for wood, and pointed to declining prices later in the year, as well as the nearly static record of lumber consumption, as further evidence of lack of justification for the bill. Finally, on February 26, 1970, the House declined to take up the bill for debate, and action on it ceased. One of the arguments for the House action was the request, by at least one Member, that it take no action on the bill until the report of the Public Land Law Review Commission had been presented. The Commission's report was subsequently presented on June 23, 1970. Some of its recommendations were similar to the proposals contained in the suspended bill.

FOREST FIRE

Bills to provide for the establishment and administration of a national wildfire disaster control fund were introduced. One of these proposals contemplated establishment of a $10 million emergency fund for fire protection, as well as for the creation of a National Wildfire Disaster Board, which would be responsible for establishing policy and criteria for eligibility for fund allocation, as well as for making recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture for disbursing the fund. Another proposed establishment in the Treasury of a special fund for fire suppression activities, as well as the appointment of a five-man board to supervise the fund, establish procedures, and fix rates. The proposed Operations Fire Fund Act provided that funds would be maintained by deposits collected from purchases of Forest Service timber, and the fund to be used to suppress fires connected with operations resulting from timber sale operations.

DISTRIBUTION OF REVENUES

Several proposals to change the present allocation of national forest revenues to States and counties were introduced. Another proposal would earmark a percentage of the revenues to be used for developing renewable surface resources within the national forests; one bill would set the development fund at 55 percent of all revenues received. Adjustment in the revenues to support county schools and roads in States in which national forests are located was proposed; one proposal would require payment to the appropriate State of an amount equal to 25 percent of national forest receipts, or 25 cents per acre for each acre of national forest located therein, whichever was the larger. Other bills offered similar proposals, but with more complex formulas for computing such payments.

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT

The Public Land Law Review Commission and the timber supply bills suggested the creation of earmarked funds for improved forest management.

LIMITATION ON EXPORTS OF SAWLOGS

Bills were introduced to extend controls on log exports from Federal lands in Western States; present controls expire at the end of 1971. One proposal would limit exports of such logs to the equivalent of 350 million board feet. Another proposal would direct the Secretary

of Commerce to determine whether or not commercial shortages of hardwood logs, for example, black walnut, exists, and to limit exports to the extent necessary to assure an adequate commercial supply.

SUMMER HOMES

Permits for summer homes on national forest land was the subject of at least two proposals. One would grant a possessory interest to anyone who acquires or constructs a structure, fixture, or improvement on lands on which a permit has been issued by the Secretary of Agriculture. Other proposals would require the Secretary to compensate permittees for such structures and improvement when their permits are terminated by the Government.

LAND SALES

Proposals have been made to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to sell for fair market value up to 120 acres of land adjoining national forests to persons who have made substantial improvements thereon in good faith, thinking they were the owners.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

A proposal to acquire certain private land in the San Bernardino National Forest (California) was designed to protect the Garner Valley from environmental degradation.

CRUDE PINE GUM PRODUCTION

A bill was introduced to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a natural crude pine gum production goal, to be shared by producers. It would also provide payments to producers who complied with production goals.

DUTCH ELM DISEASE

Proposals to survey and assess infestation by Dutch-elm and other diseases of trees in urban and other community areas were introduced They would authorize the Secretary of Agriculture under the Forest Pest Control Act, to determine, plan and carry out measures to eradicate such infestations and disease.

TAX DEDUCTIONS

A bill was introduced to amend the Internal Revenue Code to allow not less than fair market value as a tax deduction for casualty losses to timber resulting from fire, storm, and other losses.

RECENT REPORTS AND THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS

Few reports relative to forestry were issued during the 91st Congress. Two significant reports were those of the Public Land Law Review Commission and the President's Task Force on Softwood Lumber and Plywood.

1. One-Third of the Nation's Land. A report to the President and the Congress by the Public Land Law Review Commission. Washington, D.Č., June 1970.

The Commission was established by the Congress in 1964 to chart a future for the 775 million acres of land owned by the Federal Government. Its report, submitted on June 23, 1970, was the first comprehensive study of public land in the Nation's 194-year history. As part of its work, the Commission suggested a number of principles to aid it in judging whether retention and management, or disposition of certain public lands would provide the maximum benefit for the general public. These principles provided the criteria used by the Commission in making some 137 primary, and 250 lesser recommendations on the best use of land owned by the Federal Government. Among these, nine recommendations related to forestry. They are condensed in the summary chapter of the report, as follows:

There should be a statutory requirement that those public lands that are highly productive for timber be classified for commercial timber production as the Commission's concept of how multiple use should be applied in practice. The dominant use, consistent with the Commission's concept of how multiple use should be applied in practice. (P. 92.)

Federal programs on timber production units should be financed by appropriations from a revolving fund made up of receipts from timber sales on these units. Financing for development and use of public forest lands, other than those classified for timber production as the dominant use, would be by appropriation of funds unrelated to receipts from the sale of timber. (P. 95.)

Dominant timber production units should be managed primarily on the basis of economic factors so as to maximize net returns to the Federal Treasury. Such factors should also play an important but not primary role in timber management on other public lands. (P. 96.)

Major timber management decisions, including allowable-cut determinations, should include specific consideration of economic factors. (P. 97.) Timber sales procedures should be simplified wherever possible. (P. 98.) There should be an accelerated program of timber access road construction. (P. 99.)

