DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE "DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 4972, 294 29 Washington, D.C., June 25, 1971. Hon. EDMUND S. MUSKIE, ༈ ་་ Chairman, Subcommittee on Air and Water Pollution, Committee on Public Works, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. DEAR SENATOR MUSKIE: This is in further reply to your letter of May 14, 1971. requesting information on S. 1113 for the Hearing Record. t In answer to questions listed in your letter, information is enclosed for USDA agencies involved in environmental research. Sincerely, Enclosure. T. K. COWDEN, Assistant Secretary. 1 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS QUESTION. 1(a). What is the organizational structure of your environmental research program? 53 State agricultural experiment stations receive Hatch Act and construction grants on a formula basis-also eligible to receive competitive special grant funds. Forestry Schools or Institutions: 61 State institutions funded and participating in the McIntyre-Stennis cooperative forestry research program. They receive McIntyre-Stennis funds on a formula basis and are eligible for competitive special grant funds. 1890 Land Grant Institutions: 16 land grant institutions and Tuskegee Institute are eligible for competitive special grants. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, SECRETARY'S MEMORANDUM No. 1965-PROTECTING AND IMPROVING THE QUALITY 1. Background. Plants, animals, fish, wildlife and microorganisms and the soil, water, air, and landscapes they share must be protected and managed so that the production and derivation of farm, range, and forest products and benefits will assure and increase the ecological utility and productive capacity of these resources. Forests, wild lands, wetlands, natural areas, farms, ranches, and rural communities must continue to provide water, wildlife habitat, recreation areas, energy sources, transportation routes, diverse employment opportunities, space for living with amenities and services and scenic beauty, while producing food, fiber, and forest products as needed. 2. Policy. It is the policy of the Department of Agriculture to direct its uses without its degradation or risk to health or safety or other undesirable consequences. Department programs vitally affect the conservation and management of the Nation's land, water, and related biological, recreational, and esthetic resources. The Department must give increased attention to protecting and improving the quality of the environment in addition to its responsibilities for producing food, feed, fibers, and forest products; maintaining income and employment; and providing amenities and services. In its efforts to protect and improve the environment, the Department will coordinate its activities and programs with those of other public and private agencies and individuals. It will continue to act in concert with Federal and State agencies, land-grant colleges and universities, other educational and social institutions, conservation and other districts, private organizations, farmers, ranchers, and other landowners and users. It will provide its competences as needed in dealings of the United States with other countries and international organizations. The Department will insure that its own facilities are designed, operated and maintained and its programs conducted in ways to provide leadership in the nationwide effort to protect the quality of our environment. 3. Implementation. In fulfilling its responsibilities concerning the environment, all agencies of the Department will direct special attention to those programs which contribute to protecting and improving the quality of the environment. These programs include but are not limited to: a. Protecting man, crops, livestock, forest, and the environment from pests-insects, weeds, diseases-fire, wind, and water in a manner safe for both man and the environment. 1 Headquarters staff specialists-Research in these subject areas is directed from eight regional Forest and Range Experiment Stations, the Forest Products Laboratory and the Institute of Tropical Forestry. |