Blueprint Goal
SERVE CURRENT AND FUTURE PUBLICS

As one of the Nation's principal natural resource management agencies, the BLM:

provides the public with a wide variety of outdoor recreational opportunities,
authorizes the use of the public lands for resource commodity production and other commercial activities,
protects and preserves nationally significant natural and cultural heritage resources,
enforces Federal laws and regulations related to public lands, and
provides many other goods and services.

The BLM also shares its technical expertise and capabilities with other Federal agencies as well as State, Tribal, and local governments. The Bureau maintains the Nation's public land survey system, the legal foundation for most of the land records in the United States; assists many Tribal governments in managing their energy and mineral resources; and shares its fire management capabilities with neighboring jurisdictions.

The revenues generated from BLM-managed activities are economically important to the Nation and to the economies of many local communities, primarily in the West. For instance, a significant portion of the more than $1 billion in revenues generated annually by the public lands is shared with the States. The BLM also disburses over $100 million annually to more than 1,900 counties as Payments in Lieu of Taxes to offset property tax shortfalls (under a Congressional formula) occurring in counties with public land holdings.

The Bureau's initial focus was on the production of livestock forage, timber, and energy and mineral commodities for the American people. Over the last 20 years, the BLM has increasingly turned its attention to managing for outdoor recreation and scenic values, natural and cultural heritage preservation, and new commercial uses such as communication facilities, waste disposal, and cinematography.

As the population of the Nation grows, demands on the public lands will continue to evolve. As it has in the past, the BLM will become familiar with the needs and expectations of new public land users while encouraging them to understand the needs and expectations of more traditional public land users.

The goods and services the BLM currently provides the American people are discussed in terms of accomplishments under six broad strategic goals: (1) Provide opportunities for environmentally responsible recreation; (2) Provide opportunities for environmentally responsible commercial activities; (3) Preserve natural and cultural heritage; (4) Reduce threats to public health, safety, and property; (5) Improve land, resource, and title information; and (6) Provide economic and technical assistance.

Provide Opportunities for Environmentally Responsible Recreation

Studies indicate that 94.5% of the U.S. population participates in some form of outdoor recreation. These studies also reveal that the demand for recreation will continue to expand as the U.S. population increases. Visitation to BLM public lands in fiscal year 1997 was 61 million visits, resulting in nearly 72 million visitor days of recreation use.

The BLM public lands provide visitors with a vast array of recreational opportunities. These include hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, boating, hang gliding, off-highway vehicle driving, mountain biking, birding, and visiting natural and cultural heritage sites.

The BLM administers 205,498 miles of fishable streams, 2.2 million acres of lakes and reservoirs, 6,600 miles of floatable rivers, over 500 boating access points, 69 National Back Country Byways, and 300 Watchable Wildlife sites. The BLM also manages 4,500 miles of National Scenic, Historic, and Recreational Trails, as well as thousands of miles of multiple use trails used by motorcyclists, hikers, equestrians, and mountain bikers.

The public lands provide habitat for more than 3,000 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Big game animals, including elk, pronghorn, mountain sheep, caribou, deer, and moose, thrive on western public lands, as do waterfowl and many species of small game animals.

The BLM faces a number of challenges and opportunities as it seeks to manage recreation opportunities on public lands:

While increased recreation use is a source of employment and economic growth, it also places new demands on local governments for services and other visitor amenities. The BLM must work with local communities, assisting them in understanding, anticipating, and planning for the economic and social impacts of travel and tourism on BLM-managed public lands and waters.
To respond to the increase in the number of people with disabilities and the number of people over the age of 55 who use the public lands for outdoor recreation, the Bureau must incorporate the concept of universal access into all of its recreation programs, services, and facilities.
The BLM must understand the expectations and needs of mountain bikers, cavers, and other new users so that it can better manage all recreation opportunities.

