The subcommittee met at 10 a.m., in room 1224, Everett McKinley Dirksen Office Building, Hon. Ted Stevens presiding. Present: Senator Stevens. STATEMENT DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF LARRY E. MEIEROTTO, ASSISTANT SECRETARY, POLICY, BUDGET AND ADMINISTRATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR ACCOMPANIED BY: WILLIAM L. KENDIG, ACTING DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY, POLICY, BUDGET AND ADMINISTRATION FORREST GERARD, ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR INDIAN AFFAIRS JAMES THURSTON, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF AIRCRAFT SERVICES DENNIS J. HUBSCHER, FINANCIAL MANAGER, OFFICE OF THE SEC- EDWARD E. SHELTON, DIRECTOR, OFFICE FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITY WILLIAM D. BETTENBERG, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF BUDGET PREPARED STATEMENT Senator STEVENS. Good morning. I apologize for my tardiness. I just returned from Alaska and sometimes that first morning getting up is tough. This morning we will hear the budget requests for the Office of the Secretary and the Office of the Solicitor for the Department of the Interior. We will take up the Office of the Secretary first. The request for 1980 for the Office of the Secretary is $49,761,000, including 18 new positions. This is an increase of $6,561,000 over fiscal year 1979 appropriations, to date. The justifications have been included in the record. 60-400 0 - 80-63 We will place your full statement in the record at this point, Mr. Meierotto, as well as the supplemental justification. We would appreciate it if you would introduce those accompanying you and highlight your statement for the record. Mr. MEIEROTTO. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It's a pleasure to appear before you today. [The statement follows:] STATEMENT OF LARRY E. MEIEROTTO It is a pleasure to appear before you today in support of the fiscal year 1980 appropriation request for the Office of the Secretary. The fiscal year 1980 request for the two appropriations of the Office of the Secretary total $49,761,000, an increase of $6,561,000 over the amount appropriated by this committee in fiscal year 1979. However this increase is substantially reduced when the transfers of functions, program supplementals, pay raises, and other adjustments are taken into account. Adjustments to the fiscal year 1979 base include a decrease of $1,105,000 to the Department of Labor for the transfer of contract compliance functions, and increases of $2,614,000 from the Bureau of Indian Affairs for the transfer of staff support for the Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs, $1,298,000 for general schedule pay raises, $39,000 for increased employee compensation payments to the Department of Labor, $305,000 for increased space costs payable to the General Services Administration, and $200,000 for the endangered species review committee supplemental. The net result of these adjustments is a revised base of $46,551,000 and a net increase of $3,210,000 in fiscal year 1980. The requested net increase is as follows: DEPARTMENTAL MANAGEMENT The fiscal year 1980 appropriation request for "departmental management" is $48,761,000, an increase of $3,210,000 over the adjusted base amount. This increase will provide for: $2,000,000 for construction of a new library and distribution center for the National Mine Health and Safety Academy in Beckley, W. Va.; 8 positions and $351,000 for additional environmental review capability in the field; 4 positions and $50,000 for staff support for field coordination offices; 2 positions and $100,000 for staff support to the Endangered Species Review Committee; 2 positions and $52,000 to enhance Federal procurement policy and review; 2 positions and $94,000 to establish data base and computer information capability; 2 positions and $74,000 for law enforcement policy (formerly financed through the working capital fund); 5 positions and $178,000 for a departmental minority business enterprise procurement program (formerly financed through the working capital fund); and $467,000 to provide for normal increased costs of operation due to within-grade increases, career promotions and the additional cost of travel, printing and other support costs. These increases are partially offset by proposed reductions in two areas: 4 positions and $77,000 in the Library and Information Services, and 3 positions and $79,000 in minerals policy and research analysis. These reductions are proposed to accommodate higher priority programs within the Secretariat. Mr. Chairman, $2,252,000 of the $3,210,000 increase over our adjusted base amount represents one-time construction costs and transfers for working capital fund activities previously appropriated to other bureaus and offices within the Department. Therefore, our net program growth after discounting these one-time costs and transfers is $958,000-or a 2 percent increase above the base. I consider our request very austere and tight. Yet, Mr. Chairman, I believe it adequately meets our minimum needs and we can live within it. SALARIES AND EXPENSES (SPECIAL FOREIGN CURRENCY) The fiscal year 1980 appropriation request for "salaries and expenses (special foreign currency)" is $1,000,000, the same as the fiscal year 1979 appropriation. These funds will be used to continue endangered species research and scientific and technical literature translation in Egypt, Pakistan, and India. Examples of the research being conducted under this program include projects focusing on inventory and status surveys, animal disease and habitat classification, harvesting alternatives, habitat management, and environmental education and training. I will do my best in answering any questions the committee may have in regard to our request. |