$275,000. It also adds $200,000 to provide minimum facilities for outdoor recreation on certain public domain lands to be retained in Federal ownership where public use has become extremely heavy. Chairman HAYDEN. At this point I will insert in the record the budget estimate for the "Construction" program in the amount of $1,050,000. (The information referred to follows:) BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT This estimate of $575,000 for access roads on public domain lands will provide access (1) to stands of mature and overmature timber on public domain lands making additional supplies of marketable timber available to small businesses and (2) for management and recreation purposes. The amount available in 1961 included a carryover of $226,919 from the prior year plus an appropriation of $250,000. Satisfactory access is the key to sound timber sales and related forest management activities for the public domain timberlands. Lack of suitable access is particularly acute in Oregon, California, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. In most are is minimum standard roads will be provided with additional improvement made as a condition of the timber sale contracts. The program detailed below will provide for easements, acquisition of existing roads, and construction to give access to public domain timber not now accessible. Without assured access, competitive interest in the timber will be severely restricted and a substantial amount of the timber which might otherwise be offered for sale cannot be marketed. The roads also provide for protection and management of the lands, recreation, and other purposes. Demands for outdoor recreation on lands administered by BLM are expanding very rapidly, with increasing pressure from outside sources for making extensive areas of such lands accessible for public use and enjoyment. Immediate needs include construction of roads, purchase of existing roads, and acquisition of easements to provide approximately 250 miles of additional access roads in California, Oregon, Wyoming, Arizona, and Colorado. The amount requested is necessary to provide improved public access to extensive areas of public domain lands suitable for recreation and other purposes which will not otherwise be accessible in fiscal year 1962. Details of the 1962 access roads program are set forth in the following table: The estimate for planning and construction of buildings in the Western States and Alaska is $275,000. The amount available in 1961 includes $86,104 carried over from the prior year plus an appropriation of $100,000 in 1961. The estimate of $275,000 for fiscal year 1962 is necessary to complete several installations now in various stages of construction in Alaska which are vital to the Alaska fire control operation; to initiate action on the expansion of the installation at Fairbanks, Alaska; and for construction of facilities at two locations in the Western States. Alaska. In order to obtain maximum benefits from the expanded Alaska fire control effort necessary facilities must be provided. Vast distances, severe climate, and complex construction problems contribute to the high costs of establishing these essential components of the total fire protection program. This program includes office-quarters buildings, warehouses, power, water, sanitation, and heating facilities which are available from no other sources. Western States.-Work of the Bureau has been hampered in certain areas of the West by lack of suitable buildings for offices, warehouses, maintenance shops, and equipment vehicle storage. It is necessary also to provide for expansion of some Bureau facilities where space is not adequate. This estimate provides for facilities at two locations in Nevada and Oregon. Details of the building construction program follow: Alaska: Fairbanks: Boiler house, heating distribution system, water filter and Architectural plans and preliminary work for fire warehouse, $96, 000 25, 000 Total_. McGrath: Gas and oil storage and gravel fill.. 121, 000 Eagle: Water system and powerplant.. Finger Lake (Palmer): Combination garage-warehouse, nonflam- 6, 000 Anchorage: Architectural plans for integrated fire control station__ Total Nevada, Winnemucca: Epuipment storage and district office.. Total building program, 1962_. 275,000 The total construction cost of the integrated fire control facilities at Anchorage is estimated at $700,000. The facilities will include office, crew quarters, garage, and warehouse and such appurtenant facilities as central heating, water and sewerage systems. The Army has been insistent that the Bureau vacate the premises which it now occupies. The estimated total construction cost of warehouse, barracks and shops at Fairbanks is $380,000. 8. Recreation facilities, $200,000 The amount of $200,000 is needed to provide_minimum facilities for outdoor recreation on certain public domain lands in the Western States to be retained in Federal ownership for multiple use management and where public use has become extremely heavy. The campgrounds, picnic sites, sanitation and related facilities to be constructed will permit regulated use and materially lessen the danger of fire and other hazards to public safety. It is expected that, through cooperative efforts, local governments and organized groups will participate in the total cost, either in construction or in operation and maintenance of these facilities. The rapid increase in population coupled with a sharp rise in the standard of living, improved transportation facilities and shorter working hours have greatly intensified the outdoor recreation needs and interests of the public, who look increasingly to the public lands to satisfy these needs. Other governmental resource management agencies are reporting a 100-percent increase in recreational use over the past 3 years and a similar surge in the recreational use of public domain lands is being experienced. To meet this new need of the public, the Bureau of Land Management has developed an integrated program based on the following: 1. The Bureau recognizes the need for both extensive and intensive recreation uses of suitable lands and provision of public access to such lands. Access will be furnished through cooperative efforts with sportsmen and civic organizations, private land owners, grazing permittees and licensees, State gaine and fish commissions, and the general public, and through reciprocal rights-of-way and exchange of use agreements. 