Last updated:
01/08/07

2005 News Releases

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• BLM Explores Split Estate Issues and Seeks Recommendations As part of efforts to implement the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the BLM today announced the beginning of a review of current policies and practices that the agency uses in managing oil and natural gas resources in split estate situations. The Energy Policy Act requires that the BLM consult with affected property owners, representatives of the oil and gas industry, and other interested parties as it conducts the review. (12/22/05)
• Nomination Deadline Extended for Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board The BLM is extending until November 30, 2005, the deadline for public nominations to fill three vacancies on the national Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board. The categories to be filled represent Humane Advocacy, Livestock Management, and Wildlife Management. (11/15/05)
• BLM Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Treatments of Vegetation on BLM Public Lands in Western U.S. The BLM today released its extensive environmental analysis of proposed vegetation treatments that will combat the spread of noxious and invasive plants and reduce the amount of highly flammable forest and rangeland fuels, such as stands of pinyon and juniper trees or dead and down woody materials, on BLM-managed public lands. The BLM invites public comment through January 9, 2006, on the proposed methods for treating and managing vegetation. (11/10/05)
• New BLM Cost Recovery Fees Take Effect November 7: Charges Will Cover Administrative Costs of Developing Energy Minerals In accordance with a final rule published in the Federal Register on October 7, the BLM will begin charging cost recovery fees for several mineral extraction activities on public lands, effective November 7. (11/1/05)
• BLM Sets Meeting to Hear Suggestions for Managing Geothermal Energy The BLM will hold a public meeting in Reno, Nevada to solicit suggestions on how best to implement the provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 that relate to geothermal energy on the public lands. (10/31/05)
• Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board Meeting Scheduled for November in Washington, D.C. The BLM’s National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board will meet in November in Washington, D.C., to discuss issues relating to the management and protection of wild horses and burros on Western public rangelands. The one-day meeting will be held on Monday, November 7, 2005, and will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time at the Hotel Washington. (10/17/05)
• BLM Finalizes Regulatory Changes to Recover Costs of Processing Minerals-Related Documents The BLM will publish in tomorrow’s Federal Register a new set of regulations that will enable the agency to recover more of its costs in processing documents related to mineral applications and operations on public lands. (10/6/05)
• Nominations Open for Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board The BLM is requesting public nominations to fill three vacancies on the national Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board. The categories to be filled represent Humane Advocacy, Livestock Management and Wildlife Management. (10/3/05)
• BLM Announces Hardrock Sustainable Development Mineral Awards Winners BLM Director Kathleen Clarke today announced the winners of the 2005 Reclamation and Sustainable Mineral Development Awards. The awards recognize the efforts that have been made in implementing the principles of sustainable development, a concept adopted by the United States and 192 other countries, to balance environmental, economic, and social considerations in planning for mining operations. (9/20/05)
• Nominations for Oil Shale Research Leases Demonstrate Significant Interest in Advancing Energy Technology In response to its announcement of an oil shale research, development, and demonstration program, the Bureau of Land Management has received 19 nominations for parcels of public land to be leased in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. The program, announced in June, advances the development of America’s oil shale to meet the nation’s energy demands. (9/20/05)
• Final Rule Requires Stripper Well Operators to Retain Records In response to Inspector General concerns, the Bureau of Land Management announced today that it is requiring operators of “stripper” oil wells (wells that produce fewer than 15 barrels of oil per day) to retain production records for seven years from the last date that the operator claims a reduced royalty rate under the current stripper oil royalty rate reduction program. The new requirement, published in today’s Federal Register, is effective immediately. (9/7/05)
