a percentage of the cost under such an arrangement would serve as something of a yardstick in telling us whether we should or shouldn't build the additional roads proposed here. We have had some experience on this type of arrangement with grasshoppers. When we started letting the local people put up a part of the cost, the emergencies disappeared. Mr. CLIFF. Mr. Chairman, most of the information that Mr. Whitten requested is already in the book of notes on pages 408 and 409, which shows the status of the development road and trail system up to date, and also includes the figures which I gave earlier in my testimony as to the access-road program. Mr. WHITTEN. Can you break that down and see what part of it has been requested to meet an emergency of some type? Mr. CLIFF. We can supply that additional information. Mr. ANDERSEN. You will put what reply you can to that question in the record, Mr. Cliff? Mr. CLIFF. Yes; I have that information here on the special access roads. (The information requested is as follows:) THE FOREST DEVELOPMENT ROAD SYSTEM With the passage of the Federal Highway Act in 1921 the Forest Service began systematic economic studies and planning for a system of roads which would adequately meet requirements for the optimum protection, development, and utilization of the lands and resources of the national forests at the lowest annual cost for road transportation. In the intervening years a carefully considered plan for an all-purpose transportation system has been developed which defines the mileage and standards of the roads, trails, and airplane landing fields needed to adequately protect and fully utilize all of the national-forest lands and resources. The ultimate plan shows the need and economic justification for reconstructing and improving 48,008 miles of existing forest roads, for the construction of 38,753 additional miles of roads, and for considerable construction and betterment work on the 125,570-mile system of national-forest horse and foot trails, mostly in the Western States. The desirability of early completion of the entire national-forest transportation system has been called to the attention of the Congress from time to time. The Forest Service has nevertheless urged action for only the most vital road projects in recent years. These have been confined largely to main-line timber-access roads. Critical shortages of wood products during World War II focused attention on the untapped timber resources of the national forests and resulted in an emergency access-road program under the Defense Highway Act. While this program met the immediate objective of increasing national production it contributed little toward development of the sustained-yield potential of the national forests. The roads constructed were of a temporary nature and reached only to the face of the most easily accessible stands. The shortage of wood products continued after the war and led to another access-road program sponsored by the National Housing Authority. The objec tive was to increase lumber supplies for housing. This program likewise met the immediate objective but it also resulted in permanent benefit since to reach the type of timber needed it was necessary to build main-line roads into large forested areas. In 1949 the National Security Resources Board, taking cognizance of the fact that henceforth the full productive capacity of the national forests would be needed to maintain national production at required levels, asked the Forest Service to make a study and estimate of the amount of timber-access-road construction necessary to fully develop the sustained-yield capacity of the national forests. This estimate called for the construction of 4,555 miles of main-line access roads by the Government at a cost of about $108,000,000. Although the estimate for Government construction as determined by the 1949 study was later found to be representative the study was not complete in that the amount of permanent road construction to be done by purchasers of national forest timber, local road authorities, and private owners of intermingled timber had not been fully appraised and correlated. In 1951 the 1949 estimate was restudied objectively and on the ground, as now revised, it calls for permanent timber-access-road construction as follows: Previous to 1943 on the national forests there was little timber-access-road construction as such. Since then appropriated funds made available specifically for timber-access roads have amounted to $22,220,858 as shown in the table below. During the same period access-road construction at an estimated cost of $78,000,000 will have been accomplished by purchasers of timber on the permanent road system of the national forests. Appropriated funds made available to the Forest Service specifically for timber access roads for fiscal years 1943 through 1953 1 Earmarked specifically for access roads from the third supplemental appropriation for fiscal year 1951. Not specifically earmarked for access roads but from the record it appears that funds in excess of $11,500,000 in the appropriation for fiscal year 1952 were intended for timber-access roads. Earmarked specifically for access roads from the appropriation for fiscal year 1953. Total funds specifically for timber access roads, $22,220,858. NOTE. In addition to the amounts shown above the Forest Service has spent a total of $28,450,211 from regular Forest Service road-and-trail appropriations and 10 percent funds on construction of access roads during the 11-year period. The balance of the funds under these appropriations were used for maintenance of roads and trails, bridge replacement, and construction of general purpose roads and trails. PURCHASE OF LANDS IN SANDERS COUNTY, MONT. Mr. ANDERSEN. In your language, you request authority to purchase lands in Sanders County, Mont. I would like an explanation of that proposal. The language in the committee print reads: Not to exceed $100,000 for the purchase of parcels of land and interest therein in Sanders County, Mont., but such land shall not be acquired over the objection of the local government concerned. Mr. LOVERIDGE. There is a rather complete statement on page 371 of the explanatory notes. It brings out there that these are winter rangelands needed in connection with the administration and protection of the national forests, mainly fire control. Mr. ANDERSEN. Might I ask that you put a full and complete answer at this point to my question in the record? Mr. LOVERIDGE. Yes. (The information requested is as follows:) The change in language is proposed to permit the Forest Service to undertake the purchase of individual parcels of land, over a period of years, in accordance with section 14 (a) of the act of April 24, 1950 (16 U. S. C. 580i), which authorizes the appropriation of such sums as may be necessary for the acquisition of parcels of land and interests in land in Sanders County, Mont., needed by the Forest Service to provide winter range for its saddle, pack, and draft animals. Effective protection of the national forests in Montana, northern Idaho, and northeastern Washington requires annual use of approximately 1,150 head of pack, saddle, and draft horses and mules. The work season for these animals is from approximately May 15 to October 15 of each year. During the remainder of the year, stock must be fed and the most economical method is to place the animals on rangeland that supports an adequate supply of feed in the way of native grass. Prior to 1931 winter pasture was rented at various points throughout the region, but the tenure was uncertain, the rates per month were high, and the costs of distributing, collecting, supervising, and caring for the animals were large. In 1931 a single winter range was established by leasing approximately 41,000 acres of grazing land in Sanders County, Mont., where slope, exposure, and forage cover permitted winter grazing with only limited supplementary feed. Since 1945 more than 13,000 acres of the original area of 41,000-plus acres have been lost to stock and sheep operations. While this loss has not seriously bandicapped the winter range operation, because of reduction of some 600 head of stock on the winter range due to the elimination of breeding program and some reductions in the number of animals needed in the forests, the 13,000 acres lost were the better grazing lands of high carrying capacity. Further loss of the leased rangelands will constitute a costly and severe handicap to the administration and protection of the national forests in the region. Action based on the enabling legislation in the act of April 24, 1950, has not been taken at an earlier date due to local opposition to Government purchase. Recently there have been indications that the county commissioners would approve purchase on an individual tract basis. Under these conditions it is urgent to include in the 1954 appropriation language the necessary authorization to permit the purchase of at least a portion of the most urgently needed winter range. Mr. ANDERSEN. Let us turn to acquisition of land. We will insert pages 410 through 415 of the justification at this point. (The pages referred to are as follows:) Acquisition of lands for national forests, Weeks Act Appropriation Act, 1953, and base for 1954.. $75,000 Decrease -75,000 |