🚀 go-pugleaf

Not today, but tomorrow--first thing, we think.  The biggie we're fighting
against now is the Calvert amendment.  This amendment prevents the California
Desert bill from going into effect until the National Park Service has reduced
its backlog of land acquisitions, construction and operations by 50%.  

We're all making calls here, but your calls as constituents count far more
with Representatives.  Please call your Representatives and urge them to
oppose the Calvert amendment.  The Capitol switchboard number is 202/224-3121. 
Talking points against this amendment are below.  Thanks very much for your
help!!!

Details on the Calvert Amendment:

Calvert--Delaying effective date of the Act pending reduction in Park Service
backlog:  OPPOSE

      The amendment would put off the designation of the wilderness and park
      units included in this bill until the estimated land acquisition,
      construction and operations backlog of the National Park Service are
      reduced by 50 percent, allowing continued development to erode the
      suitability of these lands for park and wilderness status.

On April 11, 1994, Secretary Bruce Babbitt wrote, "The Department has the
fiscal and personnel resources to make this bill [H.R. 518] work.  Assuming FY
1995 is a transition year, the Department can implement the bill within its
existing FY 1995 budget request now pending before Congress."

The Department of Interior considers earlier estimates of Park Service
construction and infrastructure backlogs to be very unreliable, because they
included unauthorized projects and others which are not part of park
management plans.  DOI testified before Congress (Interior Appropriations,
March 24, 1994) that it is preparing a full report on the Park Service backlog
using more accurate information.  DOI also intends to include in that report a
proposed method for providing the funds necessary to resolve any backlog
identified.

During earlier consideration of H.R. 518, the House adopted a spending cap
offered by Rep. Duncan to limit expenditures to the level estimated by the
Congressional Budget Office.

Since the early 1980s, under a plan approved by Secretary James Watt, the DOI
has had an active acquisition program acquiring lands within the boundaries of
the proposed Mojave National Park and BLM wilderness areas.

The Congress has already authorized over $9 billion under the Land and Water
Conservation Fund for land acquisition--the largest potential cost of H.R. 518
according to CBO--but less than one third of these funds have been
appropriated for use by the Department of Interior.  Additionally, several
National Park Service reform bills pending before Congress, such as the
entrance fee proposal and concessions reform bill, would generate funds for
the NPS.  These initiatives present concrete opportunities to make a
contribution to reducing any backlog that exists.  The concessions reform bill
alone could potentially provide $45 million per year in additional funding
should it be enacted.


Interior Appropriations

Interior Appropriations is the first bill after the joint session, sometime
after right about now.... 

Good ESA news!  Sen. Kay Hutchison (R-TX) has agreed to a compromise version
of her language on the Edwards Aquifer sense of the Senate resolution which
seems acceptable to enviros; staff of the committee of jurisdiction,
Environment and Public Works, assure us that the language in effect stipulates
that all interests must adhere to the requirements of the ESA.  Hutchison has
also agreed not to offer the amendment on golden cheek warbler habitat
acquisition.  

The compromise language directs the Secretary of Interior to take the steps
necessary and allowable under the law (ESA) to minimize adverse economic
impacts, while conserving the affected species.  It also encourages the
municipality of Austin to apply for an incidental take permit and references
the ongoing efforts of the State of Texas, and the Departments of Interior and
Justice working to implement the water conservation plan.  Melinda will be
happy to talk with any who want more details when she gets the actual language
later today (20/675-7912).  

The big battle remains over the Stevens amendment to exempt the Tongass from
the National Forest Management Act.  Calls from constituents to their Senators
opposing the Stevens amendment are very important (Capitol switchboard: 
202/224-3121). 

A shining star in yesterday's Interior Appropriations debate was Sen. Dale
Bumpers (D-AR), who offered his moratorium on patenting and then withdrew it
(as he had agreed to do with Sen. Bennett Johnston (D-LA)), but pledged to
attach it to another vehicle that would pass Congress this session if a
strong, comprehensive mining reform bill failed to emerge from the House-
Senate conference.  I'll send a few quotes from his remarks on the Senate
floor in a later update, when things calm down a little bit!