1999
News Releases
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- Tom Fry Nominated To Be BLM Director
On October 26, 1999, President Clinton announced his intent to nominate Thomas A. Fry III to serve as Director of the Bureau of Land Management. Tom Fry has been Acting BLM Director since November 1998 and served as Deputy Director from January 1997 to November 1998.
- Secretary Babbitt Lauds President
Clinton's Selection of Tom Fry to be BLM Director (DOI release - 10/26/99)
Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt announced today that he is pleased with President Clinton's intention to nominate
Thomas A. Fry III to serve as Director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Mr. Fry has been Acting Director of
BLM since November 1998.
- BLM Extends Public Comment Period on Proposed
Mining Claim Fee Rule (10/26/99)
Announcing an extension for 90 days to
the public comment period on a proposed rule to reorganize and simplify the agency's
mining claim fee regulations. The deadline for submitting comments is now January 24,
2000.
- BLM to Reopen Comment Period on 3809 Regulations
for 120 Days (10/26/99)
Announcing the reopening of the
comment period on the agency's proposed "3809" surface mining regulations and an
accompanying Draft Environmental Impact Statement. The reopened comment period, which
lasts for 120 days from today, follows the September 29, 1999 release of the National
Academy of Sciences (NAS) report on hardrock mining on Federal lands. Interior Secretary
Bruce Babbitt welcomed the NAS study "as an endorsement of my decision in January
1997 to complete a process, initiated by the Bush Administration, to revise these
regulations."
- BLM Publishes New Rule To Simplify and Revise Solid
Mineral Leasing Regulations (10/1/99)
Announcing publication of a new rule
that will simplify the BLM's solid mineral regulations and make them easier to understand.
The rule, which takes effect on October 31, reduces the agency's existing solid mineral
leasing regulations by one-third while making several substantive revisions. Among other
things, the rule increases the per-state acreage limit for potassium leases on BLM-managed
lands from 51,200 acres to 96,000 acres. This will enhance the development of Federal
reserves and help achieve the goal of ultimate maximum resource recovery, as called for by
Federal law.
- Statement of Secretary Babbitt on the National
Research Council's Report on Hardrock Mining on Federal Lands (DOI release - 9/29/99)
"While we have not had an
opportunity to review the report in detail, I note that the team of experts who prepared
it unanimously agree that some important changes are necessary in existing regulations
governing hardrock mining on federal lands. I view this report, which was commissioned by
Congress, as an endorsement of my decision in January 1997 to complete a process,
initiated in the Bush Administration, to revise these regulations.
"We will reopen the period for public comment on our proposed reforms for 120 days,
to hear from affected interests regarding our rules and the Council's report. After we
complete that consultation we intend to move forward with final rules that will respond to
both public comment and the Council's report. I hope that the Council's recommendations
will provide the basis for constructive dialogue with the Congress to build a consensus
for putting needed reforms in place."
- BLM Announces Personnel Changes in Eastern States
Office and Washington, D.C. (9/20/99)
Two veteran, high-ranking officials of
the Bureau of Land Management are switching positions, BLM Deputy Director Tom Fry
announced today. Gayle F. Gordon becomes Director of the Eastern States Office in
Springfield, Virginia, while W. Hord ("Tip") Tipton assumes the position of
Assistant Director for Information Resources Management (IRM). The IRM position, which had
been based in Denver, Colorado, now moves to Washington, D.C.
- BLM To Hold Informational Meetings on
Wildlife-Related Changes to Agency's Interim Policy on Managing Wilderness Study Areas (9/9/99)
The Bureau of Land Management will
hold four informational meetings to keep the public aware of proposed changes in the
agency's Interim Management Policy for Wilderness Study Areas. The meetings, which will
focus on the wildlife sections of the policy, will be held from September 13-16 in
Portland, Oregon; Reno, Nevada; Denver, Colorado; and Washington, D.C.
-
BLM To Raise Minimum Fee on Special Recreation
Permits for Competitive, Group Events on Public Lands (7/29/99)
The Bureau of Land Management is
raising the minimum fee for special recreation permits from $2 per "user day" to
$4 per person per day. The fee increase, the first of its kind since 1984, affects
competitive and organized group events on BLM-managed lands. In a notice published in the
July 29 Federal Register, the BLM said the increase takes effect October 1, with
future fee adjustments, if needed under an inflation-adjustment formula, to occur every
three years. Related links: text of the Federal
Register notice and Q's-and-A's.
