754A.028
Insert graphic folio 029 20754A.029
Insert graphic folio 030 20754A.030
The Committee recommends $765,340,000 for science and technology, an increase of $21,279,000 above the fiscal year 2005 level and $4,700,000 above the budget request. In addition, the Committee recommends that $30,606,000, as requested, be transferred to this account from the Hazardous Substance Superfund account for ongoing research activities consistent with the intent of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended. Changes to the budget request are detailed below.
Air Toxics and Quality- The Committee recommends a decrease of $7,000,000 for Federal support for the air toxics program.
Climate Protection Program- The Committee recommends an increase of $2,300,000 for the climate protection program. Direction on the use of these funds is provided below.
Homeland Security- The Committee recommends a decrease of $35,000,000 for Water Sentinel and related training, and a decrease of $8,000,000 in preparedness, response, and recovery for the decontamination program. While the amount provided is less than the budget request, there is an increase above the fiscal year 2005 level for these programs.
Research: Congressional Priorities- The Committee recommends an increase of $40,000,000 for programs of national and regional significance that have been funded through this program/project in at least 3 of the last 4 years. Direction on the use of these funds is provided below.
Human Health and Ecosystems- The Committee recommends a net increase of $12,400,000 for human health and ecosystems including a decrease of $1,200,000 for computational toxicology and increases of $1,900,000 for endocrine disruptor research, $3,700,000 for fellowships through the Science to Achieve Results program, and $8,000,000 for other human health and ecosystems research of which $4,000,000 is for exploratory grants, $2,900,000 is for ecosystem protection research, $600,000 is for aggregate risk research, and $500,000 is for condition assessments of estuaries in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Committee agrees to the following:
1. EPA is encouraged to increase its use of private sector capability in the clean automotive technology program. The increase provided for the climate protection program is to ensure that not less than $10,000,000 is used for competitively awarded contract research and engineering services and activities. The private sector has significant research capability that is used by EPA through this program, to develop clean, cost effective, highly fuel-efficient engines and powertrain technologies.
2. The EPA should develop clear goals and milestones for the Water Sentinel program, including the use of real-time monitoring; seek the advice of the Science Advisory Board; and justify more clearly the funding request for the program, in the context of the overall plan, in the fiscal year 2007 budget request.
3. The Committee does not agree with the transfer of research funds to the Office of Air and Radiation, the Office of Water, the Solid Waste and Emergency Response program, and the Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances program. The Office of Research and Development should coordinate closely with these offices on their research needs. There should be an emphasis on using the Science to Achieve Results grants program whenever practicable.
4. The Committee has included $40,000,000 for Programs of National and Regional Significance with the expectation that the EPA will conduct a competitive solicitation among programs that have been added by the Congress to the Science and Technology account in at least 3 of the last 4 years. The Committee notes that many of these Congressional priorities provide invaluable assistance to the EPA and are performed at a cost substantially less than if EPA were to institute such programs in-house. A competitive solicitation should ensure that the highest priority national and regional programs continue to be funded.
The Environmental Programs and Management account encompasses a broad range of abatement, prevention, and compliance activities, and personnel compensation, benefits, travel, and expenses for all programs of the Agency except Science and Technology, Hazardous Substance Superfund, Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund, Oil Spill Response, and the Office of Inspector General.
Abatement, prevention, and compliance activities include setting environmental standards, issuing permits, monitoring emissions and ambient conditions, and providing technical and legal assistance toward enforcement, compliance, and oversight. In most cases, the States are directly responsible for actual operation of the various environmental programs and the Agency's activities include oversight and assistance.
In addition to program costs, this account funds administrative costs associated with the operating programs of the Agency, including support for executive direction, policy oversight, resources management, general office and building services for program operations, and direct implementation of Agency environmental programs for Headquarters, the ten EPA Regional offices, and all non-research field operations.
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Appropriation enacted, 2005 $2,294,902,000
Budget estimate, 2006 2,353,764,000
Recommended, 2006 2,389,491,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 +94,589,000
Budget estimate, 2006 +35,727,000
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The Committee recommends $2,389,491,000 for environmental programs and management, an increase of $94,589,000 above the fiscal year 2005 level and $35,727,000 above the budget request. Changes to the budget request are detailed below.
Brownfields- The Committee recommends a decrease of $5,000,000 for Brownfields support.