• Energy Policy Legislation Affects BLM Cost Recovery Proposal  The recently enacted Energy Policy Act of 2005 has limited the Bureau of Land Management’s authority to recover some of its costs from processing documents related to mineral operations on public lands. The Bureau recently published proposed regulations that would implement fees to recover costs associated with oil, gas and geothermal leasing, including the processing of oil and gas Applications for Permits to Drill (APDs) Geothermal Permits to Drill (GPDs), geophysical exploration permits, other oil, gas and geothermal applications and applications relating to solid minerals and administration of mining claims. The proposed rule was published on July 19, 2005.(8/30/05)
• Comment Period Extended on Proposed Changes to Oil and Gas Regulation  The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the USDA Forest Service (FS) are extending by 60 days the public comment period for the proposed changes in regulations that set forth the requirements necessary to obtain approval for proposed oil and gas activity on all Federal and Indian lands (except those of the Osage Tribe).(8/26/05)
• Nominations Open for Award Recognizing Responsible Fluid Mineral Development The BLM is currently accepting nominations for the 2005 Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Development Environmental Best Management Practices (BMPs) Awards. The awards recognize oil, gas, and geothermal operators or rights-of-way grantees and their partners, as well as local BLM Field Offices and their partners who demonstrate leadership and creativity in reducing the impacts of oil, gas, and geothermal development. (8/11/05)
• BLM Names New State Directors for Nevada and Colorado The Interior Department’s BLM today announced that Ron Wenker, currently the agency’s state director in Colorado, will become the new BLM state director in Nevada, and Sally Wisely, currently the state director in Utah, will become the BLM state director in Colorado. A search will begin to fill the vacated state director position in Utah, it was also announced. (8/10/05)
• BLM to Prepare Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement On Proposed New Grazing Regulations The Bureau of Land Management announced today that it will prepare a supplement to the final Environmental Impact Statement on proposed changes to its grazing regulations. (8/9/05)
• National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board Sets Meeting As BLM Announces New Appointments to Board The BLM’s National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board will meet on August 29 in Denver to discuss the BLM’s management and protection of wild horses and burros. The BLM also announced today the appointment of three individuals to the board, which advises the Bureau on its management of wild horses and burros that roam the nation’s Western public lands. New to the board is Dr. Boyd Spratling of Nevada; members being reappointed are Robin Lohnes of Washington, D.C., and Bill Higham of Montana. (8/8/05)
• Federal Agencies Propose Regulation Change to Improve Energy Development on Public Lands The U.S. Department of Interior BLM and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service today announced proposed changes in regulations to improve the processing of oil and gas drilling applications while protecting surface owners and public land resources. (7/27/05)
• Bureau of Land Management to End Royalty Reductions for Low-Producing Oil Wells The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced today that it will stop offering reduced royalty rates for certain low-producing oil wells known as “stripper wells.” With a notice published in today’s Federal Register, the BLM announced that it will end its Stripper Well Royalty Rate Reductions Program effective February 1, 2005. Under the BLM’s existing regulations, the agency may terminate the royalty reductions when the inflation-adjusted price of oil exceeds $28 per barrel for six consecutive months. (7/21/05)
• BLM Proposes Regulatory Changes to Recover Costs of Processing Minerals-Related Documents The Bureau of Land Management will publish in tomorrow’s Federal Register a proposed a set of regulation changes that would enable the agency to recover more of its costs in processing documents related to mineral operations on public lands. The regulatory proposal would authorize the BLM to increase existing or set new fees for environmental-impact studies, monitoring activities, and other processing-related actions.(7/18/05)
• Improved Tracking and Processing Accompany Increase in BLM Mining Claim Fees An increase in fees charged by the BLM for locating and maintaining mining claims will go into effect today, as required under a 1994 law. Holders of mining claims will pay $30 for the location fee for newly located claims or sites, an increase of $5. The annual maintenance fee will increase from $100 to $125 per mining claim or site. (7/1/05)
• BLM Issues New Protest Procedures for Oil and Gas Lease Sales/Sale Parcels The BLM today issued new procedures for the filing of protests on lands included in oil and natural gas lease sales. Protests will have to be received at least 15 days prior to the date of the sale. (6/30/05)