Hiking through Bull Canyon Wilderness Study Area in Northwestern Colorado. (courtesy BLM's Colorado State Office)

Funding has not kept pace with the rising costs of managing recreation sites, facilities, and the expansion of services that the public expects. This means that some routine and corrective maintenance requirements are not being met, BLM recreation employees cannot always be present in the field, and visitor services are lacking.
Environmental health in some areas is declining because of overuse, jeopardizing the very resources that attract visitors. Sustainable, quality outdoor recreation opportunities depend on healthy land and water resources.
Recreation facilities require long-term maintenance and are an added expense. They also represent a break with BLM's traditional recreation niche, which is providing a primitive and dispersed recreation experience consistent with the wide-open landscapes the BLM manages.
The BLM must complement, not compete with, other Federal, State, Tribal, regional, local-government, and private entities that also provide recreation, travel, and tourism opportunities.

During fiscal year 1997, work was begun to achieve results under the four performance goals contained in BLM's Strategic Plan. In addition, much was accomplished outside the four performance goal areas. A general discussion of accomplishments under each of these five subject areas (the four performance goals, plus other accomplishments) is followed by examples of actual work accomplished during the year.

Accomplishments for Fiscal Year 1997

Performance Goal: Understand and assess the role that recreation, travel, and tourism play in supporting economic growth and social well-being.

By 2000, develop a methodology to understand and quantify the economic impacts of outdoor recreation on local communities. Use the resulting information to direct future outdoor recreation management, opportunities, facilities, and activities on public lands and to assure that BLM's actions consider local communities' economic, social, and development goals.

The BLM is currently working with the U.S. Forest Service Southern Research Station in Georgia and Old Dominion University (ODU) in Virginia to accurately identify the economic impact of recreation on communities adjacent to public lands. Preliminary studies indicate significant positive impacts for local communities and businesses. For example, almost $21 million was spent locally by recreationists visiting Yaquina Head, Oregon, in 1995. Recreation visitation at the Steens Mountain Area, Oregon, resulted in over $1.5 million in economic growth. And spending by Goldbelt visitors in central Colorado supported 378 local jobs. To continue this vital research, the BLM, along with the Forest Service, ODU, and American Sportfishing Association, has initiated a cooperative study of the economic impacts of both consumptive and nonconsumptive recreation on public and neighboring lands.

Visitors prudently dressed in slickers enjoy the dramatic skies and pounding surf at Yaquina Head. (courtesy BLM's Oregon State Office)

Colorado BLM continued to work with the University of Colorado Business School on its annual "Business and Economic Outlook Forum." The BLM provided information from the Forest Service's National Study on Recreation and the Environment and the results of the annual Roper Starch Survey on "Outdoor Recreation in America."

In addition, the BLM:

Continued its collaboration with the community-based Los Caminos Antiguos Scenic and Historic Byway partnership and Northern Arizona University to begin focus group assessments of both visitors and community residents to determine the specific kinds of value they would like to see the Byway add to their lives.
Conducted a detailed visitor preference survey for the popular Alpine Loop National Back Country Byway in southwestern Colorado, working with community partners, the San Juan Mountain Association, and Arizona State University to survey 1,500 residents and visitors.
Participated with the Front Range Resource Advisory Council on the development of Guidelines for Recreation within the Front Range area of Colorado.

Performance Goal: Manage outdoor recreation activities to achieve and maintain public land health standards.

By 2001, encourage outdoor recreational users to be better stewards, advocates, and volunteers for protecting and preserving the BLM public lands and waters by using multimedia environmental education and interpretative information. By 2002, reduce the environmental degradation at public land recreation sites and facilities.

The BLM provides users with information to minimize their impacts to public lands and waters. In some cases, the BLM also monitors the type and location of physical access to public recreation areas. The BLM pursues challenge cost-share partnership agreements and grants to strengthen its relationship with users and local communities. Through these partnerships, work accomplished at specific recreation sites reduces risks to public health and safety, decreases environmental degradation, improves resource quality, and delivers land stewardship messages to the public.

