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Show (b) disposed of, all in a manner to provide the maximum benefit for the general public' * Comment.-It is recognized that the spirit of the foregoing objective and the tenor of the Act,2 necessitate seeking to assure fairness and equity in the administration of the public lands, including both (1) disposition of lands or their resources, and (2) the management of lands and their resources when lands are retained in Federal Government ownership. II. Methods of Operation The Act sets forth some of the means by which the Commission is to accomplish its objective. For convenience, these are broken down into two categories: (1) the broad overall requirements that the Commission must fulfill before formulating its recommendations; and (2) the specific actions required to be taken in carrying out the overall mandate. In addition, we have other actions, not specifically set forth in the law, that are necessary for the comprehensive review essential for the foundation on which the Commission's conclusions and recommendations will be based. A. OVERALL REQUIREMENTS 1. Review each of the public land laws now in existence and the relationship of each to the others. The Declaration of Purpose of the Act3 cites as a basic reason for the establishment of the Commission the fact that, "the public land laws of the United States have developed over a long period of years through a series of Acts of Congress which are not fully correlated with each other ..." Now, for the first time, all the acts that comprise the public land laws of the United States will be brought before one group for review. 2. Review the public land laws to determine their adequacy to meet the current and future needs of the American people in terms of the policy declaration in the Act, that the public lands of the United States shall be retained and managed or disposed of in a manner to provide maximum benefit for the general public. Comment.-The Declaration of Purpose 4 of the Act states that the public land laws, "or some of them, may be inadequate to meet the current and future needs of the American people," and that for this and other reasons stated therein (and set forth in subparagraph 1 above and subparagraph 1 Sections 1 and 4(a). 2 Sections 2 and 4. 3 Section 2. 4 Ibid. 3 below), "it is necessary to have a comprehensive review of the public land laws." 3. Identify and evaluate the division of the administration of public lands and the laws relating thereto among several agencies of the Federal Government. The Act states 5 this is one of the reasons for the review being undertaken by the Public Land Law Review Commission. Comment.-Now, for the first time, there has been established an organizational structure, with participation from both the legislative and executive branches, that will be in a position to review the administration by the various departments and agencies involved, and the rules and regulations promulgated under the public land laws, as opposed to the usual procedure where the practices of each department and agency are reviewed without regard to another's. Having reviewed differing administrative practices and procedures, the Commission must then evaluate them to determine whether maintenance of divided administrative authority is structured to accomplish the policy declaration of the Act that the public lands of the United States shall be either retained and managed or disposed of in a manner to provide maximum benefit for the general public. 4. Determine, on the basis of all the studies, whether and to what extent revisions are necessary in the public land laws and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. B. CONSIDERATION OF THE REQUIREMENTS 1. The foregoing requirements of the Act must be fulfilled in a manner to assure a complete understanding at all times among the members of the Commission and the members of the staff as to how the Commission's objective will be attained. We must further assure: a. Total coverage of all essential factors; and b. That all factors are approached and considered with objectivity. 2. The theme that runs through each of the individual requirements leading to the final report of the Commission relates to the policy declaration that the public lands must service the maximum benefit for the general public. It is, accordingly, essential to establish a framework within which: a. Required and other necessary actions and studies leading to the final report can be taken; and b. Results of these actions and studies can be 15 Section 2. 310 |