neering costs" as used in the bill on page 2, line 7. Technical assistance is necessary for the planning and installation of the proposed developments which, strictly speaking, is not of a purely engineering nature. In many instances, the costs and services of other technicians such as biologists, soil conservationists, agronomists, and soil scientists will be needed. Clarification on providing such assistance could be achieved by adding the words "and other technical assistance" after the word "engineering," on page 2, line 7.

We would anticipate that funds to cover the needed cost-sharing for fish and wildlife and recreation would be financed through the regular R.C. & D. program appropriation.

The addition of this authority to the R.C. & D. program would significantly increase the effectiveness of project work and improve the economic climate of rural communities.

I thank you for this opportunity to appear before this committee and would be pleased to answer any questions you may have.

The CHAIRMAN. Well, we thank you very much. I do think we ought to have it clear-I think I understand it, but we want it real clear that the limitations which are in the bill provide that there cannot be any more of these projects developed in R.C. & D. project than could be developed in an ordinary 566 project?

Mr. DAVEY. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. They are exactly the same limitations placed on there?

Mr. DAVEY. Well, we have the limitation of not more than one for 75,000 acres.

The CHAIRMAN. That is correct. And that is the provision in the 566 project. Of course, it goes on and says two for 150,000 acres and three for any one project.

Mr. DAVEY. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. Since these R.C. & D. projects can be much larger than 250,000 acres, there is no such provision in here.

Mr. DAVEY. That is correct.

The CHAIRMAN. But the 75,000-acre requirement is in here. That is, you could not put in a whole series of dams right in a small area. Mr. DAVEY. That is correct.

The CHAIRMAN. You have to spread them around, and I think it is desirable to spread them around.

I do not believe I have any questions.

Mr. Teague?

Mr. TEAGUE. I have one, Mr. Chairman.

Several times in your statement you referred to fish and wildlife and recreation. What is encompassed by the term, "recreation"?

Mr. DAVEY. Well, a recreation facility normally would be developed for the enjoyment of people in the pursuit of such things as swimming, boating, picnicking around the body of water, and that type of thing.

Mr. TEAGUE. That is what I have in mind, because I find that most people are perfectly willing to have their Federal tax dollars used for developing fishing ponds and picnic grounds and camping spots, but they take a dim view of having them used for golf courses. I used to play golf, and so I am not antigolf. But is that contemplated here at all?

Mr. DAVEY. NO; not as a part of this particular amendment. It does not encompass golf courses.

Mr. TEAGUE. Thank you.

The CHAIRMAN. As a matter fact, this would-it might too. I started to say it would not include anything for which you would make a charge. I suppose an R.C. & D. project could make a charge for use of some of these facilities, could it not?

Mr. DAVEY. It would follow essentially the same policy as under Public Law 566 in that whatever charges made would be to offset maintenance costs on the part of the local people.

The CHAIRMAN. Well, we are very much obliged to you, Mr. Davey, and thank you for your appearance.

Our colleague, Mr. Zwach, is one of the authors of this bill. He is with us today.

We would be glad to hear from you, Mr. Zwach.

STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN M. ZWACH, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF MINNESOTA

Mr. ZWACH. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee. I appreciate the opportunity to appear before you this morning to urge your approval of legislation to provide cost sharing in resource conservation and development projects for public water-based fish and wildlife or recreational development.

The measure we have before us today is one in which I have been deeply interested for a long time. In the 90th Congress, I introduced H.R. 19948; early in the 91st Congress I introduced H.R. 4879. Both of these are forerunners of the present legislation.

Last November, I introduced H.R. 14793, and I am pleased and encouraged by the fact that there are now 69 cosponsors in the House. This proposed legislation has favorable recommendation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and has already passed the Senate.

All communities need more public water-based recreation and fish and wildlife facilities for their residents and for visitors. Recreation fulfills one of man's major environmental needs, provides more available jobs, and brings an area increased income from expenditures for equipment, vehicle services, food and lodging, and other benefits.

Communities need to properly plan public water-based recreation and fish and wildlife developments to make best use of their natural resource base, blend recreation with other resource development potentials and with population patterns, and provide the needed waterbased recreational facilities at a reasonable cost.

Many of the communities which have these needs for water-based recreation or fish and wildlife developments are not financially able to meet the costs because of a low tax base, heavy financial burden for public facilities and services, and low income of residents.

This legislation, to provide cost sharing would help rural communities acquire the water-based recreation or fish and wildlife development that they need.

The enactment of this legislation would add to the already substantial contribution being made to resource development opportunity in 55 resource conservation and development projects in the country.

Of these 55 current projects, the first R.C. & D. project in the entire Nation was organized in 1964 in west central Minnesota. It started with four counties and has now expanded to nine. It stretches for 120 miles across the Minnesota heartland, includes 5 million acres, and 20 percent of the water area in Minnesota is within the project area.

In this project, residents and communities have helped develop a major canoe trail; a wilderness saddle trail; a scenic drive; several lakes and camps; and other new recreation areas as part of a larger effort to increase job opportunities and community services and improve the natural resource base.

But these projects are not only concerned with recreation. They are designed to better the total environment. One good example of this, and a major contribution within the west central R.C. & D. product, is the pilot program for eutrophication research currently being done at Eagle Lake in Kandiyohi County.

This project is to find new techniques in nutrient control from all sources, including sewage, farm drainage, and the natural water supply.

The knowledge gained from this project can be then applied to all those lakes suffering from rapid deterioration.

Resource conservation and development districts have broadened their initial concern with soil erosion and water runoff on farmland to include measures dealing with air and water pollution, water supply and management, solid waste disposal, recreation resource development, and related activities.