• Environmental Study Supports Plans to Facilitate Wind Energy Development on Public Lands In remarks today before the Congressional Renewable Energy EXPO in Washington, D.C., Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Land and Minerals Management Rebecca Watson announced the completion and availability of a study that addresses the environmental, social and economic impacts associated with the development of wind energy on public lands. Watson noted that the study, The Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement on Wind Energy Development on BLM-Administered Lands in the Western United States, focuses on public land administered by BLM in 11 western states, excluding Alaska. (6/21/05)
• BLM Announces Restoration of its National Website The Bureau of Land Management announced today that it has restored public access to its national Website (www.blm.gov), which the agency had taken down for several weeks while it resolved issues relating to Internet security. Although the BLM’s state-specific Websites are not yet reconnected to the World Wide Web, the Bureau is working to get those up and running in the near future. (6/17/05)
• BLM Publishes Final Environmental Impact Study on Changes to Grazing Regulations The BLM today announced the availability of a final environmental impact study that concludes upcoming grazing regulation changes will produce long-term benefits for public rangelands. An official notice of the study’s availability will be published in the Federal Register on Friday, June 17, 2005. (6/16/05)
• BLM and Forest Service Seek Public Comments on the Fourth Edition of the Gold Book The Interior Department’s BLM and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service (USFS) have released a draft updated version of the Gold Book for public review and comments. The official title of the updated fourth edition is Surface Operating Standards for Oil and Gas Development. (6/10/05)
• BLM Announces New Oil Shale Research, Development and Demonstration Effort on Public Lands In a move that will advance America’s efforts to boost domestic oil production and in response to growing interest from high-technology groups, the BLM today announced terms and conditions for oil shale research, development and demonstration on public lands. (6/9/05)
• BLM Cadastral Survey Will Hire Land Surveyors for Indian Country As part of an ongoing effort to streamline land surveying in Indian Country, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians, and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) has hired land surveyors specifically for Indian lands in six regions. Officials of the agencies met with the new surveyors for the first time today in Washington, DC. (5/3/05)
• BLM Extends Nomination Period for Reclamation and Sustainable Mineral Development Awards The BLM is extending the period for accepting nominations for the 2005 Reclamation and Sustainable Mineral Development Awards. These awards recognize solid mineral (non-coal) development operations that embody the principles of sustainable development or represent outstanding examples of reclamation or environmental stewardship. (5/3/05)
• Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board Meeting Scheduled The BLM's National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board will meet to discuss the management and protection of wild, free-roaming horses and burros on the nation's public lands, according to a notice in the April 27, 2005 Federal Register. (5/2/05)
• Bureau of Land Management Releases National Trails Plan The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management today released its strategic plan setting out how the agency will manage its National Scenic and Historic Trails Program over the next 10 years. (4/29/05)
• BLM to Suspend Royalty Reductions for Type of Crude Oil The BLM gave notice today that the agency will suspend its reduced royalty program for heavy oil, a type of crude oil. A notice published in today’s Federal Register signaled that the BLM will suspend the heavy oil royalty reduction program effective November 1, 2005. BLM’s regulations allow royalty reductions for heavy oil because of the added expense of lifting it to the surface and processing it. In addition, the BLM is requesting public comments on how the suspension should end. (4/27/05)
• Larry Benna Named BLM Deputy Director for Operations Lawrence “Larry” Benna has been named Deputy Director for Operations of the Bureau of Land Management. Benna has served as Assistant Director for Business and Fiscal Resources and Chief Financial Officer for the BLM since 2004 after serving as the Bureau’s Budget Director since 1997. He succeeds Francis Cherry, who retired from the BLM in February 2005. (4/26/05)
• Selma Sierra Named Chief of Staff at BLM Selma Sierra has been named Chief of Staff at the Bureau of Land Management, BLM Director Kathleen Clarke announced today. Sierra has been acting Chief of Staff since May 2004. She had been the agency’s Assistant Director for Communications since 2003. (4/25/05)
• BLM Will Recover Costs and Streamline Operations for Right-of-Way Program The BLM will publish a final rule in tomorrow’s Federal Register that revises the process the BLM will use in issuing right-of-way grants. The new rule also allows for automatic readjustment of the cost-recovery fees to account for cost increases that have taken place since the previous regulations became effective in August 1987. (4/21/05)
