Editing Bureau of Land Management (section)

==Programs==
[[File:Public Lands Held by the National Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management.svg|thumb|Most of the public lands held by the Bureau of Land Management are located in the western states.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.wildlandfire.com/docs/2007/western-states-data-public-land.htm# |title=Western States Data Public Land Acreage (FS & BLM), Percentage of Land Base, and Population |date= November 13, 2007 |website= |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727120656/http://www.wildlandfire.com/docs/2007/western-states-data-public-land.htm |archive-date=July 27, 2011 |access-date=March 7, 2008}}</ref>]]

* '''Grazing'''. The BLM manages livestock grazing on nearly {{convert|155|e6acre|km2}} million acres under the [[Taylor Grazing Act of 1934]].<ref name="blmgrazing">{{Cite web |url=http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/grazing.html |title=Fact Sheet on the BLM's Management of Livestock Grazing |publisher=BLM |date=March 28, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129063736/http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/grazing.html |archive-date=November 29, 2014 |access-date=November 16, 2014}}</ref> The agency has granted more than 18,000 permits and leases to ranchers who graze their livestock, mostly cattle and sheep, at least part of the year on BLM public lands.<ref name=blmgrazing/> Permits and leases generally cover a 10-year period and are renewable if the BLM determines that the terms and conditions of the expiring permit or lease are being met.<ref name=blmgrazing/> The federal grazing fee is adjusted annually and is calculated using a formula originally set by Congress in the [[Public Rangelands Improvement Act of 1978]].<ref name=blmgrazing/> Under this formula, the grazing fee cannot fall below $1.35 per [[animal unit]] month (AUM), nor can any fee increase or decrease exceed 25 percent of the previous year's level.<ref name=blmgrazing/><ref>An AUM is the amount of forage needed to sustain one cow and her calf, one horse, or five sheep or goats for a month.</ref> The grazing fee for 2014 was set at $1.35 per AUM, the same level as for 2013.<ref name=blmgrazing/> Over time there has been a gradual decrease in the amount of grazing that takes place on BLM-managed land.<ref name=blmgrazing/> Grazing on public lands has declined from 18.2 million AUMs in 1954 to 7.9 million AUMs in 2013.<ref name=blmgrazing/>
* '''Mining'''. Domestic production from over 63,000 Federal onshore [[oil well|oil]] and [[gas well]]s on BLM lands accounts for 11 percent of the [[natural gas]] supply and five percent of the [[petroleum|oil]] supply in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/energy/oil_and_gas.html |title=Oil and Gas |publisher=BLM |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141127214615/http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/energy/oil_and_gas.html |archive-date=November 27, 2014 |access-date=November 19, 2014}}</ref> BLM has on record a total of 290,000 mining claims under the [[General Mining Law of 1872]].<ref name="blmmining">{{Cite web |url=http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/regulations/mining_claims.html |title=Mining Laws |publisher=BLM |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129021439/http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/regulations/mining_claims.html |archive-date=November 29, 2014 |access-date=November 19, 2014}}</ref> The BLM issues permits for oil and gas, coal, strategic minerals, and [[renewable energy]] resources such as wind, geothermal and solar to be developed on public lands.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.blm.gov/programs/energy-and-minerals |title=Programs: Energy and Minerals |date=August 17, 2016 |website=www.blm.gov |access-date=May 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180427230817/https://www.blm.gov/programs/energy-and-minerals |archive-date=April 27, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> The total mining claims on lands owned by the BLM has decreased while the number of rejected claims has increased. Among the over 3.8 million mining claims overseen by BLM just over 10% of claims still active, of which Nevada has the most at 203,705 and California has 49,259.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://thediggings.com/usa/blm-admin-areas |title=Bureau of Land Management Administrative Areas |website=The Diggings |access-date=October 28, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423021214/https://thediggings.com/usa/blm-admin-areas |archive-date=April 23, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* '''Coal leases'''. The BLM holds the coal mineral estate to more than {{convert|570|e6acre|km2}} where the owner of the surface is the federal government, a state or local government, or a private entity.<ref name="coal">{{Cite web |url=http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/energy/coal_and_non-energy/coal_lease_table.html |title=Total Federal Coal Leases in Effect, Total Acres Under Lease, and Lease Sales by Fiscal Year Since 1990 |publisher=BLM |date=2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141128211348/http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/energy/coal_and_non-energy/coal_lease_table.html |archive-date=November 28, 2014 |access-date=November 16, 2014}}</ref> As of 2013, the BLM had competitively granted 309 leases for [[coal mining]] to {{convert|474,252|acre|ha}}, an increase of {{convert|13,487|acre|ha}} or nearly 3% increase in land subject to coal production over ten years' time.<ref name=coal/>