These efforts have shown the tremendous potential that exists for community action to bring about multiple-purpose resource developments.

These projects have joined neighboring counties, districts, cities, and towns into a team seeking to advance the well-being of people within their total geographic area.

R.C. & D. projects have also led soil conservation districts to direct major efforts to meeting the economic and social needs of people as they are related to the use and management of physical resources.

This is also the first time that there has been an instrument in which the local people have control and can make decisions in getting things done. The R.C. & D. approach to dealing with the natural resource base also supports the comprehensive planning goals of such districts. Such a program serves as a catalyst in stimulating investments in agricultural developments, new businesses, private and community recreation facilities, improved housing, and other recognized needs. It has clearly demonstrated how planning on a multicounty basis can lead to better living in rural areas.

This bill would give R.C. & D. communities the benefit of costsharing to assist them in starting this chain which will lead to growth of our rural economy. It is in the Nation's interest to provide cost sharing.

A better balance of resources and people's needs will result, and at substantially lower costs.

I am proud of the broad community action being taken by local people in the west central Minnesota R.C. & D. project. I want to help make that action even more effective, and aid local efforts in the other 54 R.C. & D. projects in the country and the dozens of other communities which have applied for R.C. & D. project assistance.

I am grateful for the broad, bipartisan support that this legislation has already received, and I respectfully urge your favorable consideration.

Now, Mr. Chairman, I would like to add a couple of other things that I think maybe we have not referred to. That is the tremendous effect on water, soil, and pollution control that these projects will have. And then, you know, we are inclined to make our major investments in human resources and so on in the big metropolitan areas-urban renewal, metropolitan cities, et cetera.

Now, here is a real investment in countryside America, which causes much of our city problems. So, right at the grassroots, we are not only controlling pollution, we are coming to grips with the real causes that have caused the depleting of the human resources of countryside America. I just feel that money, feed money spent here will get us more money in return for our investment than anywhere else.

I have watched this project for a considerable length of time, and I am glad to support the effort for its passage. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and members of the committee.

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Mr. Zwach.

Mr. Teague?

Mr. TEAGUE. I would like to know what eutrophication means. Mr. ZWACH. It is a natural, or manmade, deteriation of our lakes. and rivers which creates an oversupply of nitrogen to the possible extinction of all oxygen. The ecology is out of balance.

In reply, Congressman, to your question about golf courses I think we have said here that we have developed major canoe trails, wilderness saddle trails, scenic drives, lakes, and camps. A new dimension has been added in our area of the country with regard to the snowmobile. These trails are now developing a tremendous winter recreation center. All of this lends itself very, very much to the snowmobile and that great industry that has come into our recreation enjoyment area in just the last several years.

Thank you very much.

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Mr. Zwach.

Now, are there any other questions?

Mr. MAYNE. Yes. I would just like to commend Congressman Zwach for the very outstanding leadership that he has been giving in this field. He certainly is a stalwart champion of rural America, both on and off the Agriculture Committee, where I have the privilege of sitting beside him. We come from very nearly neighboring districts. There is, I believe, one district that intervenes just between us.

He has spoken to me many times about the great need for rural development, and particularly the need to keep wholesome recreational and industrial development a viable, active thing in rural communities so that we will not have a compounding of the problems which plague the urban areas of America.

Thank you for your testimony.

Mr. ZWACH. Thank you very much, Congressman Mayne.
Thank you, gentlemen.

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Stubblefield has a question.

Mr. STUBBLEFIELD. I have no question; I just want to commend the gentleman on his kind statement and agree with him that these R.C. & D. projects will go a long way toward upgrading rural America. I happen to have one in my district, Mr. Zwach, and I am completely in accord with your testimony here this morning.

Mr. ZwACH. I appreciate very much your comments, Congressman Stubblefield.

The CHAIRMAN. May I also suggest that I think these R.C. & D. projects are doing good work, and I think that they need this recreational opportunity added that the other one cannot do. Only through passage of this bill will we be able to include the recreational features.

Mr. ZWACH. Mr. Chairman, I bear glad witness to your tremendous work in the area of soil conservation and in these areas, which has been a very major objective of mine for many, many years, at the State level. I think we all realize that this, in a sense supplements and complements the great work done in this area.

Thank you very much.

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you.

Now, we have with us one of our former members, a former member of this committee, and a former member of this subcommittee, a very faithful and helpful former member, too. the Honorable Clifford McIntire, presently director of the Natural Resources Department and assistant legislative director of the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Mr. McIntire, we are glad to have you back with us.

STATEMENT OF HON. CLIFFORD G. McINTIRE, DIRECTOR, NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, AND ASSISTANT LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR, AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION

Mr. McINTIRE. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and members of this committee. I am indeed glad to have the opportunity to be back in a hearing of this subcommittee, of whose work I have so many treasured memories.

Mr. Chairman, I would ask unanimous consent that the statement which I have submitted to the clerk of the committee be made a part of the record.

The CHAIRMAN. Without objection, it will be included.

Mr. McINTIRE. I shall not take time to read the full statement, because much that I have in here would be repetitions in part. I would like simply to read the last paragraph:

Farm Bureau policies strongly support the basic principles of Public Law 566. They also express very deep interest in rural development. The emphasis given to local sponsorship and local management are vitally important features of both Public Law 566 and R.C. & D. programs. This local involvement needs to be preserved as it is essential in the success of each project and in the wise use of public funds.

We recommend the enactment of legislation as proposed by H.R. 16543 and other bills identical thereto.