- BLM Proposes Rule To Recover Costs Relating to
Right-of-Way Applications and Grants (6/15/99)
This news release announces the
publication of a proposed rule that would raise fees relating to the processing and
monitoring of right-of-way applications and grants. The proposal would enable the BLM to
recover more of its right-of-way program costs while committing the agency to better
service for its right-of-way customers. The proposed rule, which would revise the BLM's
existing right-of-way regulations, also seeks to improve the agency's administration of
authorized rights-of-way, and it would clarify how the BLM assesses rent charges on
rights-of-way that contain communication sites. Related links: text of the proposed rule, a fact sheet, and
Q's-and-A's.
- BLM Names Sally Wisely as New Utah State Director (5/20/99)
Sarah E. (Sally) Wisely has been named
the Director of the Utah State Office of the Bureau of Land Management, BLM Acting
Director Tom Fry announced today. Wisely, a 22-year veteran of the BLM who is currently
serving as Acting State Director in Alaska, will succeed Bill Lamb as the agency's
Director in Utah.
- BLM Names Fran Cherry as New Alaska State Director (5/18/99)
Francis "Fran" Cherry has
been named Director of the Alaska State Office of the Bureau of Land Management, BLM
Acting Director Tom Fry announced today. Cherry, a 30-year veteran of the BLM who most
recently served as Associate State Director of the Bureau's Montana/Dakotas State Office,
succeeds Tom Allen as the agency's Director in Alaska.
- Oil Company Winners Pay
More Than $104 Million to Drill in Alaska Petroleum Reserve (BLM-Alaska news release,
5/5/99)
Oil companies with winning bids will
pay $104,635,728 for leases in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. A total of 425
tracts on approximately 3.9 million acres were offered by the U.S. Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) in a lease sale on May 5, the first such sale for the reserve since 1984.
Six oil companies (British Petroleum, Anadarko Petroleum, Chevron, Phillips Petroleum,
Arco Alaska and R3 Exploration Corp.) submitted 174 bids on 133 tracts. The overwhelming
number of bids were focused in the northeast corner of the lease sale area on tracts rated
as having high potential for oil and gas by the BLM. Click here for a complete list of bids.
- BLM Publication Cites Rewards From Public Lands (4/23/99)
Announcing the availability of Public
Rewards from Public Lands, a publication featuring the benefits that the American
people receive from their public lands, including the agency's role in conserving open
space.
- BLM Announces New Hire and Position in Agreement with
Langston University (4/22/99)
Announcing the appointment of a
Langston University student to BLM's hazardous materials program and the creation of a new
position to recruit students as part of an agreement aimed at increasing the number of
minority students who study natural resources. Langston University, a historically black
university in Langston, Okla., and the BLM have worked together under an agreement since
September 1997 to encourage students to consider careers with natural resource agencies.
- BLM Volunteers Win Award for "Making a
Difference" (4/20/99)
Ten outstanding Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) volunteers and three exceptional BLM employees were recognized today in
the BLM's 1999 "Making a Difference" national volunteer awards ceremony held at
the historic Charles Sumner School Museum in Washington, D.C. The 1999 winners represent
the best national examples of volunteer work on the public lands.
- BLM Seeks Comment on Proposed Mining Rule at April
14 Hearing (3/30/99)
- BLM Announces Selection of Robert Doyle to
Agency's Top Business and Fiscal Post (3/23/99)
- 1999 Federal Grazing Fee Announced (2/11/99)
- BLM's Proposed Mining Rule Would Update
"3809" Regulations, Enhance Protection of Public Lands, plus related fact
sheet: Questions and Answers About BLM's Part 3809
Rulemaking (2/9/99)
- Interior Department Announces Relief for Stripper
Oil Operators (DOI release - 2/4/99)
- BLM Announces Utah Wilderness Re-inventory
Results; Secretary Babbitt Initiates Process To Consider Designating Additional Wilderness
Study Areas (DOI release - 2/4/99)
- BLM Black History Month Event Features Tape of Rare
Speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (2/1/99)
- BLM Extends Comment Period on Proposed Oil and Gas
Rule (1/28/99)
- BLM Satellite Broadcast Solicits Public Comment on
Oil and Gas Rule (1/21/99)
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