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Rep. Rahall asks for funding for federal lands, parks, and resources

This letter from Nick J. Rahall, Chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, urges the inclusion of funds to address infrastructure and maintenance needs facing federal natural resource agencies in the economic recovery bill.

January 16, 2009

Representative David R. Obey
Chairman
House Committee on Appropriations
H-218
United States Capitol
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Mr. Chairman:

I strongly support the American Recovery and Reinvestment Bill of 2009. As the Chairman of the Natural Resources Committee, I express my particular support for funding to address the critical infrastructure and maintenance needs facing federal natural resource agencies, the dire needs of Native Americans, and the unique circumstances of our Insular areas. Chronic underfunding over eight years has left Indian Country, U.S. Territories, and our parks, forests, refuges, coastal areas and other public lands with crumbling roads, failing sewer systems, hazardous and polluting abandoned mines, crippled watersheds, degraded wildlife habitats, and deteriorated water management systems.

The major investments in these programs proposed in this bill will begin to set right this era of disinvestment. Though we must all recognize it is not a cure-all, this bill will start to address years of neglect and help to make public lands safer and healthier and assist in important efforts to restore natural systems, while, at the same time, creating tens of thousands of jobs needed to boost our struggling economy.

National Park Service

The National Park Service has a list of “ready to go” projects that, within 24 months of enactment, would create an estimated 57,226 jobs, performing urgently needed work on roads, facilities rehabilitation and historic buildings repair, deferred maintenance, trail improvements, habitat restoration and exotic species management, energy monitoring and reduction, and other areas. I support this bill’s proposal to invest $1.7 billion in these projects. In addition, I also support the inclusion of significant funding for improvements to our National Mall.

Bureau of Land Management

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has been severely underfunded for the past eight years and its multiple-use mandate completely undermined as funding was funneled mainly to streamlining rampant energy development. Increased funding to help the BLM restore public lands, plan for climate change, administer recreation and education on public lands, assist in responsibly developing renewable energy sources, address deferred maintenance projects, and protect natural and cultural resources is desperately needed. The proposal to invest $325 million in infrastructure maintenance, habitat restoration, and hazardous fuels reduction on BLM lands will provide both economic and environmental benefits, and will serve as an important step toward overcoming the neglect of our public lands by the previous Administration.

Forest Service

There is also great opportunity for job creation through investment in landscape-scale restoration projects on National Forest System lands. Such restoration projects can build the American workforce and increase economic activity, particularly in rural communities. These projects can restore and maintain healthy and productive forests, grasslands, stream systems, and wetlands while reducing catastrophic wildfire risks and wildfire suppression costs, helping our National Forests adapt to climate change.

Also, the Forest Service estimates that is has a facilities maintenance backlog of approximately $700 million and a road maintenance backlog of $5 billion (although Congressional Research Service estimates this number to be closer to $8 billion). Road decommissioning and deferred maintenance on National Forest System lands can preserve historic structures, maintain facilities, and reduce sedimentation and damage to aquatic ecosystems from poorly maintained roads.

The inclusion in this bill of $1.5 billion to the Forest Service for wildfire hazard reduction, road and trail and enhancement and decommissioning, and watershed and habitat restoration projects is projected to create more than 20,000 jobs, improve land and water quality, and do much to address the backlogs and restoration needs the agency has identified.

Fish and Wildlife Service

More than 40 million visitors every year visit the National Refuge System, a significant majority by automobile (62%), in order to engage in high-quality wildlife-dependent outdoor recreation. Unfortunately, the Refuge System is struggling under a $3.5 billion operations and maintenance backlog to even maintain existing facilities and program activities. The maintenance of more than 4,900 miles of roads and over 2,500 miles of land and water trails, many in rural areas, remains a substantial challenge toward maintaining the public’s access to the sole system of Federal lands dedicated exclusively to wildlife conservation.

The Service has identified over $400 million in projects to restore fish and wildlife habitats and to address critical deferred maintenance needs, particularly for water management infrastructure such as levees, dikes, pumps, and sluice gates that could put people to work within three months. The Refuge Roads program has identified 27 ready-to-go projects totaling over $40 million that will foster the creation of 221 private-sector jobs to rebuild or improve the safety of roads, bridges, parking areas, and trails in 23 states and Puerto Rico. The proposal to invest $300 million for priority road and bridge repair and replacement and critical deferred maintenance and improvement projects on National Wildlife Refuges, National Fish Hatcheries, and other Service properties will go a long way toward addressing these high-priority needs.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) also has a significant number of coastal land restoration projects that are ready to be funded. More than half the United States population lives along our coasts, and restoring the ecological health of these areas will the support the long-term sustainability of coastal communities and economies. NOAA’s Community-based Restoration Program and Open Rivers initiative have the expertise and demonstrated track record to implement a wide range of coastal habitat restoration projects that will result in both job creation and long-term economic growth. I support the inclusion of $400 million in the bill to fund these types of habitat restoration and mitigation activities, which will create thousands of jobs.

Bureau of Reclamation

Water reuse projects are a sound investment in creating jobs, addressing drought concerns, and helping local economies and will no doubt assist in stimulating our economy. Unfortunately, funding for key water reuse and recycling infrastructure has been inadequate. The Bureau of Reclamation currently estimates a $655 million backlog in funding for the 45 projects across nine western states approved for Title XVI. I appreciate the infusion of $126 million to address the backlog in Title XVI funding. As the Committee report details, funding for these water reuse projects is expected to result in demonstrable job creation.

