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direction and investment capital to do the job. Enactment of a good BLM Organic

Act is a first big step.

We are pleased to note and support provisions in S. 507 for wilderness designations on BLM lands. There are a number of outstanding national resource land areas that deserve wilderness status consideration.

Fortunately, Mr. Chairman, the people are becoming aware of their stake

in public lands. More each year are demanding that their interest in these properties be maintained and enhanced. This committee deserves much commendation for devising and favorably reporting an acceptable BLM Organic Act during the last Congress. We urge that swift and favorable action be given this matter again.

53-644 O 75 27

United States Department of the Interior

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240

In Reply Refer To:

6500 (360)

28171

FEE 1975

Dear Dr. Poole:

In response to your letter of December 27, 1974, wherein you transmitted the Forest Service's accelerated program for fish and wildlife habitat improvement, I wish to thank you for that information. We in the Department of the Interior have analyzed our wildlife habitat program for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and have identified a similar program. Under present inflationary and budgetary restraints, we welcome any and all support to improve our management ability.

Therefore, enclosed are the BLM's Wildlife Program Missions, Challenges, and Funding Levels that will be required before the BLM can meet wildlife habitat needs on national resource lands.

If you have any further questions relating to the BLM's wildlife habitat program, please feel free to contact Mr. John Crawford, Chief Division of Wildlife, telephone number 343-6188.

I.

THE

BLM's WILDLIFE PROGRAM

MISSIONS, CHALLENGES, AND FUNDING LEVELS

Existing Program

A.

Goals: The Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Wildlife Program is designed to enhance, maintain, and protect aquatic and terrestrial wildlife habitat on 451 million acres of national resource lands (NRL). The principal wildlife program objectives are to 1) maintain a diversity of wildlife species on lands administered by the BLM, 2) ensure that the welfare and habitat requirements of wildlife are considered in other land-use and management plans administered by the BLM, and 3) protect and enhance critical habitat areas for threatened or endangered species.

B. Methods: The primary means by which these objectives are
achieved are 1) development and implementation of Wildlife
Habitat Management Plans (WHMP's), 160 of which currently await
implementation, and 2) providing technical assistance to and
reviewing programs of other BLM Divisions. In addition, the
BLM cooperatively administers four National Game Ranges and is
responsible for many unique natural areas where wildlife
unquestionably adds quality to the outdoor experiences of
millions of visitors annually, and income and jobs to those
who provide goods and services to outdoor enthusiasts.

C.

Wildlife Resources: The NRL sustain 369 million acres of big
game habitat; 306 million acres of small game habitat; 30 million
acres of waterfowl habitat; 5 million acres of lakes and reservoirs,
and 259 thousand miles of fishing streams. A substantial amount
of the habitat is found in the lower 48 States, and here much of
the habitat is not producing at potential (Table 1) or is declining
to a condition that is unsuitable for wildlife originally
inhabiting it (Table 2).

The BLM's contribution to the State economy in 12 Western States, by gross hunting and fishing receipts, is about $14.6 million. Some counties (Elko, Nevada, for instance), would be depressed without the sportsman's dollar. Fishing is also an important input into some local economies. In Alaska, commercial and recreational fisheries are among the top industries. The resource base for a large segment of that industry is salmon which spawn and spend the most critical portion of their life cycle on NRL streams and lakes.

Management of fish and wildlife on NRL is a joint effort between BLM and State Game and Fish Agencies. Responsibilities have been formalized with most of the Western States by Memoranda of Understanding. The BLM is responsible for the habitat, and the State agencies are responsible for the fish and wildlife.

The BLM's basic legislative authority for managing aquatic and terrestrial wildlife habitat is contained in 10 separate Acts. Some of these are the Taylor Grazing Act of 1934 (48 Stat. 1269; 43 U.S.C. 315, amended); Classification and Multiple Use Act of 1964 (78 Stat. 986; 43 U.S.C. 1411); Endangered Species Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-205); Public Land Administration Act (74 Stat. 50C; 43 U.S.C. 1361); National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (83 Stat. 852); Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (82 Stat. 563), and the Sikes Act of 1974.

Funds allocated for the 1974 Fiscal Year for the BIM Wildlife Program totaled $3.4 million or about 1 percent of the total BLM resource management program. Staffing included 69 field management biologists, 59 of which were wildlife and 10 fisheries. The 1975 Fiscal Year budget is $4.5 million and the average area of responsibility per professional biologist is 7 million acres.

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II. Today's Mandates

Recent legislation amplifies the BLM's responsibility and role in preserving and many;ing an optimum diversity of wildlife habital. In concert with other uses to meet public needs for aesthetic, cultural, recreational, scientific, and economic benefits. This legislation includes the following:

III.

A. The Sikes Act Extension for Wildlife (P.L. 93-452) directs the
BLM to plan, develop, maintain, and coordinate comprehensive
conservation and rehabilitation programs for fish and wildlife
in consultation with State Fish and Game Agencies. Implementation
of the Act will achieve three objectives: 1) expansion of direct
habitat improvement work on NRL for wildlife, 2) increased
coordination of efforts by the BLM, State Fish and Game Agencies,
and other Federal agencies, and 3) more effective regulation of
public use. Implementation of the Act may also generate more
jobs and increased incomes to local communities from hunting
and fishing revenues.

B. The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-205) directs the BLM
to ensure that threatened or endangered species and their critical
habitats are not jeopardized by Bureau actions. The period
1975 Fiscal Year - 1980 Fiscal Year will be the most challenging
period in the development of sound multiple-use policies
regarding endangered species and their habitats.

Tomorrow's Accomplishments

A.

-

-

fossil

Minimizing the Effects of Energy Development on Wildlife Habitat.
Energy self-sufficiency in the United States will necessitate
many trade offs between two important natural resources
fuels and wildlife. To the extent that this Nation's thrust
toward energy self-sufficiency will modify or destroy wildlife
habitat, the public will be demanding equally extensive land
rehabilitation programs as one type of mitigating measure. It
is imperative that energy developments from exploration to
lcasing to extraction to land rehabilitation be tempered with
discretion when key wildlife habitats are involved, particularly
critical habitats for threatened or endangered species. One of
the mitigating measures may be to have positive management
programs ready for implementation or already Implemented outside
of adverse energy development areas. Such programs are either
in planning stages or can be developed as needed during the late
1970's using the Wildlife Program's major planning tool, the IMP.
Particular attention must be paid to the development of Alaska's
energy and mineral resources where millions of miles of streams
and acres of land and lakes provide unique and economically
important fish and wildlife habitats.