of its initiative. I also have for the record some correspondence that I have had with the Forest Service on this point. Chairman HAYDEN. That may be done. (The information referred to follows:) It has come to my attention that Wyoming is one of the few States which does not participate in the Cooperative Forest Management Act program. If Wyoming were to participate in this program, it would enable the State to provide technical services to private forest landowners and processors of primary forest products. The work would be performed by State employed foresters and as I understand it would be financed on a matching basis with the State. I have corresponded with the Forest Service on this matter to determine how Wyoming might participate in the program and I should like to place this correspondence in the record at this point. In my opinion, this program is particularly important because of the fact that it provides assistance to private landowners and would therefore reach forest resources which are often neglected because of the lack of knowledge about proper conservation measures and because of the lack of appropriate encouragement. In other nations a much more intensive management of private forest lands is carried on to the considerable profit not only of the private landowner but also of the nation. I look forward to the day when Wyoming may cooperate in this program. APRIL 28, 1961. Mr. W. S. SWINGLER, Assistant Chief, U.S. Forest Service, DEAR MR. SWINGLER: It has come to my attention that Wyoming is one of the few States which do not at present participate in the Forest Service's cooperative program with the States for technical forest management assistance on private land. Since I am very much concerned with the efficient construction, marketing, and utilization of Wyoming's private forest resources, I should like to request information as to how Wyoming might participate in this program. Inasmuch as the Forest Service justification for its fiscal year 1962 appropriation will be heard before the Interior Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee next week, I should like to request that this information be furnished in time for me to study it before the hearing. Sincerely, GALE W. MCGEE, U.S. Senator. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FOREST SERVICE, Washington, D.C., May 3, 1961. Hon. GALE W. MCGEE, DEAR SENATOR MCGEE: This is in reply to your letter of April 28 inquiring how Wyoming might participate in the Cooperative Forest Management Act program of 1950. The act authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to cooperate with the States to enable them to provide technical services to private forest landowners and to processors of primary forest products. Services include on-the-ground assistance În management of forest lands and the harvesting, marketing, and processing of forest products. The work is performed by State-employed foresters. The act authorizes an annual appropriation of $2,500,000 to enable the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out its provisions. The revised budget for 1962 recommends the full authorization. The individual States must match the Federal appropriation. According to our present policy a minimum of $20,000 is made available to a State. Any increase above that amount is distributed according to a formula. It is probable that Wyoming would not be able to match more than $20,000 the first year. These combined funds would provide four or five farm foresters, depending upon the State's salary schedule. Before Federal funds may be made available, it is necessary that the authorized forestry representative of the State, usually the State forester, execute an agreement for the approval of the Secretary of Agriculture. A copy of an agreement form is enclosed for your information. I would look forward with pleasure to working with Wyoming in this program. Sincerely, W. S. SWINGER, STUDIES ON PROGRAM ACCELERATION Senator MCGEE. A few days ago I asked the Department to supply information on studies that it has made on Forest Service program acceleration possibilities. I wonder if it will be possible to have those put in the record at this time? Mr. MCARDLE. Senator McGee, I am sure we must have a copy of the letter which the Department sent you. Would it be the best plan to insert in the record, the letter which we sent you? Senator MCGEE. Yes, that will be fine. (The information referred to follows:) Hon. GALE W. MCGEE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, DEAR SENATOR MCGEE: This is in reply to your letter of May 1, 1961, asking for information on acceleration of Forest Service resource and public works programs. In response to your specific request there is attached a summary of public works projects estimates which was submitted to the Bureau of the Budget last February. This was part of an overall request to all departments and agencies for this information. A table is also included which lists man-months of employment for these estimates. This is not to be construed as a budget estimate, since it has not had the usual budgetary considerations in the Department or by the Bureau of the Budget. We appreciate receiving a copy of your letter to Senator Hayden. Sincerely yours, FRANK J. WELCH, Assistant Secretary. FOREST SERVICE, Washington, D.C., February 13, 1961. To Mr. CHARLES GRANT, Director, Office of Budget and Finance. This is in reply to part B of Budget and Finance Memorandum No. 520 of February 6, 1961, requesting an inventory of public works projects and similar work. Part A on acceleration of construction and procurement activities will be sent later. Forest Service programs are in the category of “Natural resource conservation and development" stated in President Kennedy's February 2 letter to heads of executive departments and agencies. Construction of buildings, campgrounds, telephone lines, roads, trails, research laboratories, and other similar type construction work is included under "Public works." Tree pranting, revegetation, timber stand improvement, and similar land-treatment measures for resource development are included as "Other work." Our report includes the following information: A general description of the estimates including the character of the work, timing, employment opportunities, relationship to surplus labor and lowincome areas, and resource development needs to meet our national goals. A map showing the major centers of labor surplus as defined in the January 1961, Department of Labor “Area Labor Market Trends." These centers and the involved counties that are adjacent to national forest lands are encircled by a black line. Although not requested, we have shown low-in come rural areas in color and have marked these areas with a double asterisk (**) in our estimate tables. Tables of estimates: National forest work by forests with list of counties, research facilities by towns and counties, and State and private forestry programs by States. A detailed list of the types of work included in each of the different groupings of the estimates. The total cost (col. 2) on attached tabulations is the additional cost above the 1962 recommended new obligational authority. Columns 3 and 4 are not included in the total cost. Previous experience with forest resource development programs has proven this to be an effective way to use surplus labor, stimulate the economy, and build a higher industrial base for the future. This program will employ more men for the money invested than activities such as heavy construction. R. E. MCARDLE. COMMENTS ON FOREST SERVICE INVENTORY OF CONSTRUCTION AND RELATED WORK (Prepared by the Secretary's Office for submission to the Bureau of the Budget.) The number, size, and nature of the public works and other projects carried out by the