AGRICULTURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT* The approaching expiration of major farm programs, scheduled for December 31, 1970, directed the attention of the 91st Congress more to the economic, rather than the environmental aspects of agriculture. Even so, this sector's impact on the earth's resources brought it into the focus of environmental concern which Characterized congressional activity in 1969-70. Not only was its potential as a contributor to the more usual forms of pollution scrutinized, but attention was also directed to major institutional changes within the agricultural industry which promised further environmental degradation. LEGISLATION Outmigration has long been recognized as one of the more intransigent problems besetting both rural and urban areas. The exodus of tens of thousands of people every year not only reduces the prospects for economic vitality in rural areas, but serves to compound the difficulties of urban industrial centers. Reaction to this phenomenon has taken the form of attempts by the Government, for at least a decade, to reverse the trend of outmigration through programs designed to revitalize rural farm and nonfarm conditions. Some success can be counted in programs providing improved housing, up-todate sewage and water facilities, rural electric and telephone systems, and the encouragement of industrial location in rural areas and small towns. But however successful these efforts, the Department of Agriculture reported in 1970 that 147,000 rural people moved into urban centers in 1969 alone. The 91st Congress, in passing the Agricultural Act of 1970, outlined the first steps of a plan to achieve rural development. Title 9 of the act committed the Congress to the establishment of rural-urban balance in the provision of Government services, and called for a series of reports as a first step in formulating programs of rural develop ment: First, executive agencies of the Federal Government are directed to set up procedures to locate new facilities in areas of lower population density: Second, the Departments of Housing and Urban Development and Agriculture are directed to cooperate in the preparation of a report to the Congress on the efforts of the two Departments in planning for the development of rural multicounty economic areas not already included in economically depressed areas; Third, the Department of Agriculture is directed to submit an annual report to the Congress on its efforts in providing research and information to assure the availability of technical assistance to leaders of rural communities; Prepared by Harvey R. Sherman, Specialist, Environmental Policy Division. Fourth, it directs the President to submit a report on the availability to rural areas of all Government services designed to provide adequate transportation, communication, water and sewer systems, health and medical care, protection and education facilities. The report is to outline efforts of the executive branch to improve these services; and Fifth, it requests a report from the President on the utilization of the Farm Credit Administration and other agencies of the Department of Agriculture to provide needed financial assistance in developing rural areas. AGRICULTURAL ACT OF 1970 House: H.R. 18546 reported (No. 91-1329) from Agriculture, July 23, 1970. Passed August 5, 1970. Senate: H.R. 18546 reported (No. 91-1154) with amendments, September 4, 1970. Passed (amended) September 15, 1970. Conference: Report (No. 91-1594) filed October 9, 1970. House agreed, October 13, 1970; Senate agreed November 19, 1970. Approved: November 30, 1970 (Public Law 91-524). The development of resources for outdoor recreation as a contributor to economic growth in rural areas was advanced by passage of an amendment to the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act. The amendment authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to provide financial assistance for installing public fish and wildlife or recreational development projects authorized by the Bankhead-Jones Act; such assistance is limited to one-half the cost of the land, easements, rightsof-way, and minimum basic public facilities required to develop projects not exceeding 75,000 acres. FEDERAL ASSISTANCE FOR RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS Senate S. 3598 reported (No. 91-754) April 2, 1970; passed April 7, 1970. House: S. 3598 reported (No. 91-1247) June 29, 1970; passed July 6, 1970. Approved: July 18, 1970 (Public Law 91-343). The Great Plains Conservation Program, a conservation program covering a 10-State area, comprising 110.5 million acres of cropland and 215 million acres of range and pastureland, was extended by Public Law 91-118 to December 31, 1981. The program, established in 1956, authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to enter into costsharing contracts with operators and owners of land in the Great Plains area to carry out soil and water conservation practices to minimize the hazards of wind and water erosion. It is aimed at obtaining shifts and improvements in land uses, based on the varying capability of the land, rather than through crop reduction. By 1969 it was reported that only 43 million acres of cropland and 91 million. acres of range and pasturelands had adequate treatment to meet conservation needs. The 1969 amendments expanded the program to include nonfarm lands to the extent necessary to protect farm or ranchlands. They also broadened the program to include owners and operators who are not agricultural producers. Assistance is also pro vided to enhance fish, wildlife and recreation resources, to promote economic uses of land, and to reduce or control agriculture-related pollution. Finally, $250 million is authorized. GREAT PLAINS CONSERVATION PROGRAM EXTENSION House: H.R. 10595 reported (No. 91-212) May 18, 1969; passed May 19, 1969. Senate: S. 1790 reported (No. 91-269) June 24, 1969; passed (amended) June 26, 1969; vote on passage of S. 1790 reconsidered. H.R. 10595 passed (amended) in lieu, and action on S. 1790 indefinitely postponed. Conference: Report (No. 91-584) filed October 21, 1969. Senate agreed, November 5, 1969; House agreed, November 6, 1969. Approved: November 18, 1969 (Public Law 91-118). Congress provided for the establishment of an international quarantine station to permit the entry of animals from other countries for the purpose of improving domestic livestock breeds. INTERNATIONAL QUARANTINE STATION Senate: S. 2306 reported (No. 91-638) January 28, 1970. Passed January 30, 1970, after substituting language of House bill. Agreed to House amendments, with an amendment, April 6, 1970. House: H. R. 11832 reported (No. 91-776) December 19, 1969; passed March 4, 1970; proceedings vacated; laid on table March 