Message to the Congress Transmitting First Annual Report on Location of New Federal Facilities in Rural Areas.

To the Congress of the United States:

I am transmitting today the first annual report on the location of new Federal facilities in areas of low population density.

This first report describes the beginnings of an organized effort to place more Government facilities and activities in rural areas as required by the Agricultural Act of 1970. I believe it will serve as a bench mark demonstrating this administration's commitment to a healthy and balanced revitalization of rural America.

During the period covered by this report, more than 60% of all Federal workers placed in newly located activities were employed in areas of low population density. I would emphasize, however, that the location of Federal facilities and activities in rural areas is only one part of our comprehensive program for rural development. This overall program--which also includes a variety of efforts to provide more financial assistance and better Government services to rural communities-has had a considerable impact for good in many locales, expanding employment and training opportunities, stimulating industrial and other economic growth, and generally improving the social environment.

The potential impact of our relocation policies was dramatized recently when a new Internal Revenue Service facility was located in the low population density area of Holtsville, New York. That single facility will provide new jobs for some 2000 permanent, full-time employees and for another 2000 temporary employees as well. We expect that such examples will multiply rapidly in the future.

All of the major departments and agencies of the executive branch are now giving priority consideration to locating new facilities in areas of low population density. The heads of these agencies are committed to establishing a sound balance between rural and urban America--a commitment which they share with the Congress. This report documents many of the ways in which this commitment has recently been carried out; it provides a detailed tabulation of all new offices and other facilities located during the last seven months of Fiscal Year 1971 as well as a summary of the highlights of that tabulation.

Obviously, the social and economic impact on the host community cannot be the only consideration in placing Federal facilities. Each facility has a specific job to do and it should be located so that it can do that job in an effective manner. But the criterion of effective performance is usually met by a variety of sites--urban and rural---and it is essential that Government officials appreciate the implications of their siting decisions on the growth patterns of our country.

Of course, rural communities are not the only areas that can benefit from the stimulus of new Government activities.

The location of Federal facilities can also make a major difference in development patterns within metropolitan areas-revitalizing impoverished inner city neighborhoods, for example, or stimulating the growth of new communities or satellite cities on the periphery of our urban centers. For example, a new Geological Survey facility recently located at Reston, Virginia will provide some 2600 full-time jobs. Reston is a relatively new community-but it is only 18 miles from Washington, D.C.

The philosophy of this administration concerning the location of Federal facilities was expressed in Executive Order 11512 in February of 1970:

"Consideration shall be given in the selection of sites for Federal facilities to the need for development and redevelopment of areas and the development of new communities, and the impact a selection will have on improving social and economic conditions in that area ...."

We have since moved to carry out this philosophy through a wide variety of actions. The Agricultural Act of 1970 is serving as a further stimulus in this same direction. I am confident that the result of all of these efforts will be a balanced pattern of national growth which will serve the best interests of all Americans.

RICHARD NIXON

The White House

September 13, 1971