Essentially all passenger carrying whöcies are potues for use or a with replacement of pooled units finances frm a lemony Decca. Pa appropriations reimburse this fund to rette te ure zó vertices of actor financed by the respective appropriato.com. None of the replacements requested vill be anrget to ceas BETING IT to be served by Inter-Agency Pools. Additions It is proposed that the Forest Service purchase 21 aom vehicles for the following purpose: ma passenger retrying Twenty to be used as replacements for one-talf for stomps and Sedans or station wagons cost less to operate and meditace that a truck The Forest Service analyzes current work plans and program in determining its overall passenger carrying vehicle requirements. This analysts includes a careful study of the number of vehicles needed at each field station, using as a guiding principle the ownership of only the aisiaus number of depensable units required to serve programs for which funds are budgeted. Also, it is Forest Service policy to utilize Inter-Agency Motor Pools or commercial car rental serve ices to the fullest practicable extent. Passenger car use is restricted and is integrated with various activities so as to attain good utilization of all vehicles. Additions are financed from program funds in direct relationship to the anticipated use of the equipment. Distribution of costs to appropriations is based on analysis of use of the equipment fleet for the past three years and the estimated use for the budget year. Number of Vehicles The Forest Service had a net active fleet of 862 passenger carrying vehicles at the start of fiscal year 1970. It will add 32 units during the year, making a total of 894 units available at the start of fiscal year 1971, excluding possible transfers to other agencies. It is proposed that the total number of passenger carrying vehicles be increased to 914 by the end of fiscal year 1971. As of June 30, 1969, the age and mileage classes of the passenger carrying vehicles on hand, exclusive of five buses, were: *Includes 120 vehicles on hand awaiting disposal, and excludes 15 vehicles on order, but not received at this time. Use of Vehicles Passenger carrying vehicles are used by: (1) Forest officers in the protection, utilization, management, and development of the National Forests and land utilization projects and in the program for control of forest pests. (2) Research technicians on experimental forests, and ranges, on field research projects and forest surveys. (3) Foresters engaged in carrying out the laws providing for State and private forestry cooperation. (4) Regional office field-going administrative personnel in performing, directing, and inspecting field work. The Forest Service is essentially a field organization and its passenger carrying vehicles are located mainly at regional, National Forest, and ranger district headquarters, and experimental forests and ranges. There are over 226 million acres within the exterior boundaries of the National Forests. About 472 million acres of State and private forest land are included within the areas which benefit from Federal participation in the cooperative forest program. Much of this area is without common carrier service, and most forest areas and research centers are remote from commercial travel routes, requiring extensive use of motor vehicles as a means of transportation. The major portion of transportation needs, particularly at regional and forest supervisor levels and at other larger headquarters, involves multiple passenger use and can be more expeditiously and economically met by use of sedans and station wagons than by other types of vehicles. AIRCRAFT Replacement of Aircraft The 1971 estimates propose replacement of four aircraft by purchase and four by transfer from other agencies as available. The Forest Service currently has 57 aircraft: 14 T-34b lead planes (2-place scout) 12 Single-engine reconnaissance and transport airplanes 14 Light twin-engine reconnaissance and transport airplanes 16 Medium and heavy cargo and transport airplanes (7 medium, 9 heavy) 1 Helicopter The helicopter is used for experimental development of techniques and equipment for direct tactical suppression of forest fires and in training Forest Service personnel in tactical use of helicopters. Current assignment includes project for operations of helicopters on fires using a suspended bucket for dropping retardants. The T34-B lead airplanes are primarily single-purpose military model aircraft used by air tanker bosses to direct and control the dropping of retardants on forest fires by contract air tankers. The multipurpose reconnaissance and transport airplanes are used primarily to transport smokejumpers, firefighters, administrative personnel, equipment and supplies to remote and inaccessible areas where commercial services are inadequate or not available for protection and suppression of forest fires. Other use is to locate and survey timber stand and vegetation conditions such as insect infestations, blowdown, diseased areas, undesirable species, and to appraise resources and damage and evaluate effectiveness of control. One light twin-engine airplane is modified, equipped, and used primarily for fire mapping with infrared equipment in low visibility of smoke and at night. The replacements requested will be primarily medium twin-engine airplanes. They will be utility airplanes that may be used for several purposes but primarily for providing essential service in dropping smokejumpers and paracargo and lead planes directing contract air tankers. The airplanes will be new, standard manufacture airplanes to upgrade with greater efficiency and utility some of the old military surplus aircraft currently providing essential services. These replacements will provide more effective operations with greater safety margin. The Forest Service aircraft are operated to a large extent over rough, mountainous terrain in turbulent air conditions, and from unimproved landing fields. Medium and heavy cargo and transport airplanes are needed to meet requirements as a result of rapidly diminishing number available from supplemental air carriers and other commercial sources. The transport type may be obtained and other aircraft currently in use be replaced as newer or more suitable models and types become available from military services as excess property. Procurement would be on transfer without reimbursement and would not increase the total