Air Toxics and Quality- The Committee recommends a net decrease of $6,800,000 for air toxics and quality, including a decrease of $5,000,000 in Federal support for air quality management for the clean diesel initiative, an increase of $1,200,000 for stratospheric ozone/domestic programs, and a decrease of $3,000,000 for stratospheric ozone/multilateral fund.
Climate Protection- The Committee recommends a decrease of $4,000,000 for climate protection, including decreases of $500,000 for Energy Star and $3,500,000 for the methane to markets initiative.
Compliance- The Committee recommends a decrease of $2,900,000 for compliance monitoring, including decreases of $1,800,000 to reduce the rescission-related restoration proposed in the budget and $1,100,000 for regional program support.
Enforcement- The Committee recommends a decrease of $4,000,000 for enforcement, including decreases of $3,000,000 for civil enforcement and $1,000,000 for criminal enforcement.
Environmental Protection: Congressional Priorities- The Committee recommends an increase of $40,000,000 for programs of national and regional significance that have been funded through this program/project in at least 3 of the last 4 years. Direction on the use of these funds is provided below. The Committee notes that the National Rural Water Association program has been moved to the Water: Health Protection/Drinking Water Programs portion of the environmental programs and management account.
Geographic Programs- The Committee recommends a net decrease of $2,532,000 for geographic programs, including increases of $1,045,000 for Lake Champlain, $1,523,000 for Long Island Sound, and $2,000,000 for Puget Sound, and decreases of $6,000,000 for community action for a renewed environment and $1,100,000 for regional geographic initiatives.
Information Exchange/Outreach- The Committee recommends a net increase of $5,000,000 for information exchange/outreach, including an increase of $9,000,000 for environmental education and a decrease of $4,000,000 for the exchange network.
Information Technology/Data Management- The Committee recommends a decrease of $10,000,000 for information technology/data management. A large amount of funding for these activities was transferred to the compliance program in the budget request. After accounting for that transfer, the Committee's recommendation provides an increase above the fiscal year 2005 level for data system improvements.
Operations and Administration- The Committee recommends a decrease of $5,000,000 for facilities infrastructure and operations.
Pesticide Licensing- The Committee recommends a decrease of $3,041,000 for pesticides: review/reregistration of existing pesticides, which leaves an increase of $3,635,000 above the enacted level.
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act- The Committee recommends a general reduction of $5,000,000 for RCRA activities. The Committee notes that, after this reduction, the Agency will retain an increase of nearly $3,000,000 above the fiscal year 2005 level. The increase above the enacted level should be used for the highest priority activities.
Toxics Risk Review and Prevention- The Committee recommends a net decrease of $1,000,000 for toxics risk review and prevention, including an increase of $1,000,000 for chemical risk review and a decrease of $2,000,000 for the pollution prevention program.
Water: Ecosystems- The Committee recommends a net decrease of $17,000,000 for water/ecosystems, including a decrease of $22,000,000 for Great Lakes Legacy Act programs (which leaves an increase of 25 percent above the fiscal year 2005 level) and an increase of $5,000,000 for the National Estuary Program. Direction on both of these programs is provided below.
Water: Human Health Protection- The Committee recommends a net increase of $7,000,000 for water/human health protection, including a decrease of $3,000,000 for drinking water programs and an increase of $10,000,000 for the National Rural Water Association.
Receipts from Toxics and Pesticides Fees.--The Administration proposed a $50,000,000 reduction to the environmental programs and management account under the assumption that legislation would be enacted to increase fees on pesticide registrations and that $50,000,000 would be made available, as a result, to offset appropriations. The Committee notes that no legislative proposal has been received from the Administration and it is unlikely that these receipts will be available for fiscal year 2006 as explained below. Therefore, the Committee recommends an increase of $50,000,000 to ensure that critical programs in this area continue. The Committee believes that the budget should not assume the use of receipts that are dependent on the enactment of subsequent legislation unless such legislation is under active consideration by the Congress.
The Committee agrees to the following:
1. The pesticide Safety Education Program should be funded at $1,200,000 in fiscal year 2006.
2. EPA has adopted regulations to reduce emissions from on-road heavy-duty diesel vehicles beginning in 2007 and from off-road heavy-duty diesel vehicles beginning in 2010. These regulations will apply to new vehicles and not to the millions of existing vehicles, which will probably not be fully replaced until 2030. Through the clean diesel initiative, EPA is working to retrofit existing vehicles with new emission reduction technologies. These include the accelerated use of new fuels, after-treatment of diesel exhaust with retrofit technology, and replacing and rebuilding older engines with new cleaner engine technology. The Committee has provided $10,000,000 in support of these efforts.
