Drought in the Western and Plain States Message to the Congress.

To the Congress of the United States:

Over the past two years, many of the Western and Plains states of our nation have been victims of a prolonged, severe drought. The effects of the drought have built up over many months, and they will take a long time to correct. Even long periods of rain would not wholly relieve the problem now.

The human and economic costs of the drought have been high. It has jeopardized municipal water supplies, damaged crops and pastureland and depleted livestock numbers. The drought has inflicted financial hardship on countless farmers, ranchers, businessmen and others, and it continues to pose a serious threat to their livelihood.

The Federal government has already made available almost a billion dollars in drought assistance through loans and cost-sharing programs. Although we do not have enough money to meet every requirement or indemnify every loss, we can provide additional help in certain areas. I am recommending a variety of assistance programs which will be applied in each area depending on how severely the drought has affected the people of that region.

In addition, we can encourage water conservation through several existing government programs. In many cases, water conservation is our only hope for immediate relief. As a nation, we must begin to conserve our water supplies, and government--at all levels--must lead the way.

The measures I propose will allocate benefits fairly, will mitigate some of the worst effects of the drought, and will support individuals and communities in their efforts to conserve water. Some of these proposals will require modification of existing programs or additional funding. Others will require totally new legislation. All of these will be temporary authorities; they are designed to cope with short-term problems, and they will expire on September 30, 1977.

Specifically, I propose the following legislative actions:

New temporary authority to allow the Economic Development Administration and the Farmers Home Administration to provide $150 million in grants and $300 million in low-interest (5%) loans to communities for emergency water system improvements which can .be completed quickly and which are essential to protect public health and safety.

Establishment of a new Small Business Administration drought assistance loan program to provide $50 million in low-interest (5%) loans to small businesses in major drought designated areas.

The establishment of a new Farmers Home Administration drought assistance loan program in which prospective losses can be included. This program will provide $100 million in 5% loans to farmers and ranchers in major drought designated areas.

New legislation to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide $100 million in low-interest (5%) loans to purchasers of water. (Endorsement of the water *bank objectives of S-925).

Supplemental funds totalling $14 million for the Southwestern Power Administration to ensure adequate energy supplies.

Supplemental funds in the amount of $30 million to the Bureau of Reclamation to provide assistance to irrigators on Federal Reclamation projects.

Transfer to the Department of Agriculture from the Federal Disaster Assistance Administration authority to administer and fund the Emergency Livestock Feed Program.

Supplemental funds to the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service in the amount of $100 million to provide for cost-sharing of emergency soil conservation practices.

In addition, I have directed the following administrative measures:

The Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior will make available additional Federal lands for grazing and issue emergency permits as appropriate.

The Secretary of Agriculture will take administrative steps to ensure that trained fire-fighters and essential equipment are available to meet the increased danger of forest and wildfires.

When added to the supplemental appropriation of $200 million for disaster assistance, these new legislative proposals will provide almost $1 billion in additional drought assistance and bring to almost $2 billion the assistance provided by the Federal government.

I believe the legislative proposals and administrative actions outlined above offer the 'best possibility of providing immediate assistance to meet the needs of some of our fellow Americans in this period of crisis. I urge immediate consideration of the legislative proposals and their timely adoption. If we are to be of real help to the people afflicted, time is of the essence.

JIMMY CARTER

The White House,

March 23, 1977.