beyond 57 aircraft. When aircraft are partially or completely destroyed in a crash accident, they may be replaced out of any available funds. SITES FOR RESEARCH USE The present language authorizes the acquisition of only those sites needed for administrative purposes. The wording "administrative purposes" is generally interpreted to mean sites for headquarters buildings, ranger stations, laboratories, and dwellings. Therefore, sites needed for forestry research purposes have been acquired under authority of the Act of March 3, 1925, as amended (16 USC 555). This Act limits the amount which may be expended for land purchases in any one fiscal year to $50,000. In the last three years this limitation has severely hampered efforts to acquire small sites for research purposes. It has impeded orderly program progress, resulted in loss of desirable and advantageous sites because prompt acquisition could not be consummated, and resulted in increased site costs later when adequate authorization was available. Over the next few years it is anticipated that there will be a continuing but intermittent need to acquire small tracts of land for experimental tree nurseries, development of superior tree seed sources, outplanting of genetic materials, and for other forestry research purposes. ROADS AND TRAILS FOR STATES, NATIONAL FORESTS FUND Appropriation, 1970 Budget estimate, 1971 Increase (due to an estimated increase in National Forest receipts in fiscal year 1970) $31,206,198 +3.086.002 The permanent appropriation of 10 percent of National Forest receipts pursuant to the Act of March 4, 1913 (16 USC 501) is transferred to and merged with the annual appropriation for Forest Roads and Trails. The explanation of the use of these funds is included in the justification for that appropriation item. Timber cutting normally increases the fire hazard because of dry fuel increase in the form of logging slash. This slash may also contribute to the buildup of insect populations, increase certain disease infestations, and cause damage to stream channels. National Forest timber sale contracts require treatment of debris from cutting operations or deposit of funds to pay for the work. When economical and expedient the work is performed by the timber purchaser. If it is not feasible for the purchaser to do the work, it is done by the Government using deposits made by the timber purchaser to cover costs of the work as authorized under section 6 of the Act of April 24, 1950 (16 USC 490). The effect of timber cutting and the manner of treating slash vary widely among regions. In the three eastern regions, volume cut per acre is relatively low, utilization is high, and generally, humid atmospheric conditions result in rapid decomposition of debris so little slash disposal work is necessary. An exception occurs in some sales where a heavier cut per acre is made, such as the jack pine stands of Minnesota. In such areas, slash is broken up and mixed with mineral soil by disking with heavy equipment. This reduces the hazard and provides a good seedbed to aid regeneration. Treatment of slash to prevent insect epidemics is sometimes necessary in these areas. In contrast, the cost of slash abatement on most sale areas of the West is high. High volumes per acre generally produce heavy slash. Long dry periods with much lightning and man-caused fire risk result in extremely hazardous fire potential. The warm, humid condition necessary for rapid slash deterioration seldom occurs so more intense slash disposal is required. Treatment varies greatly with different methods of cutting. Clear-cut areas are broadcast burned. In selectively cut areas, debris may be piled for burning over the whole area or in strips which serve as firebreaks. While slash disposal follows general prescriptions within regions, individual needs of each sale offering are planned and appraised prior to advertisement and appropriate specific requirements are incorporated into each timber sale contract. In each instance the method used is the one which will attain adequate protection of the area at the least expense. In some instances adequate protection from fire is attained by providing additional protection until the slash hazard reverts to near normal. Logging debris which may move into water courses under these conditions must be removed. Greater intensity of fire protection for several years and occasional stream clearance may be less costly than complete slash disposal immediately after cutting. In such cases Brush Disposal funds are used to provide the needed manpower and facilities. The Smokey Bear licensing program is an important part of the Cooperative Forest Fire Prevention Campaign, and accomplishes its purpose through dissemination to the public of Smokey Bear's forest fire prevention message on commercial products licensed by the Chief of the Forest Service, and by support of the Smokey Bear Junior Forest Rangers and the Smokey Bear awards program through contribution of fees and royalties by licensees. There is a real need to increase the distribution of Smokey Bear items nationwide, thus contributing to improved public information and education concerning the prevention of forest fires. It is proposed to: (1) Reproduce Smokey and his message on millions of packages of dry cereal. (2) Establish fire prevention displays in 10,000 shoe departments around the country. (3) Use Smokey as a key decoration on a series of coordinated outfits for boys. (4) Produce educational film strips with recorded sound that will feature Smokey and a forest fire prevention message. Examples of Recent Accomplishments Under a cooperative agreement entered into June 30, 1968, with Weston Merchandising Corporation, the distribution of Smokey Bear's forest fire prevention message on commercial items more than doubled in fiscal year 1969. The "Smokey Bear Show" - a series of 30-minute animated full-color adventure cartoons -- premiered on the ABC television network on September 6, 1969, under a two-year contract. Smokey Bear Headquarters staff conducted a nationwide forest fire prevention poster contest on behalf of the North American Forestry Commission. The United States entries took two of the three "supreme" awards in the international competition at Ottawa, Canada. Public service time and space donated to Smokey Bear's 1968 Campaign was estimated at not less than $17.5 million, an increase of more than $2 million from the preceding year. |