* '''Recreation'''. The BLM administers {{convert|205498|mi|km}} of fishable streams, {{convert|2.2|e6acre|km2}} of [[lake]]s and [[reservoir (water)|reservoirs]], {{convert|6600|mi|km}} of floatable rivers, over 500 boating access points, 69 [[National Back Country Byway]]s, and 300 Watchable Wildlife sites.<ref name="outfit">{{Cite web |url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/?&dbname=cp106&sid=cp106yWjtd&refer=&r_n=sr491.106&item=&&&sel=TOC_54547& |title=Senate Report 106-491 – Outfitter Policy Act of 1999 |website=congress.gov/ |publisher=Library of Congress |access-date=November 15, 2014 }} {{Dead link|date=August 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The agency also manages {{convert|4500|mi|km}} of [[National Scenic Trail|National Scenic]], [[National Historic Trail|National Historic]] and [[National Recreation Trail]]s, as well as thousands of miles of multiple use trails used by motorcyclists, hikers, [[equestrians]], and mountain bikers.<ref name=outfit/> In 2013, BLM lands received an estimated 61.7 million recreational visitors.<ref name="stats">{{Cite web |url=http://www.blm.gov/public_land_statistics/pls13/pls2013.pdf |title=Public Land Statistics 2013 |date=July 2014 |series=Volume 198 |publisher=BLM |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141128175702/http://www.blm.gov/public_land_statistics/pls13/pls2013.pdf |archive-date=November 28, 2014 |access-date=November 15, 2014}}</ref> Over 99% of BLM-managed lands are open to hunting, recreational shooting opportunities, and fishing.
*'''Conservation'''. The National Landscape Conservation System preserves a variety of lands protected from development.
* '''California Desert Conservation Area'''. The California Desert Conservation Area covers {{convert|25|e6acre|km2}} of land in [[southern California]] designated by Congress in 1976 by means of the [[Federal Land Policy and Management Act]].<ref name="CDCA">{{Cite web |url=http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/cdd/cdca_q_a.html |title=IntIntroduction: The California Desert Conservation Area (CDCA) |publisher=BLM |date=September 19, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129021437/http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/cdd/cdca_q_a.html |archive-date=November 29, 2014 |access-date=November 19, 2014}}</ref> BLM is charged with administering about {{convert|10|e6acre|km2}} of this fragile area with its potential for [[multiple use]]s in mind.<ref name=CDCA/>
* '''Timberlands'''. The Bureau manages {{convert|55|e6acre|km2}} of [[forest]]s and [[woodland]]s, including {{convert|11|e6acre|km2}} of commercial forest and {{convert|44|e6acre|km2}} of woodlands in 11 western states and [[Alaska]].<ref name="gaotimber">{{Cite web |url=http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d03615.pdf |title=BLM Public Domain Lands: Volume of Timber Offered for Sale Has Declined Substantially Since Fiscal Year 1990 |date=June 2003 |publisher=GAO |access-date=November 15, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924045237/http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d03615.pdf |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> {{convert|53|e6acre|km2}} are productive forests and woodlands on public domain lands and {{convert|2.4|e6acre|km2}} are on [[Oregon and California Railroad Revested Lands|O&C lands]] in western Oregon.<ref name=gaotimber/>
[[File:Calm Before the Storm (8555289958).jpg|thumb|Fatigued BLM Firefighters taking a break after a fire in Oregon in 2008]]
* '''Firefighting.''' Well in excess of 3,000 [[full-time equivalent]] firefighting personnel work for BLM.<ref name="BLMfire">{{Cite web |url=http://www.blm.gov/style/medialib/blm/nifc/operations.Par.46522.File.dat/ProgramSummaries.pdf |title=2014 National and State Fire Preparedness Program Summaries |publisher=BLM |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129021422/http://www.blm.gov/style/medialib/blm/nifc/operations.Par.46522.File.dat/ProgramSummaries.pdf |archive-date=November 29, 2014 |access-date=November 18, 2014}}</ref> The agency fought 2,573 fires on BLM-managed lands in fiscal year 2013.<ref name=stats/>
* '''Mineral rights on Indian lands'''. As part of its trust responsibilities, the BLM provides technical advice for minerals operations on {{convert|56|e6acre|km2}} of Indian lands.<ref name="blmMinerals">{{Cite web |url=http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/About_BLM/subsurface.print.html |title=Mineral and Surface Acreage Managed by the BLM |publisher=BLM |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161116042146/https://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/About_BLM/subsurface.print.html/ |archive-date=November 16, 2016 |access-date=December 5, 2018}}</ref>
