existing roads as a method to gain access to natural resource lands. I am very pleased to see the section in the bill that refers to the California Desert Area. The California Desert contains many unique and delicate resources that require special attention. However, there exist many other desert areas in the natural resource lands which have resources as unique and as delicate as the California lands. We suggest that the bill include an additional section that provides for a study of all desert areas within the national resource lands. This study should include: (1) A description (including maps) of each desert area on the public (2) lands. An analysis of the present condition of the total ecosystem of (3) A projection of the suitable uses which each desert area could accept without damaging the total ecosystem. (4) (5) (6) An estimate of the natural resources contained in desert areas. A projection of the kinds of use demands which were likely to be placed upon each desert area; and Recommendations as to needed administrative or legislative action which is necessary to insure that Federal management of the desert areas is adequate to fully protect and develop each desert area. We would also like to emphasize that a major purpose of this bill should be to promote rural stability and well-being by helping to stablize the production of livestock. Approximately 30,000 families (24,000 actual leases) are dependent on BLM leases, These leases are important to the western economy and social structure. We would like to, therefore, see language in this bill which favors family farms in sales and leases of natural resource lands. The family farm is . the basis of the western social structure. This structure is slowly being eroded by agri-business's recent aquisitions and conglomeration of family farms. Both the Homestead Act and the Taylor Grazing Act emphasize family sized farms and we would like to see you take their precedent by adding language that favors family farms in both leases and sales. While we recognize that enforcement authority is required, we cannot endorse with a good conscience all of the provisions of this bill that deal with enforcement. We are especially concerned with sub-section (1) of section 307 which gives the Secretary power to designate any employee to carry firearms. We feel that this is an unnecessary provision that could easily be left out without significant reduction of the authority needed to effectively manage the natural resource lands. Management. This brings me to a further point concerning the Bureau of Land The BLM has shown us all too often their bias towards the non renewable resources and against renewable resources, Their lack of ORV control, their nonchalance towards overgrazing and their proposal of transportation corridors through Alaska more than emphasize their inequity in management. We are, therefore, very wary of giving the BLM, as it exists now, an excess of power and authority. Perhaps some stronger language emphasizing the multiple use concept could be added to the bill. In addition we would like to see the language in Section 5 on public participation strengthened to include comments on the planning and management of the natural resource lands, participation in the formulation of plans and management programs, and hearings on any application for a permit, license, lease for, or change in, classification of public interest lands for any purpose. The public could, therefore, more carefully monitor the actions of the BLM. A final suggestion towards changing the BLM would be to revise the Bureau's personnel manual, making the decision making process more clearly defined. There would be, of course, an emphasis on multiple use and sustained yield. I would like to thank the Committee for my opportunity to testify. WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE Dedicated to Wildlife Restoration WIRE BUILDING, WASHINGTON, D. C. 20005 Statement of Daniel A. Poole Subcommittee on Environment and Land Resources of the Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs on S. 507 May 15, 1975 Mr. Chairman: I am Daniel A. Poole, president of the Wildlife Management Institute. The Institute is one of the older national conservation organizations. Its program has been devoted to restoration and improved management of renewable natural resources for more than 60 years. The true importance of S. 507 will not be reflected in this hearing. Values of national resource lands are not as well-known to the general public as those on national parks, forests, and wildlife refuges. That lack of public awareness plus deteriorating conditions on much of the more than 450 million acres attests to the lack of guidance, support, and stature of the Bureau of Land Management. Such circumstances are ample justification for swift enactment of a strong Organic Act for BLM. We are pleased to join other conservationists in endorsing S. 507. It surely will be the most significant public lands legislation before this Congress. The Institute long has been concerned about the tremendous waste of national resource land values. Opportunities to improve the lands' contribution to local and national welfare have been continually overlooked and lost. Now, consequently, the situation is worsening. Today, there is widespread deterioration of those resources, reminicent of the early 1900's. In order to improve public values of national resource lands, we first must stop their degradation. And at present BIM does not have the authority, direction, funding, or manpower to do it. BLM readily admits the situation is bad and getting worse. With respect to one resource value, range, adequate documentation is -2 provided in a recent report prepared for the Senate Committee on Appropriations. That report stated that 83 percent of BLM's 162.9 million acres of range land is in less than good condition. replaced by less palatable vegetation. Valuable forage plants have been overgrazed and Erosion is occurring. Both livestock and wildlife production have been reduced greatly. And the trend on much of that land is toward further degradation. Almost 26 million acres are in a declining condition. About 105 million more acres are in a static or indefinite category. They need im provement. Wildlife habitat on national resource lands outside Alaska shares a similar predicament. Of 111 million acres of big game habitat, 52 million acres are in "unsatisfactory" condition. About 38 percent of 128 million acres of small game habitat also is unsatisfactory. More than 37 percent of 645,000 acres of waterfowl habitat is in a deteriorated condition. And, 32.5 percent of big game acres and 30.3 percent of small game acres are continuing to decline at present. Stream, lake, rangeland, and forest management as well as energy and mineral development control are all below publicly acceptable standards on BLM administered land. Such conditions are little more than a national tragedy, especially now, when the resources provided by those lands are needed so urgently. The knowledge to correct those ills and others such as inadequate law enforcement authority and inadequate recreation-use management is available. But there must be a commitment by Congress and the Administration to provide the authorities, |