December 4, 1974
Page 38018
S. 4213
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That advances of money under any appropriation for the Forest Service may be made to the Forest Service by authority of the Secretary of Agriculture for the control of forest insects and diseases in accord with the applicable provisions of the Forest Pest Control Act of June 25, 1974 (61 Stat. 177; 16 U.S.C. 5941– 5945). Advances shall be made under such rules and regulations and in such sums as the Secretary of Agriculture may direct and detailed accounts arising under such advances shall be rendered through and by the Department of Agriculture to the General Accounting Office.
By Mr. HATHAWAY (for himself and Mr. MUSKIE)
S. 4213. A bill to further insect and disease control programs of the Forest Service, Department of Agriculture. Referred to the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry.
Mr. HATHAWAY. Mr. President, forest insects and diseases are causing tremendous damage to our forest resources. This problem is particularly troublesome in Maine where the spruce budworm has infested some 31/2 million acres. If the infestation is not controlled, it will have severe economic effects for one-third to one-half of all the people in Maine. In fact, if the infestation spreads further, it can damage the forests of New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.
Some years ago, the Congress recognized the need to control destructive insects and diseases on State and private lands. It authorized the U.S. Forest Service to undertake control with joint financing by the individual States and the Federal Government on a 50-50 basis. Federal funds are provided for control of recognized infestations through the normal budget and appropriation process.
But sometimes emergency situations arise where an insect population explodes after Federal budgets have been approved. Such a situation exists in Maine. The spruce budworm infestation, thought to be controllable last June, has expanded since then to ten times its former size. If control efforts are not initiated at the correct biological time, early June of 1975, great losses will be inflicted upon the Nation's primary source of newsprint.
We could approach the problem with a supplemental appropriation but past experience indicates this route is much too time consuming. Such a proposal last year took from August 1973 to June 1974 to consummate.
These delays can be eliminated and the effectiveness of control efforts improved by amending the Forest Pest Control Act of 1947 (61 Stat. 177; 16 U.S.C. 594-1 to 5945), so that the U.S. Forest Service can attack the problem on an emergency basis. I offer a bill for that purpose.
I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the RECORD at this point.