3. A total of $24,446,000 is included for the National Estuary Program, which includes $500,000 for each of the 28 NEP estuaries and $10,446,000 for other activities in support of the program.
4. The Committee has included $40,000,000 for Programs of National and Regional Significance with the expectation that the EPA will conduct a competitive solicitation among special programs that have been added by the Congress to the Environmental Programs and Management account in at least 3 of the last 4 years. The Committee notes that many of these Congressional priorities provide invaluable assistance to the EPA and are performed at a cost substantially less than if EPA were to institute such programs in house. A competitive solicitation should ensure that the highest priority national and regional programs continue to be funded.
5. The EPA needs to develop a clear plan for the Great Lakes Legacy Act implementation and explain in future budget requests how the requested funding for that program supports the plan.
6. When Congress enacted the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act (PRIA) of 2003 to allow EPA to collect new pesticide registration fees, it specifically prohibited the collection of any new tolerance fees by the EPA. However, the Administration assumed the use of receipts from registration fees as part of its fiscal year 2005 and 2006 budget requests. EPA should not spend time proposing fees and promulgating rules in conflict with PRIA and should use its limited resources on other, more productive pesticide work.
7. The Committee expects EPA to encourage local governments and communities to pursue innovative public-private partnerships, such as the Adopt-A-Waterway program, which, at no additional cost to the taxpayers, help to implement storm water pollution prevention activities, curb urban runoff, and improve water quality. Further, the Committee encourages EPA to work with the States to enter into public-private partnerships, such as Adopt-A-Waterway, to fulfill their public education and outreach responsibilities.
8. The Committee is aware that the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma has applied for treatment as a State status under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the `Clean Water Act') and that the issue is currently under litigation. The Committee will watch with interest the resolution of this issue.
9. The Committee is aware of TCE contamination affecting a large number of homes in Endicott and Ithaca, NY, which is due to vapor intrusion of TCE contaminants into the basements of homes. The Committee is further aware that EPA is in the process of finalizing its TCE risk assessment and that his is a prcess that is likely to continue over the next two years or more. EPA has indicated that it is currently evaluating a number of interim approaches for screening levels for TCE while awaiting the final assessment. The Committee strongly urges EPA to work with the State of New York to adopt protective interim approaches, as soon as practicable, including consideration of provisional screening levels based upon the 2001 Human Health Risk Assessment. Finally, the Committee expects EPA to keep it informed periodically on progress on the development and implementation of interim procedures and actions at these sites and on completion of the new EPA risk assessment.
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) provides audit, evaluation, and investigation products and advisory services to improve the performance and integrity of EPA programs and operations. This account funds personnel compensation and benefits, travel, and expenses (excluding rent, utilities, and security costs) for the Office of Inspector General. In addition to the funds provided under this heading, the OIG receives funds by transfer from the Hazardous Substance Superfund account. The IG also holds the position of Inspector General for the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board.
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Appropriation enacted, 2005 $37,696,000
Budget estimate, 2006 36,955,000
Recommended, 2006 37,955,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 +259,000
Budget estimate, 2006 +1,000,000
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The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
Insert graphic folio 039 20754A.039
The Committee recommends $37,955,000 for the Office of Inspector General, an increase of $259,000 above the fiscal year 2005 level and $1,000,000 above the budget request. In addition, the Committee recommends that $13,536,000, as requested, be transferred to this account from the Hazardous Substance Superfund account. The Committee expects that $1,000,000 will be used to carry out the duties of Inspector General for the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board.
The Buildings and Facilities account provides for the design and construction of EPA-owned facilities as well as for the repair, extension, alteration, and improvement of facilities used by the Agency. The funds are used to correct unsafe conditions, protect health and safety of employees and Agency visitors, and prevent deterioration of structures and equipment.
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Appropriation enacted, 2005 $41,688,000
Budget estimate, 2006 40,218,000
Recommended, 2006 40,218,000
Comparison:
Appropriation, 2005 -1,470,000
Budget estimate, 2006 0
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The amounts recommended by the Committee compared with the budget estimates by activity are shown in the following table:
Insert graphic folio 040 20754A.040
The Committee recommends $40,218,000, the budget request, for buildings and facilities, a decrease of $1,470,000 below the fiscal year 2005 level