The condition of existing water storage and delivery infrastructure is alarming. To date, the Bureau has constructed over 600 dams and owns over 7,000 miles of water deliver infrastructure. Most of the infrastructure was constructed in the early 1900’s, is at or near the end of its design life, and currently counts on minimal to no funding for infrastructure improvement. In many cases, the costs of rehabilitating the infrastructure far exceed the initial costs of the project. This poses a significant financial burden on the beneficiaries of the projects who are required to pay for repairs and rehabilitation. Financial assistance is necessary to make these major infrastructure repairs.

This legislation includes key language that would help water districts throughout the West address aging infrastructure issues by extending the repayment period for major infrastructure repairs.

Western Area Power Administration and Bonneville Power Administration

To expand the viability of renewable energy, Congress must work to connect areas of high potential renewable electricity generation with areas demanding more renewable energy. The Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) is uniquely positioned to provide the necessary transmission to link renewable energy generation to urban load centers. WAPA already has more than 17,000 miles of transmission across its service area in 15 western states.

As a federal agency, WAPA presents the best combination of experience negotiating agreements with tribal entities, the ability to condemn land as needed, and the ability to construct transmission lines across federal lands. Providing WAPA with new financial authority allows the agency Administrator to borrow funds from the U.S. Treasury to be used to update and expand transmission, with a focus on meeting the increased demand for renewable energy. There is also a benefit to increasing the borrowing authority for similar purposes. Language in the stimulus legislation providing for new authority for WAPA and increased borrowing authority for Bonneville will help to create new incentives for the upgrade and construction on new transmission and related jobs.

Economic Needs of Indian Country

While most Americans have never encountered the harsh economic conditions that our Nation is faced with today, this crisis is nothing new for our First Americans. But a new Administration and Congress have both the opportunity and the obligation to change this situation. President-elect Obama stated in a press conference that his Administration intends to “ensure that we finally live up to treaty obligations owed to First Americans.” Including Native Americans in the economic stimulus is a good beginning.

Indian country has an average unemployment rate of approximately 26%, compared to the current 7.2% national unemployment rate. Basic infrastructure, such as hospitals, schools, roads, and law enforcement, which are essential for any strong, vibrant economy, are severely lacking. As with any community, a lack of basic infrastructure in Indian Country not only impedes economic development but it also results in Native communities being some of the poorest in Nation.

Because Indian tribes are separate, sovereign governments and tribal sovereignty must be respected, any funds intended to stimulate Native economies need to be provided directly to Indian tribes and not through State or local governments. Funding proposed for Indian programs in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act meets this need.

I applaud the $30 billion in the bill for highway and bridge construction, and particularly, the $300 million for Indian roads. The Bureau of Indian Affairs indicated that transportation projects for Fiscal Year 2009, alone, have a value of over $310 million. Commencement of these projects could create 21,500 new jobs and improve our tribal communities’ crumbling infrastructure and distressed economies.

I also support the inclusion of $500 million to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to address the maintenance backlogs at Indian schools, dams, detention centers, law enforcement facilities, and the over 24,000 miles of Indian roads. According to the BIA, the unmet need for maintenance and improvement of existing transportation infrastructure alone is $258 million.

The need for maintenance, renovation or construction of Indian Health Services facilities, which are often the only available health facility in Indian country, is unacceptable. I applaud the inclusion of $550 million to modernize hospitals, clinics, and technology. Also, since some Urban Indian health clinics are also community health centers, their eligibility to receive funding from the $1 billion included to renovate community health centers and upgrade technology will be helpful.

Insular Areas

As you may know, the economies of our U.S. territories, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands have, for longer than a decade, contracted. The resultant decrease in revenues has hampered their abilities to adequately fund basic needs required to sustain and grow their economies. The recent global economic crisis has only added to their challenges, making any effort to raise capital in the open market nearly impossible. However, their inclusion in the myriad programs provided within the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will greatly assist these jurisdictions. Additional resources provided to programs under the Departments of Transportation, Agriculture, and the Environmental Protection Agency will help these island communities meet their challenges to improve infrastructure, construct new roads, and provide clean water to their communities. In addition, newer programs, such as the 21st Century Green High initiative will assist local governments in modernizing, renovating, and repairing public schools to ensure that students have the best opportunities to succeed in the future.

Our U.S. territories, some of the most scenic, beautiful, and environmentally diverse areas under the American flag, will continue to face obstacles to development due to their remoteness. A separate funding stream dedicated to addressing many other critical and immediate needs would be most beneficial, and I look forward to working with the Committee to garner the support needed to help their growth and expansion.

Conclusion

Taken together, the funding for the natural resources, Indian, and Insular needs contained in this bill will have the double benefit of creating needed jobs while helping to improve the quality of life for millions of Americans. Devoting a significant portion of our stimulus dollars to promoting the revitalization of the Nation’s most prized and environmentally valuable lands and waters is absolutely the right thing to do. As President Franklin Delano Roosevelt said shortly after signing into law the 1933 Emergency Conservation Work Act, creating the Civilian Conservation Corps, “We are clearly enhancing the value of our natural resources, and second, we are relieving an appreciable amount of actual suffering.”

Thank you for your efforts to fund the many programs I have detailed here. I look forward to working with you on these crucial matters.

With warm regards, I am

Sincerely,

Nick J. Rahall,

Chairman

Committee on Natural Resources

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