* '''Leasing and Land Management of Split Estates'''. A split estate is similar to the [[broad form deed]]s used, starting in the early 1900s. It is a separation of mineral rights and surface rights on a property. The BLM manages split estates, but only in cases when the "surface rights are privately owned and the rights to the minerals are held by the Federal Government."<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.blm.gov/programs/energy-and-minerals/oil-and-gas/leasing/split-estate |title=LEASING AND MANAGEMENT OF SPLIT ESTATE |website=Bureau of Land Management |access-date=May 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181223001058/https://www.blm.gov/programs/energy-and-minerals/oil-and-gas/leasing/split-estate |archive-date=December 23, 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* '''Cadastral surveys'''. The BLM is the official record keeper for over 200 years' worth of [[cadastral survey]] records and plats as part of the [[Public Land Survey System]].<ref name="surveys">{{Cite web |url=http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/more/cadastralsurvey/cadastral_history.html |title=Cadastral History |publisher=BLM |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113090104/http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/more/cadastralsurvey/cadastral_history.html |archive-date=November 13, 2014 |access-date=November 19, 2014}}</ref> In addition, the Bureau still completes numerous new surveys each year, mostly in [[Alaska]], and conducts resurveys to restore obliterated or lost original surveys.<ref name=surveys/>
* '''Abandoned mines'''. BLM maintains an inventory of known [[abandoned mine]]s on the lands it manages.<ref name="blmmines">{{Cite web |url=http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/more/Abandoned_Mine_Lands.html |title=Abandoned Mine Lands |publisher=BLM |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129021319/http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/more/Abandoned_Mine_Lands.html |archive-date=November 29, 2014 |access-date=November 19, 2014}}</ref> As of April 2014, the inventory contained nearly 46,000 sites and 85,000 other features.<ref name=blmmines/> Approximately 23% of the sites had either been remediated, had reclamation actions planned or underway, or did not require further action. The remaining sites require further investigation.<ref name=blmmines/> A 2008 [[Inspector General]] report alleges that BLM has for decades neglected the dangers represented by these abandoned mines.<ref name="IGmines">{{Cite web |url=http://www.nature.nps.gov/geology/aml/OIG-DOI_AML_Audit-FINAL-2008-0717.pdf |title=Abandoned Mine Lands in the Department of the Interior |publisher=Department of the Interior IG |access-date=November 19, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129035048/http://www.nature.nps.gov/geology/aml/OIG-DOI_AML_Audit-FINAL-2008-0717.pdf |archive-date=November 29, 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* '''Energy corridors'''. Approximately {{convert|5000|mi}} of energy corridors for [[Pipeline transport|pipeline]]s and [[transmission line]]s are located on BLM-managed lands.<ref name="apps1.eere.energy.gov" />
* '''Helium'''. BLM operates the [[National Helium Reserve]] near Amarillo, Texas, a program begun in 1925 during the time of the [[Zeppelin]] Wars.<ref name="slatehelium">{{Cite web |url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2013/10/02/federal_helium_reserve_to_stay_open_for_now_congress_approves_responsible.html |title=Our Government May Be Shut Down, but at Least Our Helium Reserve Won't Be ... for Now |last=Krule |first=Miriam |website=slate.com |date=October 2, 2013 |publisher=Slate |access-date=November 18, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141127142144/http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2013/10/02/federal_helium_reserve_to_stay_open_for_now_congress_approves_responsible.html |archive-date=November 27, 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> Though the reserve had been set to be moved to private hands, it remains subject to oversight of the BLM under the provisions of the unanimously-passed Responsible Helium Administration and Stewardship Act of 2013.<ref name=slatehelium/><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/04/opinion/collins-an-ode-to-helium.html |title=Opinion - An Ode to Helium |last=Collins |first=Gail |newspaper=The New York Times |date=May 3, 2013 |access-date=February 26, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171109120852/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/04/opinion/collins-an-ode-to-helium.html |archive-date=November 9, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* '''Revenue and fees'''. The BLM produces significant revenue for the United States budget.<ref name="bisson">{{Cite web |url=http://www.doi.gov/budget/appropriations/2009/upload/FY2009BLMBudgetTestimony.pdf |title=Statement of Henri Bisson, Deputy Director Bureau of Land Management U.S. Department of the Interior Before the House Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Hearing on the FY 2009 Budget Request of the Bureau of Land Management February 27, 2008 |publisher=Department of the Interior |access-date=November 15, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141128080826/http://www.doi.gov/budget/appropriations/2009/upload/FY2009BLMBudgetTestimony.pdf |archive-date=November 28, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2009, public lands were expected to generate an estimated $6.2 billion in revenues, mostly from energy development.<ref name=bisson/> Nearly 43.5% of these funds are provided directly to states and counties to support roads, schools, and other community needs.<ref name=bisson/>