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Show has altered congressionally established policy through the assumption of policy-making authority or interpretation of Acts of Congress. (4) Where appropriate, in the review of laws, rules, and regulations, these factors must constantly be kept in mind in order to permit eventual conclusions by the Commission and recommendations for future division of responsibility and authority. 2. To gather definitive data relative to the public lands concerning which the Commission must submit recommendations. Comment.-Relying to the extent possible on existing data, it is essential, before making recommendations, that the Commission have the closest insight possible into the characteristics of these lands. These characteristics should include physical and locational as well as economic considerations that will stem from the compilation of data relative to the demands. In addition, statistical data by states and agencies must be presented in such manner as to identify these characteristics readily. These data differ from those relating to commodity demands (II. C. 2., above) by being concerned primarily with a description of the lands under study. These data will present a general statistical "picture" of the lands, not a measure of their productivity, nor a measure of the productivity as compared with the Nation's needs. 3. To review management practices and utilization of federally-owned lands and aspects of the Outer Continental Shelf concerning which the Commission is not required to make recommendations but which have characteristics similar to, or are managed in conjunction with, those lands concerning which the Commission is required to submit recommendations. Comment.-(1) Such study is essential, on the one hand, to assure that all criteria for use and management are taken into consideration before the Commission makes its recommendations. On the other hand, some of our studies may develop data as to whether other federally-owned or controlled lands or resources should be retained in a category or categories separate and apart from lands and the resources defined in the Act, in which event the Commission's recommendations may also be found to be applicable to such other lands or resources. (2) Laws, rules, regulations, practices, and procedures will be studied in this context as they relate to the management, use, and disposition of, for example, national grasslands and LU lands. Likewise, if management practices are reviewed for the purpose of determining (a) objectives of the National Park System, and (b) whether these objectives are being achieved, it would be illogical 312 to examine the practices and procedures of only those parks or national monuments that have been carved out of the public domain and not compare them with procedures and practices in effect at other parks and monuments. 4. To review laws, rules, regulations, practices, and procedures for the acquisition by the Federal Government of land and interests in land. Comment.-Even if construed narrowly, the Act would require a review of land acquisition for national forests and wildlife refuges and ranges. In addition, the legislative history is clear that attention must be given to the possible acquisition of non-Federal lands intermingled with public lands, thereby indicating the necessity to review acquisition procedures. In order to measure the adequacy of acquisition methods in these areas, it is necessary to make comparative reviews of other acquisition laws, rules, regulations, practices, and procedures. III. Method of Procedure A. IDENTIFYING THE SUBJECTS FOR STUDY 1. To assure identification of all significant subjects warranting study to fulfill the Commission's objective and to carry out the required and necessary actions set forth above, a concerted effort has been made, and must be continued, to obtain views and suggestions not only from members of the Commission, members of the Advisory Council, Governors' Representatives, and Commission staff, but also from interested individuals and groups. This will be accomplished by: a. Continuing to invite such suggestions when members of the Commission and members of the staff appear before interested groups. b. Holding regional meetings to permit individuals who do not belong to organized groups to come in and be given the opportunity to tell of their experience in the actual use of lands and the administration of the public land laws. B. APPROACHING THE STUDY 1. It is important to develop and fulfill a series of study plans designed to carry out the actions detailed above as required and necessary to achieve the Commission's objective. These study plans must either be integrated to embody both the legal and non-legal aspects, or must be so structured as to provide legal and non-legal studies that are complementary each to the other except where an affirmative determination is made that no complementary study is necessary. |