Communities and firms dependent on public land timber should be given consideration in the management and disposal of public land timber. (P. 99.) Timber production should not be used as a justification for acquisition or disposition of Federal public lands. (P. 101.)

Controls to assure that timber harvesting is conducted so as to minimize adverse impacts on the environment on and off the public lands must be imposed. (P. 101.)

2. Report of the Task Force on Softwood Lumber and Plywood. Cabinet Committee on Economic Policy. Washington, D.C.,

June 1970.

On June 19, 1970, President Nixon endorsed the findings and recommendations of the task force, and directed a number of steps be taken to increase the Nation's supply of softwood timber. His directive instructed that the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior take appropriate steps to improve management of harvests of softwood timber consistent with sustained yield, environmental quality, and multipleuse objectives. The directive required that cognizance of the needs of national housing goals be taken, and that the Council on Environmental Quality be consulted on plans and programs affecting the quality of the environment in forest lands. It also called on the Secretary of Agriculture to proceed with the development of programs to

improve timber production on State and private lands, consistent with manintaining environmental quality. Finally, it directed the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, cooperating with the Secretaries of Agriculture and Commerce, to continue the development of improved and economical wood products utilization, including the development and use of substitute materials.

The President's directives were based on the following task force recommendations:

The Forest Service should be encouraged to push ahead with the development and carrying out of programs to increase timber yields from the national forests. With substantial increases, supply and demand could be in approximate balance by 1978 at relative prices approximating those of July-August 1969 if: (a) the cut from other lands responds as anticipated, (b) imports increase substantially, and (c) adequate substitutes are available at reasonable prices.

The Forest Service, as well as other agencies responsible for Federal forest lands, should develop and implement plans to provide greater flexibility in the adjustment of timber sales to fluctuations in demand, within the long-term constraints of sustained yield.

Steadily increased supplies from State and private lands will become progressively more important in years ahead. Forest Service proposals for increased production, and technical and financial assistance to State and private owners deserve careful consideration.

Substantially larger net imports will be needed to meet growing demand.

An independent analysis is needed to review programs for increasing softwood timber yield and to evaluate benefits against budgetary costs. Analysis also is necessary to review the relation between timber management policies and environmental goals.

While expansion of timber supply is essential, progress toward economizing on timber use through improved wood products utilization, more flexible design standards, and development of satisfactory and economic substitutes is also essential.

The Department of Agriculture should be encouraged to proceed with the development of further plans for longer range timber production and conservation programs.

Continued top-level interagency review of progress and developments will continue to be needed, and the task force should remain available for further consultation.

3. Management Practices on the Bitterroot National Forest. A Task Force Appraisal. Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. April 15, 1970.

The Bitterroot National Forest is only one of the areas where public protest against clearcutting has developed. Currently, the practice is under fire in West Virginia, Montana, Wyoming, Oregon, Colorado, Alaska, and a few other States. The developing controversy has been

the subject of congressional hearings, task force investigations, special study programs, editorials, and much public debate.

The Bitterroot report makes several recommendations relating to clear-cutting recommendations:

Of all the points touched upon in this task force review of management on the Bitterroot National Forest are restricted here:

Any lingering thought that production goals hold priority over quality of environment must be erased.

Multiple-use planning must be developed into definitive, specific, and current decisionmaking process that it is not today. Quality control must be emphasized and reemphasized until it becomes the byword of management.

The public must be involved more deeply than ever before in developing goals and criteria for management.

EVENTS PERTINENT TO FORESTRY

General events and reviews of forestry were widely reported in 1969-70. Prominent among these was the rapid rise in lumber prices in early 1969. In March 1969, lumber was selling at $130 per thousand board-feet, and plywood at $144 per thousand square feet. The expected boom in housing that had helped trigger the price spiral failed to materialize due to high interest rates. By April, lumber and plywood prices began to drop sharply to pre-1969 levels. Congressional hearings explored not only the price situation, but the associated problem of supply; the need for additional housing, associated with projections of population growth, suggested that in some 15 years, the rate of timber growth may not be sufficient to meet demand.

Testimony developed at Congressional hearings held in 1969 strongly supported the conclusion that if the housing goals established by Congress and the administration for 26 million new or rehabilitated housing units in the next decade are to be met, the materials to build them-primarily lumber and plywood-must be available at reasonable cost. Forest industry testimony, as well as that of builders, contractors, and federal officials, pointed to the Federal Government's commercial softwood sawtimber inventory in meeting these needs. Since 60 percent of the Nation's softwood sawtimber is in Federal ownership, recommendations for both short- and long-range solutions called for increasing the timber growth rates on national forests and other federally owned commercial forest lands.

A Commerce Department report predicted that the pace of home building in 1971 would be the briskest since 1968, as the housing industry recovered from the "tight money" slump of 1969 and 1970. The Department forecast that construction starts on housing units in 1971 would number 1,535,000, an increase of 15 percent over 1,335,000 starts predicted for 1970.

National forest timber harvest for fiscal year 1969 was 11.8 billion board-feet below 1968. Total timber receipts amounted to an all-time high of $306.8 million, up 49 percent from $205.6 million in fiscal year 1968. Nationwide, 93 percent (11.7 billion board