Miles City Field Office
| Contacts: | Mark Jacobsen 406-233-2831 |
BLM Approves Final Phase of Land Exchange
The BLM has issued a decision to approve the final phase of the proposed Pumpkin Creek Land Exchange located about 15 miles south of Miles City.
A 45-day comment period will begin on Sept. 11.
Interested parties may submit written comments to: BLM Miles City Field Office, attn: Associate Field Manager Debbie Johnson, 111 Garryowen Road, Miles City, MT 59301.
This second phase will acquire the approximately 1,800 acres of private land remaining within the Pumpkin Creek Ranch using previously identified federal lands in Carter County. Final completion of the exchange will create a block of approximately 20,578 acres of federal land available for a variety of public uses and BLM resource programs.
The BLM held two open houses earlier this year in February at Ekalaka and Miles City to discuss this portion of the process and gather input regarding the land parcels being considered for exchange; all of which are located in Carter County. The majority of the Pumpkin Creek Ranch was previously secured as public land on Feb. 20, 2008.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
Miles City Field Office 111 Garryowen Road Miles City, MT 59301