• BLM Sells 30 Wild Horses to Cattle Rancher The BLM today announced that it is selling 30 wild horses to a Florida cattle rancher who will provide long-term care for the mustangs on his 1,000-acre ranch. (4/4/05)
• BLM Introduces CTALS and Township Geocoder to GeoCommunicator Website The BLM has announced the deployment of two new tools within the GeoCommunicator website: the Township Geocoder and Cases That Affect Land Status (CTALS). GeoCommunicator, a website for interactive mapping and the distribution of GIS data from the BLM's National Integrated Land System (NILS), is part of the President's E-Government initiative. NILS uses the geographic information software packages ArcGIS 9 and Model Builder to develop and standardize the BLM's land management business processes. (3/23/05)
• BLM Accepting Nominations for Reclamation and Sustainable Mineral Development Awards The BLM is requesting nominations for the 2005 Reclamation and Sustainable Mineral Development Awards. These awards recognize solid mineral (non-coal) development operations that embody the principles of sustainable development or represent outstanding examples of reclamation or environmental stewardship. (3/22/05)
• BLM Updates Land Use Planning Handbook: Incorporates policy and guidance developed over past four years The Land use planning ‘by the book’ will be easier for BLM planners now that four years of policy and guidance memos have been consolidated into the agency’s revised Land Use Planning Handbook. The revised Handbook reflects comments submitted during two earlier reviews of draft documents over the last year from BLM employees; state, local and federal agencies; and the general public. (3/22/05)
• BLM Announces First Sale of Wild Horses to Tribes under New Law The BLM today announced that it is selling more than 500 wild horses to two Indian Tribes in the Dakotas under a new law passed by Congress. The BLM has sold 141 wild horses (105 mares and 36 studs) to the Rosebud Sioux of South Dakota and 120 horses (96 mares and 24 studs) to the Three Affiliated Tribes of North Dakota. Completion of other sales to these Tribes will take place over the next several weeks. (3/21/05)
• BLM Joins National Groups in Wildlife Work: Partnerships will Enhance Success of Federal Projects In the spirit of Cooperative Conservation as directed by President Bush, the BLM will sign agreements this week with two wildlife organizations that expand partnerships for conservation. The signings will take place at the 70th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in Arlington, Virginia. (3/16/05)
• BLM Announces Sale of Wild Horses to Horse Group in California Bureau of Land Management Director Kathleen Clarke today announced a sale of 13 wild horses to Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue, a California-based group dedicated to wild horse protection. The wild horses, all mares, were sold under a new law (Section 142 of Public Law 108-447) that Congress passed in December 2004. The new law directs the BLM to sell wild horses and burros that are more than 10 years old or have been unsuccessfully offered for adoption at least three times. The BLM announced its first sale of wild horses on March 1; that sale involved 200 mares and went to Wild Horses Wyoming, LLC, a southeastern Wyoming company committed to wild horse preservation. (3/9/05)
• Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board Meeting Scheduled The BLM National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board will meet to discuss the management and protection of wild, free-roaming horses and burros on the nation's public lands, according to a notice in the February 16, 2005 Federal Register. The meeting will be held Monday, March 14, 2005 from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm local time. (3/4/05)
• BLM Announces First Sale of Wild Horses under New Law The BLM has carried out its first sale of wild horses – 200 mares to a Wyoming-based company – under legislation recently passed by Congress. The new sale authority (Section 142 of Public Law 108-447), which became law in December 2004, directs the BLM to offer for sale those wild horses and burros that are more than 10 years old or have been unsuccessfully offered for adoption at least three times. The agency estimates that about 8,400 animals are affected by the new law. (3/1/05)
• BLM and Forest Service Announce 2005 Federal Grazing Fee The Federal grazing fee for Western public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service will be $1.79 per animal unit month (AUM) in 2005, up from $1.43 in 2004. The newly adjusted fee, which takes effect March 1, applies to more than 18,000 grazing permits and leases administered by the BLM and more than 8,000 permits administered by the Forest Service. (2/7/05)
• President's FY 2006 Budget Request for the Bureau of Land Management Proposes $1.75 Billion to Strengthen Management of Public Lands The Bush Administration's proposed Fiscal Year 2006 budget request for the BLM is $1.75 billion, which strongly supports reforms to strengthen management of public lands and improve agency efficiency and will enable the BLM to address its highest-priority needs and commitments. For BLM's main operating accounts, the budget provides a net increase of $15.9 million. (2/7/05)