Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is
the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)?
- The BLM is an agency in the Department of
Interior, in the US Government. The BLM manages 264 million acres of surface acres of
public lands located primarily in the 12 Western States, including Alaska. The agency
manages an additional 300 million acres of below ground mineral estate located throughout
the country. Originally, these lands were valued principally for the commodities extracted
from them; today, the public also prizes them for their recreational opportunities and
their natural, historical, and cultural resources they contain.
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How does
the BLM manage the public lands?
- The BLM administers public lands within a
framework of numerous laws. The most comprehensive of these is the Federal Land Policy and
Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA). All Bureau policies, procedures and management actions
must be consistent with FLPMA and the other laws that govern use of the public lands. It
is the mission of the Bureau of Land Management to sustain the health, diversity and
productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future
generations.
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What is
FLPMA?
- The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976
declared it the policy of the United States that: "....the public lands be
retained in Federal ownership, unless as a result of the land use planning procedure
provided in this Act, it is determined that disposal of a particular parcel will serve the
national interest..." Through FLPMA, Congress made it clear that the public
lands should be held in public ownership and managed for "multiple use," defined
as: "...the management of the public lands and their various resource values so
that they are utilized in the combination that will best meet the present and future needs
for the American people..."
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What
recreational opportunities do BLM's public lands offer?
- BLM public lands offer more recreational
opportunities over a broader geographical area than any other Federal land agency. In
1996, nearly 60 million people visited the public lands for recreational purposes, which
included some of the following opportunities: hiking, fishing, hunting, boating, horseback
riding, birding, fossil collecting, off- roading, camping, and visiting historical,
archaeological, and cultural sites.
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Where
can I get more information about recreational use on public land?
- Information on recreation sites for all Federal public lands can be found at: http://www.recreation.gov, or contact the local BLM office for additional information about local BLM recreation uses.
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