2. Consistent with policies of the National Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission, the Bureau has been working and will continue to work with the National Park Service in making and maintaining current inventories of lands being used or having a potential for intensive recreational use. 3. When recreational use not of national significance is deemed to be the dominant use, particularly on lands subject to transfer of title, the Bureau will encourage long term leases or purchase of such lands by States or other appropriate groups. The lands may then receive intensive development under provisions of the Recreation and Public Purposes Act by the lessee or patentee. 4. The Bureau cooperates with States and other interested local agencies and groups in developing recreational facilities on lands having significant multiple use values. Since States and other local agencies and groups have a responsibility in sharing the cost burden of providing local outdoor recreation, the extent of recreational development of Bureau of Land Management lands will be dependent upon cooperation in meeting overall development and maintenance costs. Total program costs for fiscal year 1962 include: Survey and design.. Total___ $15,000 35, 000 150, 000 200, 000 On the basis of inventories now in progress and tentative expressions of interest by State and local groups, it is anticipated that the sum of $150,000 will provide for the initial construction of basic facilities on 20 to 30 sites located in Oregon, California, Idaho, Colorado, and Montana. EXPLANATION RELATING TO APPROPRIATION LANGUAGE It is proposed to delete the words "or adjacent to" on the second line of the appropriation language. This is necessary to clarify existing language which could be interpreted to prohibit the construction of access roads on public domain or Coos Bay Wagon Road grant lands which are adjacent to the Oregon and California lands. It is proposed to add after the word "facilities" in the last line "and other improvements." This change is required to provide authority for the development of recreational facilities on public domain lands. Amendments requested: (P. 2, lines 15 and 16) (1) Page 2, lines 15 and 16 strike out the following: "and appurtenant facilities," and insert in lieu thereof the following: ", appurtenant facilities, and other improvements,". (2) Page 2, line 16 strike out "$850,000" and insert in lieu thereof "$1,050,000", the estimate, or an increase of $200,000 in the appropriation. HOUSE REPORT "The committee recommends an appropriation of $850,000 for construction of timber access roads on the public domain and Coos Bay Wagon Road grant lands and for construction of buildings and facilities primarily in connection with fire control measures in Alaska. The amount allowed represents an increase of $500,000 in the 1961 appropriation and a decrease of $200,000 in the budget request. The disallowance is in the new item proposed to initiate a program to provide recreation facilities on the public domain lands in the Western States. The committee was advised that this program could cost as much as $2 to $3 million annually. Before such a program is undertaken as a Federal responsibility consideration should be given to the possibility of the lease or sale of tracts of land for park purposes to the States or local jurisdictions for financing and operating the facilities." JUSTIFICATION Explanation of amendment (1).—The amendment restores the language contained in the budget which will provide authority for the development of recreational facilities on public domain lands. Funds for these recreational facilities are justified under amendment (2). Explanation of amendment (2).-The amendment restores the reduction of $200,000 made by the House in the budget estimate for this appropriation This amount is distributed to activities as follows: A breakdown of the restoration request by objects of expenditure follows: The amendment restores $200,000 for the construction of recreation facilities, the total amount of the reduction by the House. The recreation facilities program, a new item in the 1962 budget, is to provide minimum facilities for outdoor recreation on certain public domain lands which are to be retained in Federal ownership for multiple-use management where public use for recreation has become extremely heavy. These are areas of the public domain, having resources of continuing Federal interest which the public is using without facilities to provide for public health and safety and to protect the resources from fire and other hazards. This program would provide facilities for recreational use of such areas coordinated with the development, protection, and use of forest, range, mineral, and other resources. The House committee suggests that in lieu of this program consideration should be given to lease or sale of tracts for such purposes to State and local jurisdictions. A program for such transfers of lands for development purposes has long been |