Natural Resource Agencies Targeted

Sun., May 21, 1995

Wire Reports

Environment

Federal budget proposals currently under consideration in Washington, D.C. would take a blunt ax to the budgets of agencies that manage public lands and other natural resources.

According to figures compiled by The New York Times, natural resources and environmental programs are scheduled to receive $21.4 billion in 1996 and $150.6 billion over the next seven years. The current House budget proposal would trim those figures back to $20.2 billion in 1996 and $131.1 billion over seven years. The Senate plan would cut those figures to $20.4 billion and $126.8 billion.

The House proposal would cut National Park Service operations by 10 percent. The House plan would put a five-year moratorium on land acquisition by the Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management, as well as cut construction budgets.

The House plan would eliminate the National Biological Service, which has raised the ire of developers by collecting data that may accelerate endangered-species listings.

Both the House and Senate plans would open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil exploration.

“The American people clearly oppose drilling in the nation’s most environmentally sensitive wildlife habitats,” said Rodger Schlickheisen, Defenders of Wildlife president.

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