WSP11627 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

::) '") ,... en OQ tv -r ,,' .. 1 January 1952 A~IRBIAC PROCEDURE GUIDE resources. Whether this pl"ovision will in fact have such a reau1.t ia unclear at the present time; if necessary, I shall recollllllend remedial legislation at. a later date... . '. . . . . . I' also wish to make it clear that I consider that certain projects authorized in this act, with a total estimated coat of. about $89,000,000, do not justify the expenditure of Federal funds. The Congress was in- formed. that, in the view. of the executive branch of the Government, after careful conSideration,. these projects were 'not warranted. Moreover, a few projects have been authorized for. construction .in this act, at an estimated total. cost of about $12,000;000, even though the Congress has riot received pl'oject reports from the executive branch.. I consider this to be unwise, and in direct conflict with a provision of this very act which declares it to be the policy of the Congress that "No project or any modification not authorized, of a project for flood .control of rivers and barbors, shall be autMr1zed by the Congresswless a report for such project or modific~tion has been previously submitted by the Chief of Engineers~ United ~ta.tes Army, in conformity with existing law. If . . rUrge the Congress in 'the future to avoid authorizing projects which have'not' been thoroughly considered or which do not me.et sound standards for river development 'Work.. fie can ordinarily afford to con- sider new authorizations for such development without haste, since there are already authorized, 'Without this act, river. and har1;lor. projects which will take 18 years to complete, and flood control projects which wUl take 8 years to complete, at the level of Federal expenditures recom- mended in the 1951 budget. . Finally, I.urge the Congress to develop more satisfactory pro- cedures for considering end authorizing basin-wide development programs. WI'! are a long way still, both in the executive and legislative branches, from the kind of comprenensive planning.end action that is required.if we are to conserve, develOp, and use our natural resources so that they will be increasinsly useful as the years. go by.. We need to.make sure that each legislative authorization,. and each administrative action, takes us toward--and not .away frOllluthis goal.. HARRY S. 'ffiUMAN THE WHITE HOUSE, May 22, 1950 II-8 "~i ... ' ,r ::J . . . .' . .