526 LABOR-HEALTH, EDUCATION, WELFARE APPROPRIATIONS remaining 30 percent of the proposed addition will increase the present office facilities. One room will require substantial shielding against radiation, and several laboratories will require chemical hoods with air velocities somewhat higher than usual. All other facilities will be conventional. This structure will house the many activities of the Clinical Center Radiation Safety Department. Some space will be used to handle the increasing load of assays. Other laboratory space will be convertible from research and standardization laboratories into teaching laboratories. The use of radioactive materials at NIH has doubled every 3 years since 1955 but the space available for the control of these materials has been increased by only one room, that room devoted to the handling of radioactive wastes. The Radiation Safety Department is now supplying short-lived radioactive isodine on demand, and the training course is being given to 150-200 professional personnel each year. This program is essential to NIH research programs. Available space is inadequate to meet the present research needs for radioactive materials and training. The additional office space will relieve the crowded areas used for recordkeeping and report writing. Plannings costs are estimated at $45,000 and construction costs at $455,000. In 1967, funds of $270.000 are requested for the planning of a municipal type incinerator plant rated at an approximate burning capacity of 12 tons per hour, to be sited on the NIH Reservation at Bethesda, Md. The total cost, including planning, is estimated at $3,540,000. (a) Incinerator plant.-This facility will consist of three (3) incinerator units, each having a rated capacity of four tons per hour. The design of these units will provide for drying grates ahead of the combustion hearths to facilitate complete incineration of the NIH refuse mix. (b) Appurtenances.-Materials handling and storing facilities will provide for unloading of refuse from GI cans or Dempster Dumpster bins, washing facilities for cans or bins, and storage areas permitting segregation of wet and dry refuse. (c) Siting. The site tentatively selected for the new facility is in the area west of Building 14A. This facility is needed for the following reasons: 1. The existing incinerator facilities, even if operated at the maximum burning rate presently attainable (0.92 tons per hour for each of the two existing incinerators, or a combustion efficiency of 46 percent), will not be able to handle the NIH refuse load by the time Euildings 35, 36, and 37 are completed in 1968. At that time the refuse load is expected to be 972 tons per month, while the existing plant can burn only 845 tons per month under the best operating conditions. 2. By 1975, the NIH refuse load is expected to be approximately 1,400 tons per month; nearly twice the capacity of the existing plant. 3. Consideration has been given to hauling a portion of NIH refuse off the NIH reservation for disposal. Discussions have been held with local authorities and they have reservations on accepting potentially infectious waste containing dead animals. Therefore, we believe that onsite disposal must be planned. Repairs and improvements 1967 appropriation estimate_____ 1. NIH reservation, $415,000 $500,000 (a) Continuation of major alterations to eliminate fire and safety hazards, $335,000. (b) Renovation of air-conditioning system in Building 21 and connection to central chilled water system, $80,000. 2. Rocky Montain Laboratory, Hamilton, Mont., $85,000 Replacement of steam generators and related deteriorated equipment in Building 7. OFFICE OF THE SURGEON GENERAL 1967 appropriate estimate----. Facilities planning $125,000 During the past 20 years the Congress has appropriated almost $300 million for construction of facilities for the Public Health Service. Most of this construction was designed to meet the immediate needs of a particular program with little consideration for total current or projected space requirements for other Service programs. Frequently the program lacked resources in the architectual and engineering skills essential to proper predesign planning, site evaluation, and administration of a construction program. Two steps are proposed for the purpose of bringing about more orderly planning for future construction needs as well as more effective and economical utilization of architectural and engineering resources of the Service: (1) A Division of Buildings and Facilities is proposed within the Office of the Surgeon General in which would be consolidated all facilities planning personnel except those at the National Institutes of Health, which already has a highly skilled staff that is responsive to its needs, and (2) the $125,000 requested in this estimate would be used for the purpose of contracting with a firm of architect-engineers to begin development of a master plan covering geographical locations and space requirements of all PHS programs. Dr. STEWART. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, the 1967 estimate for this appropriation includes funds for all proposed construction projects for the Public Health Service except those for the Indian health program. The estimate, in the total amount of $18,279,000, provides planning or construction funds for 13 projects in the sum of $16,154,000, repair and improvement funds in the sum of $2 million, and $125,000 for development of a master facilities plan. The growth of Service responsibilities and programs dictates in large measure the need for new construction. HOSPITALS From the viewpoint of preparing for the role of the Service in the future, the most important item in this budget estimate is the funding of the second step in our program to modernize the Public Health Service hospitals. The President's Science Adviser recently appointed a Committee to consider the appropriate role of these hospitals. The report of this Committee recommended "that the general hospitals of the Public Health Service be modernized and that they be supported at levels consistent with the several important functions they should perform." The estimate is consistent with this recommendation. It reflects the goal of the Service to conduct its functions of patient care, training, research, and demonstration as models of excellence. It is designed to provide the modern, functional facilities in which our personnel can carry forward these activities to the advantage of our beneficiaries, of medical care nationwide, and of biomedical science in general. Con 00-302-66-34 gress last year appropriated $1,093,000 to be used for preliminary planning. The 1967 estimate will supplement this fund with $5,021,000 and will make possible the preparation of working drawings and specifications for the Carville Leprosarium and 8 of the 10 general hospitals. FACILITIES FOR THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH To continue the development of facilities at Bethesda for the National Institutes of Health, the estimate includes funds for four muchneeded projects. Planning and construction of an addition to the isotope laboratory will require $500,000. This space is needed principally for the assay of radioactive materials, for calibrating radiation survey instruments, and for the use of students in the radiosotope training course. Secondly, the disposal of refuse in an efficient manner necessitates the planning of a large incinerator. For this purpose $270,000 is recommended. The capacity of this plant would enable it to handle 1,400 tons of material-much of it infectious-per month. Finally, parking facilities to service the new cancer building, the new mental health and neurology building, and the new office building extension will require $3,474,000. Planning funds of $236,000 for these two multilevel structures were appropriated for 1966. Senator HILL. Are these funds already in the budget now before us? Dr. STEWART. Yes, sir, the $236,000 was appropriated in the 1966 budget and these are the construction funds for 1967. COMMUNICABLE DISEASE FACILITY This building will provide space for projects to be conducted by the Communicable Disease Center and the Puerto Rico Department of Health. It will be constructed on land provided by the University of Puerto Rico Medical Center. Principal emphasis will be given to studies of schistosomiasis, tuberculosis, and venereal diseases. Planning funds of $180,000 were appropriated in 1966; the construction cost is estimated at $1,300,000. SHELLFISH SANITATION CENTERS Construction funds of $2,108,000 are recommended for an addition to the Narragansett laboratory in Rhode Island ($1,108,000) and for the Northwest Shellfish Sanitation Research Center to be built on Puget Sound ($1 million). Funds for planning these facilities ($76,000 and $118,000, respectively) were appropriated in 1966. The Narragansett addition will increase the utility of the laboratory by permitting additional research to be carried out on shellfish virology, and by providing specialized facilities for research on pathogenic organisms and toxic chemicals. The laboratory on Puget Sound will replace one located on privately owned land which will not be available to us after 1968. Projects to be undertaken here will relate to shellfish of commercial importance to the Northwest, including Alaska. Research will be conducted in virology, microbiology, chemistry, shellfish toxins, and marine biology. SOLID WASTE RESEARCH FACILITY Funds for construction of this plant in Johnson City, Tenn., were appropriated in 1966. The 1967 estimate of $395,000 provides for the heavy process machinery and other equipment. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH LABORATORY FACILITY Appropriation of $1,285,000 is recommended for the design of permanent laboratories at Cincinnati to house personnel now engaged in environmental health research in nine separate leased buildings in the Cincinnati area. The 1966 appropriation provided $100,000 for preliminary planning. The 1967 estimate is to cover the cost of architectural and engineering design. APPALACHIAN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH FIELD STATION The Service plans to construct a station at Morgantown, W. Va., at which to conduct research in environmental health problems pertinent to Appalachia. Our aim is to bring about solutions to these problems in a manner which will contribute to the economic development of the region. The estimate is for $330,000 to design the facility. The 1966 appropriation included $20,000 for preliminary planning. ARCTIC HEALTH RESEARCH CENTER Funds have previously been appropriated ($4,290,000) for construction of the Arctic Health Research Center at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks. The current estimate includes two items for this Center: $298,000 for the purchase of portable equipment; and $1,173,000 for the design and construction of an experimental animal facility to house normal and infected indigenous animals needed in the research projects conducted by the Center. FACILITIES PLANNING During the past 20 years the Congress has appropriated over $296 million for construction of facilities for the PHS. Most of this construction was designed to meet the immediate need of a particular program with little consideration for total current or projected space requirements for other Service programs. Frequently the program lacked resources in the architectural and engineering skills essential to proper planning and administration of a construction program. The result has been delays in actual construction of authorized facilities and the construction of some facilities that were inadequate to meet program needs. Two steps are proposed for the purpose of bringing about more orderly planning for future construction needs as well as more effective and economical utilization of architectural and engineering resources of the Service. In this appropriation we are requesting $125,000 for the purpose of contracting with a firm of architect-engineers to develop a master plan covering space requirements for all PHS programs for a period of at least 10 years. In the appropriation "Salaries and expenses, Office of the Surgeon General," we propose the transfer and consolidation of all facilities planning personnel except those located at NIH. We are convinced that this consolidation will permit more effective utilization of the professional staff, greater economy in the total planning effort, and more expeditious progress in the handling of construction proposals. The NIH has been engaged in major construction activities for many years and has developed a highly skilled staff that is responsive to its 530 LABOR-HEALTH, EDUCATION, WELFARE APPROPRIATIONS needs. For this reason and because of the geographical concentration of NIH facilities no transfer of staff or responsibility is proposed at this time. Mr. Chairman, I shall be pleased to answer any questions that you or the other members of the committee may have. SPECIALIZED REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH FACILITY Senator HILL. Senator Byrd. Senator BYRD. Last year $20,000 was appropriated for some of the predesign work necessary for planning of the specialized regional environmental health facility. That money was, as I understand it, not meant for planning in relation to construction but, rather, it related to certain steps necessary to be taken before proceeding with architectural and engineering planning contracts. What steps have been taken thus far? Dr. STEWART. Approximately the full $20,000 will be used or obligated this fiscal year. I think the schedule calls for it being obligated in May for this predesign work. We have also worked out a space accommodation with the University of West Virginia so that we can begin to temporarily house the staff group who would later move into the facility. The timing is such that the predesign work would be finished by the time we get the proposed $330,000. We are on the schedule we have set. Senator BYRD. You are on schedule? Dr. STEWART. Yes, sir. PLANNING AND DESIGN FUNDS Senator BYRD. Will you be ready then when the appropriation is available to proceed with planning and design? Dr. STEWART. That is right. Senator BYRD. How much money is needed and is the full amount of your capability reflected in the budget request for $330,000? Dr. STEWART. Yes, it is. The $330,000 will provide the full amount needed for the planning. We will have to come back later for construction funds. Mr. CARDWELL. This is the amount of the original request. Senator HILL. In other words, the Budget Bureau allowed the full amount requested by the Department? Mr. CARDWELL. Yes, sir. LOCATION OF FACILITY Senator BYRD. Will the facility be located on the university campus? Dr. STEWART. I do not know whether it is on university land or not. I would have to ask Dr. Anderson. Dr. ANDERSON. Yes: the university has offered the land. They have a large parcel of land that is available for the selection of a specific site. Senator BYRD. So the land will be acquired without cost to the Government? Dr. ANDERSON. Yes, sir. Senator BYRD. What would be the estimate on the value of the land? |