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Show APPENDIX D How the Work Was Accomplished PUBLIC LAND LAW REVIEW COMMISSION 1730 K Street, N.W. Washington, D. C. 20006 April 22, 1970 Honorable Henry M. Jackson Chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs United States Senate Washington, D. C. 20510 Dear Mr. Chairman: In accordance with our commitment to advise the legislative committees having jurisdiction over the activities of this Commission, I am pleased to furnish this report on the manner in which the review of the public land laws and the rules, regulations, policies, and practices governing their administration was conducted. Following the Commission's organization meeting on July 14, 1965, office space was obtained as promptly as possible, and I assumed full-time work for the Commission on August 2, 1965. It was not until 5 months later, at the beginning of January 1966, that we were able to fill the major staff positions. Although we were authorized 54 personnel through the appropriation process, we never were able to obtain all of the skills required. The maximum number on the staff at any one time was 48. During the course of the work effort, there were many personnel changes. However, most of the senior staff that started with us, have been with us right up to the end. We were fortunate in having obtained initially, and later as replacements, individuals who were qualified technically for the type of policy study and analysis required. For the information of your Committee, Attachment No. 1 sets forth the background of each of the senior staff personnel who have been preparing material for consideration by the Commission during the critical time in which the Commission made its recommendations and approved its final report. Even before the basic staff organization was completed, we started work on the design of a research program in order to provide for the Commission the necessary background law and facts. The underlying concepts were that every aspect of public land policy must be examined so that no myths would be enshrined and that we must prepare the specifications for all studies so that we would be assured of usable products. As part of our effort to identify problem areas, we asked the members of the Advisory Council for their views, and also asked them to set forth their thoughts on the role of the public lands. These subjects were then discussed by the Commission at the Advisory Council meeting with the Governors' Representatives participating, in March 1966. A program setting forth the overall objectives, functions, and operations of the Commission was being developed during this period. The senior staff met with the Chairman and Vice Chairman and several consultants in April 1966, at Camp Hoover in the Shenandoah National Park. That weekend the group spent its entire time focusing on the subject and how the Commission should accomplish its tasks. The program paper was circulated and views obtained from the members of the Commission, 305 |