4, 1970; S. 2306, as amended, passed in lieu. Agreed to Senate amendment April 23, 1970. Approved: May 6, 1970 (Public Law 91-239) In order to preserve certain wetlands for use as waterfowl habitat, Congress passed a Water Bank Act (Public Law 91-559). The new act is conceived as a complement to the 1961 Wetlands Loan Act, which authorized the Secretary of the Interior to acquire 750,000 acres of waterfowl refuges and 1,750,000 acres of waterfowl production areas and small wetlands, but which, for a number of reasons, had not achieved its goal. The 1970 Act permits the Secretary of Agriculture to enter into 10-year contracts with owners and operators of specified wetlands. During the life of the contract (which may be renewed for additional 10-year periods) owners agree not to drain, burn, fill, or otherwise destroy such areas. In return for this guarantee, as well as the owner's agreement to permit access to the area by the general public, the Secretary of Agriculture will make annual payments to the owner. WATER BANK ACT House: H.R. 15770 reported (No. 91-1307) from Merchant LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS In spite of a concentration on economic problems of agriculture in 1969 and 1970, Congress devoted considerable effort to the more strictly environmental problems associated with farms and rural areas. To its longstanding effort to promote wise use of land and water resources, Congress gave attention to the improvement of rural and farm life, to problems associated with the use of farm chemicals, and to the development of recreational facilities and wildlife protection. Although many of these efforts did not produce final actions, a number of them may have sufficient merit to be considered in the future. RURAL DEVELOPMENT In addition to the rural development provisions contained in title IX of the Agricultural Act of 1970, the 91st Congress saw the introduction of a wide variety of proposals designed to improve and develop rural areas. One group of proposals would provide income-tax credits and other benefits for various industrial or commercial enterprises locating in rural areas. One of these was the subject of hearings before the Senate Finance Committee; it would require certification of industries in the rural development area by local authority as consistent with local zoning ordinances and regional planning. Several community "self-determination" bills, aimed at removing discrepancies between an employed and economically sound segment of the Nation's population and the poor in rural and urban slums were introduced. These would establish community programs to help people secure gainful employment, and to achieve ownership and control of the resources of their own communities. They proposed the organization of National Community Development Corporations by people in the affected communities, with capital being raised by the sale of shares. Another approach to rural development was contained in a proposed National Population Dispersal Study Act, to establish a commission to "study and promulgate a national policy respecting dispersal of population and industry." Yet another, which was approved by the Senate, was included in a proposal to create a Commission on Balanced Economic Development, which would study and analyze current geographic trends in economic development and the relationship of these trends to physical, social, and political development. This Commission would seek ways and means by which the Federal Government might effectively encourage a more balanced population and a more balanced economic growth. Bills to amend the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 were of three general types: (1) to establish rural telephone banks; (2) to establish loan accounts and insured loan programs; and (3) to adjust interest rates on loans made by the REA. RECREATIONAL ENTERPRISES Several bills were introduced to aid in financing the development of land for recreational purpose. One would amend the Housing and Urban Development Act to authorize the Secretary of HUD to guarantee obligations issued by recreational facility developers up to $50 million to build necessary public facilities such as access roads, water and sewage systems, docks, beaches, and other resort features. Another would authorize the making or insuring of recreational enterprise loans under the Consolidated Farmers Home Administration Act to industries, corporations, noncorporate organizations, and public bodies in amounts up to 90 percent of the cost of the enterprise. Similar bills would extend credit from FHA to cooperatives serving rural people and authorize an increase in the amount of insured operating loans which could be made by FHA. RESTORATION OF CROPLAND A bill which would set out a Congressional policy to restore cropland in proportion to the rate at which it is being used and depleted was introduced. The measure would establish programs to assist farmers to divert portions of their cropland from production of excess commodities and to carry out voluntary programs of soil, water, forest and wildlife conservation. WATER RESOURCES As in other years, the importance of water to agriculture produced a wide range of proposals. These included proposals to triple the amount of grant funds which the Secretary of Agriculture would be authorized to make to associations for financing the storage, purification, and distribution of water, or the collection, treatment or disposal of wastes in rural areas. Another set of proposals would provide that, under the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act, the Federal share of agreements to prevent or control erosion, include the cost of agriculturerelated pollution and abatement measures. Coordination of planning under the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act was the object of a proposal introduced in the 91st Congress. It would require that small watershed plans which involved a Federal contribution of $250,000, or which involved a structure with a capacity of more than 2,500 acre-feet, be submitted to the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of the Army for their approval. In the event of disagreement, the bill would provide for the resolution of the problem by the Congress; public hearings on all such projects would also be required. A proposal was introduced to amend the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act to require the Secretary of Agriculture to bear the costs of relocation on small watershed projects located in the Appalachian region. ECONOMIC POISONS A large number of bills were proposed to cope with problems associated with the use of farm chemicals. Most would amend the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act to prevent the sale or trans |