2001 News Releases

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• Kathleen Clarke Confirmed by U.S. Senate as New BLM Director  The U.S. Senate confirmed today Kathleen Clarke, former director of Utah's Department of Natural Resources, as the new director for the BLM. (12/21/01)

• New Standards and Guidelines Developed for Surveying Public and Indian Lands  The BLM, in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service, has developed standards and guidelines for cadastral surveys of public and Indian lands using Global Positioning Systems. (11/30/01)

• BLM Signs Agreement with Montana Education Center on Archaeology Program  The BLM is entering into an agreement with the Montana State University (MSU) to cosponsor Project Archaeology, a program that teaches the value of archaeological sites. (11/13/01)

• BLM To Retain Key Hardrock Mining Rule Provisions  The BLM announced that it will publish a final rule in the Federal Register on October 30, 2001, to modify the agency's "3809" surface mining regulations, enhancing the BLM's ability to protect the environment, public land resources, and public health. (10/25/01)

• BLM And Forest Service Launch GeoCommunicator Web Site  The BLM and the USDA Forest Service have announced the deployment of the GeoCommunicator Web site, an interactive Web-based land information portal that provides a state-of-the-art solution for locating, accessing, and sharing the most current, up-to-date geographic information. (10/25/01)

• BLM Launches EIS for Conservation and Restoration of BLM Public Lands in Western U.S.  The BLM will prepare an environmental impact statement for the conservation and restoration of vegetation, watershed and wildlife habitat treatments on public lands administered by its staff in the western United States, including Alaska. (10/12/01)

• BLM Environmental Youth Program Wins National Award  The BLM's District of Columbia Wonderful Outdoor World Program (WOW), today received the Department of the Interior's 2001 Environmental Achievement Award in Washington, D.C., for its work with D.C.-area youth.(09/21/01)

• BLM Biologist Wins National Environmental Award  Don Prichard, a fishery biologist at the BLM's National Science and Technology Center in Denver, today received the Department of the Interior's 2001 Environmental Achievement Award in Washington, D.C., for his efforts to help land managers restore riparian wetlands. (09/21/01)

• BLM Distributes Over $199 Million in PILT Checks to Local Governments for Tax-Exempt Lands  The BLM will send just over $199 million on Sept. 20 to approximately 1,900 local governments across the United States in accordance with the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) Act. Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton announced this year's payment is $65 million more than last year's payment. (09/20/01)

• BLM Announces Supplemental Draft EIS for Jack Morrow Hills  The Jack Morrow Hills Coordinated Activity Plan (JMHCAP) will be the subject of a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), the BLM Wyoming announced today. (09/19/01)

• Televised Wild Horse Adoption on September 7; Call 1-800-633-6094 to qualify to bid  The BLM is offering qualified individuals the chance to adopt mares or geldings gathered from rangelands in Nevada and saddle-ready wild horses trained in Wyoming at the Riverton Honor Camp in a competitive bid, televised wild horse adoption. (08/24/01)

• BLM To Retain Financial Guarantee Rule for Hardrock Mining: Change Allows More Time for Mining Operators To Comply  The BLM will announce tomorrow that it is briefly extending the deadline for mining operators to meet financial guarantee requirements (i.e., bonding) for mining operations conducted under Federal surface management regulations, commonly called 3809 regulations. The BLM expects to retain the financial guarantee provisions in the 3809 regulations that became final in January. (06/14/01)

• Exemplary Volunteer Work On Public Lands Recognized: Bureau of Land Management Announces Volunteer Award Winners for 2001  Eight outstanding BLM volunteers and two exceptional BLM employees received the agency's 2001 "Making a Difference" National Volunteer Awards at a special ceremony held Wednesday, May 23 at the Department of the Interior in Washington, DC. These awards recognize exemplary volunteer contributions made in the year 2000 on behalf of the public lands. (05/23/01)

• New Board Members Sought for Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board  The BLM is soliciting public nominations for three members to the Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board. (05/08/01)

• Two Bureau of Land Management Teams Receive the Kelman Group Award for Achievements in Procurement  Two Bureau of Land Management (BLM) teams received the prestigious Kelman Group Award on Friday, April 20, 2001, at a ceremony in the Department of the Interior. (04/23/01)

• President Requests $1.8 Billion for FY 2002 Budget to Meet Public Land Management Challenges  "Continued population growth in the West and last year's record fire season put the BLM to the test," Acting Director Nina Hatfield said. "Now we are challenged to help meet the Nation's critical energy needs. This year's budget will allow us to pursue our top priorities while we take steps to ensure that we are managing our organization as efficiently as possible." (04/09/01)

• BLM Announces Final Drainage Rule  The Bureau of Land Management will announce tomorrow that a final rule on oil and gas drainage is in effect immediately. The regulation is aimed at preventing federal and Indian oil and gas resources from being drained from public lands without authorization or compensation to the American taxpayer.(04/09/01)

• BLM Proposes Suspension of "3809" Surface Management Regulations  The BLM announced that it will publish a proposal in the Federal Register on Friday, March 23, to suspend the agency's recently adopted "3809 "surface management regulations. BLM has requested public input over a 45-day comment period. If adopted as a final rule, the proposal would suspend the current regulations governing surface management of hardrock mining operations on public lands, which became effective on January 20, 2001. (03/21/01)

• BLM/NACD Sign Agreement to Manage and Protect Federal and Private Land and Waters  The National Association of Conservation Districts and the BLM signaled the beginning of a new cooperative working relationship during a special ceremony at the recent NACD Annual Meeting in Fort Worth, Texas. (03/02/01)

• Interior Secretary Gale Norton to Tour National Interagency Fire Center in Boise  Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton will travel to Boise, Idaho March 2, 2001, to tour the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC). The tour of the fire center is her first trip outside of Washington, D.C. since being sworn in as Secretary February 1, 2001. (03/01/01)

• 2001 Federal Grazing Fee Announced  The grazing fee for Western public lands administered by the BLM will be $1.35 per animal unit month (AUM) in 2001, which is the same amount charged in 2000. (02/22/01)

• Comment Period Extended on BLM Proposed Rule To Recover Costs Of Processing Minerals-Related Documents  The BLM today announced an extension to the public comment period on a proposed rule that would enable the BLM to recover more of its costs in processing minerals-related documents, such as applications for permits to conduct mining operations. The public now has until April 16, 2001 – to comment on the proposed rule. The period to provide public comment was originally scheduled to close on February 13, 2001. (02/13/01)

• BLM Publishes Final Version of National Management Strategy on Motorized Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Use  In an effort to accommodate growing motorized Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) use on the public lands while protecting natural resources, the Bureau of Land Management today released the final version of its National Management Strategy (Strategy) on motorized OHV use. In a change from the BLM's Draft OHV Strategy, published last month, the final Strategy does not cover mountain bicycles and other non-motorized forms of transportation. (01/19/01)

• BLM Publishes Final Rule to Improve Protection of Federal and Indian Mineral Resources From Drainage The Bureau of Land Management today published a final rule that clarifies the obligations of Federal and Indian oil and gas lessees and operating rights owners to protect mineral resources from drainage. (01/10/01)

• Senior Advisor to BLM Director to Join Private Practice Kim Harb, Senior Advisor to Bureau of Land Management Director Sylvia Baca, will be leaving the BLM on January 12 to work for a law firm in Washington, DC. (01/04/01)