16 



So my question is, will the Administration support the increased 

 funding for the fund to approximate these new higher numbers if 

 we enact this legislation? 



Secretary Babbitt. Congressman, I am hesitant at this stage to 

 speak for the Administration. I can tell you that I certainly will ad- 

 vocate support to move the effort up to that proposed cap. 



This is a very modest sum of money. Contrast it to any other 

 kind of expenditure in the natural resources field, whether the 

 Land and Water Conservation Fund, whether whatever, it seems 

 to me this would in almost anyone's analysis, in terms of cost effec- 

 tiveness, rank right at the top. And the answer is, I will advocate 

 that. 



Mr. Weldon. I thank you for that, and you are also aware there 

 are some States that have yet to receive any conservation fund 

 grant moneys, primarily because of their own lack of action and ag- 

 gressiveness in terms of understanding the program and moving to 

 participate. 



Are there things that perhaps Fish and Wildlife should do to en- 

 hance that effort in those States or perhaps give priority to projects 

 that would come to us from States which historically have not been 

 involved in the program? 



Secretary Babbitt. I think so. I think there has been an under- 

 standable historic tendency to emphasize key States in the flyways, 

 but the plain fact is that this is a 50-State issue and I accept that 

 suggestion, even though it might mean proportionally a few dollars 

 less for your State which has been an active participant. But, no, 

 I think I accept that many. 



Mr. Weldon. Actually, we are aggressively trying to get my 

 State to move and we have not been successful. 



Secretary Babbitt. I see. 



Mr. Weldon. I am trying to move the counties in the fljrways to 

 get involved. In fact, they have taken a step that I think is very 

 important and comes about partly because of this program. 



Two of my largest Philadelphia suburban counties have enacted 

 local bond issues where they have actually appropriated hundreds 

 of millions of dollars just for open space preservation and for land 

 use management that takes into consideration migratory birds, 

 wetlands conservation, biodiversity, and endangered species, and 

 the other major items that we feel are so important in this Com- 

 mittee. 



So I think this program is an example of how we can encourage ' 

 local governments to become more proactive and taking the steps 

 that we want to go to nationally, but being driven at the local level, 

 and I support your leadership in that regard and hope that we can 

 continue the excellent working relationship that we have had in 

 the past, especially with this Committee. Thank you. 



Secretary Babbitt. Congressman, if I may clarify my remarks on 

 the record. I especially support this suggestion of yours, recognizing 

 that it will perhaps mean a bit more for your State as they move 

 toward full participation. 



I would also note that we have a scoring system for grants and 

 in the detail of that scoring system used by the Council and the 

 Commission is the ratio of non-Federal match to grant request and 

 I think that is especially important, because where local govern- 