Forest Service in the area covered by Budget Bureau Bulletin No. 61-9 and later exhibits make it infeasible to follow, in all cases, the format requested. The following explanation describes those areas in which the submission differs from that format: Column 1: Data available for this inventory are available only for national forests and not for the counties which lie within these forests. To fulfill the requirement that these projects be broken down by counties and related to areas of labor suplus there has been attached to the submission for each State a breakdown by national forest of the counties which lie within those forests with an asterisk (*) denoting those areas of substantial labor surplus. In addition, the projects themselves carry an asterisk when they fall within these surplus labor areas. Although not requested by Budget Bureau instructions, projects and counties within low income rural areas have been designated with a double asterisk (**). The grouping of "Public works—not funded" projects by possible starting date was not practical due to the large number of projects involved; there is, however, in most cases an estimated starting date prior to December 31, 1961, as requested, and a glance at the "Obligations" and "Expenditures" columns will give additional information relative to this question. (In some cases, initial obligations for a project are not shown until after December 31, 1961; however, such projects are in reality only the continuation of other related projects scheduled for earlier initiation in the same forest.) Projects on State and private lands have, in each case, been included as an addendum to those projects involving national forest lands in each State submission. This has been done because of the grant and cost sharing nature of these projects. Column 2: Total project costs in the case of a multitude of small and often continuing projects was considered to be an unobtainable or meaningless figure; consequently, the amount shown in column 2 is not the total project cost but rather the additional funds which could be utilized, if available, under an accelerated program. New obligational authority figures in columns 3 and 4 are not inIcluded in the column 2 figures. No increase in the total costs of these projects due to speedup is anticipated. DESCRIPTIONS OF PROGRAMS Improvement and development of the national forest system and the State and privately owned forest lands and increasing the supporting research programs can contribute materially toward relieving unemployment in many areas. Acceleration of these forestry programs will also provide much needed restoration of valuable natural resources. Immediate employment can be provided for large amounts of unskilled labor on such projects as thinning, pruning, and other improvement of timber growth, watershed rehabilitation, planting trees and range grasses, construction of re 68806-61-54 search, administrative, fire control, range, and recreational facilities, including picnic tables, shelters, and sanitary facilities. The total cost per man-year of such employment is less than for many other types of work because of the relatively smaller investment needed in materials and equipment. Therefore, more men can be employed for the same amount of money. An inventory of needed development projects has been maintained since the 1930's for the 186 million acres of public lands administered by the Forest Service. Most States have prepared similar public work inventories. Data from these inventories have been scheduled by quarters for a productive work program. This program can be effectively administered. National forest system The land is in Federal ownership. No authorization legislation is necessary except in connection with road authorizations and construction and improvement of a few airports. The forestry work proposed can be started rapidly; substantial employment can be attained within 30 days. Plans are ready to start the acceleration to the level of the estimates. The types of work are such that they can be terminated rapidly if required by overall fiscal policy. They can also be continued at the indicated levels or higher for many years. Advancing the time table on these national-forest development projects hastens the period in which a permanent resource base is available for greater industrial development. Cooperative State and private forestry About 80 percent of the Nation's commercial forest land is in private ownership. In general, the protection and development work included on State and privately owned woodlots and forest lands is the same as on national forests. Generally, the types of work included are authorized. Limitations in present appropriation authorizations need to be eliminated. At present, matching of funds is required on most of the activities. Authority is needed so that the requirement for non-Federal contributions could be eliminated in areas of labor surplus and low rural income. Forest research The facilities for the supporting forestry and related research programs include the urgently needed laboratories for increased fundamental research, the development of the experimental forests, and similar facilities. These research estimates are an integral part of the total program and must be kept in balance with it. General A map is attached showing the major centers of labor surplus. These centers and the involved counties that are adjacent to national forest lands and Forest Service installations are encircled by a black line. In addition, low income rural areas are shown in color. The labor surplus areas are marked by a single asterisk (*) in the estimate tables and the low income rural areas by a double asterisk (**). January 1961 Department of Labor "Area Labor Market Trends" data were used in selecting areas of substantial labor surplus. They are the D, E, and F areas which show unemployment as 6 percent or more of the total labor force. The lines on the map delineate national forest areas in relation to the influence of the surplus labor centers. As an example, while statistics for northeastern Minnesota list only Duluth as an area of substantial labor surplus, forestry programs for the Mesabi Iron Range and surrounding areas were included, since the same general economic conditions prevail, and they are interdependent. The rural income data were taken from Agricultural Marketing Service and Agricultural Research Service information. The rural areas of low income coincide to a major degree with predominantly forest areas which have been cut over and require extensive rehabilitation to restore productivity. The restoration of a forest resource base in these marginal income areas is highly important. Forest resources can support expanded forest industries needed to create greater employment opportunities, on both a part-time and full-time basis. The acceleration of forestry programs in accordance with these plans will be a major step forward in the intensified efforts urgently needed to reach long-range forest resource goals. These needs and the steps necessary to meet them have been thoroughly studied and reported in the Department's Timber Resource Review released in 1958. This report shows that if the Nation is to have adequate timber to meet its need, growth must be stepped up by 32 percent by 1975 and 83 percent by the year 2000. FOREST SERVICE ESTIMATES INVENTORY OF PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS AND SIMILAR WORK (Reference: Agriculture Budget and Finance Memorandum No. 520; President Kennedy's letter of February 2 to heads of executive departments and agencies.) Descriptions of programs. Map of surplus employment and low income rural areas. Source: Labor surplus areas taken from January 1961 report of Department of Labor, "Area Labor Market Trends." |