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Show Sen. Moss Requests More Money for Water Conservation Senator Frank E. Moss of Utah Monday joined nine of his Senate Sen-ate coleagues from the west in asking the subcommittee on agricultural agri-cultural appropriations to recommend rec-ommend $1 million per year for three years for pre-construction and design work for soil and water conservation research. Senator Moss said: "There is general agreemenl that our watersheds are wasting away, and that a stepped up program pro-gram of research is needed to improve techniques of watershed water-shed management and restoration. restora-tion. "Numerous bills are before Congress calling for the establishment estab-lishment of research laboratories laborato-ries in several states. Utah offers of-fers many advantages for establishment estab-lishment of such a laboratory location, trained personnel with a broad background in the subject, sub-ject, a long history of interest in conservation, and many others. I shall continue to work to have a laboratory established in Utah. "The conflicting claims, however, how-ever, are stalling the program. It will take several years to complete com-plete the design and pre-construction work. It is essential that appropriations for this pur- pose be made without further delay." In a letter to Senator Richard B. Russell, chairman of the subcommittee, sub-committee, the ten Senators have called attention to a report on soil and water conservation research re-search by a group appointed by Secretary of Agriculture Ezra Taft Benson. The letter said in part: "As is shown in the report, a considerable expansion of the physical facilities is essential for the research program. "Improvement of research installations in-stallations that are now operating operat-ing with inadequate facilities receives re-ceives priority in the present program, and we are in accord with this in a sound procedure. However, equally critical research re-search needs not served by those facilities are thereby deferred to distant years with great injury to the farmers and ranchers in arid and drought stricken areas. "We urgently recommend that an immediate start be made in bringing forward the entire research re-search facility construction program. pro-gram. In addition to Senator Moss the letter was signed by the following: follow-ing: Senators Engle and Kuchel of California, Church and Dwor-shak Dwor-shak of Idaho, Carroll and Allott of Colorado, Mansfield and Murray Mur-ray of Montana, and Kerr, Oklahoma. |