Under clear Minnesota skies, canoeists island-hop in Lake Vermilion's cerulean waters (photo by Sylvia Jordan, BLM's Milwaukee District Office)

The BLM is working to enhance the public's understanding of resource conservation and protection through interpretation, environmental education, permit stipulations, and environmental stewardship efforts. Visitors are asked to use and enjoy the public lands while minimizing environmental impacts by practicing the Leave No Trace and Tread Lightly principles. Well-informed, environmentally sensitive recreation users can play a key role in protecting cultural, natural, and scenic resources and sustaining the health of the Nation's public lands and waters.

Specific accomplishments included four Public Lands Appreciation Day events in Nevada, environmental education programs involving over 2,000 school children at Pompeys Pillar in Montana, a Public Lands Cleanup Day at the Altman property in Montana, an Island Stewardship Program for a group of small islands located in Lake Vermilion in Minnesota, sponsorship of Idaho's first Salmon and Steelhead Days in September, completion of the Canyon Pintado National Historic District Interpretative Plan in Colorado, participation in the Gunnison (Colorado) Youth Summit field education event, and a partnership in the Teaching Environmental Science Naturally Program in Canon City, Colorado.

Interpretation activities and facilities included a 3-day interpretative training satellite broadcast by BLM's National Training Center; a new visitor center at Yaquina Head, Oregon; an innovative Audio Tour for Phantom Canyon Byway (Canon City, Colorado); an interpretive trail at Martins Cove, a historic site along the Mormon Trail in Wyoming; and a mile-long interpretative boardwalk and trail though a Cascade Mountain wetland complex near Salem, Oregon, that includes over $150,000 of treated lumber donated by private companies. In Montana, a private guest ranch teamed up with The Nature Conservancy to provide over 200 volunteer hours of labor to construct a three-panel interpretative kiosk at BLM's Ear Mountain Trailhead.

The Bureau assisted Tread Lightly!, Inc. in developing a new "Restoration for Recreation" Program designed to rehabilitate land, transforming damaged areas into enjoyable recreation havens. The program also educates the public about practicing outdoor stewardship ethics in order to minimize future impacts. Funds for the program and future projects will be generated through private official sponsors of Tread Lightly!, Inc..

A motorcyclist negotiates a Johnson Valley off-highway vehicle trail across the arid, rocky terrain typical of many southern California deserts. (photo by Doran Sanchez, BLM's California Desert District)

The BLM also worked with the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council in developing a manual for implementing Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) Youth Programs to promote safe, environmentally responsible OHV use on public and private lands.

The Bureau helped launch several initiatives under the Leave No Trace Program, focusing on America's youth. The BLM created the Leave No Trace Boy Scout Training Award and the Risk Management Program to help Scouts and their leaders have a safer experience in the outdoors. Leave No Trace training was given to over 23,000 youth at the National Boy Scout Jamboree, Philmont Scout Ranch, and Girl Scout Regional Workshops. Other areas of focus included developing a supplemental outdoor ethics curriculum for national hunter education instructors and educating outdoor writers across the Nation.

In conjunction with the 1997 National Public Lands Appreciation Day (PLAD) event at the Ward Mountain Recreation Area, the BLM and Forest Service employees taught Leave No Trace principles to 10 teachers of Nevada's White Pine County Schools. And Arizona BLM participated in the first Western Regional Girls Scout Leaders Workshop--"Linking Girls to the Land."

For the last five years, the Arizona Strip Field Office has been participating in the Color Country Natural Resources Camp. This week-long camp involves local high school students in on-the-ground resource management activities and encourages them to interact with resource specialists from the BLM, the Forest Service, the National Park Service, and State resource agencies. The purpose of the environmental education camp is to teach young people about the outdoors and encourage them to seek a career in natural resources management.

Arizona's Tucson Field Office completed a successful year of the WOW (Wonderful Outdoor World) environmental program for Tucson Youth. And Colorado BLM supported a partnership with the Yampatika Outdoor Awareness Association to provide environmental education services in Northwest Colorado.

Performance Goal: Provide outdoor recreation opportunities that are within the BLM's local and regional recreation niche, considering the availability of other providers.

By 1999, ensure that each BLM field office has identified and documented its recreation niche and is working with local communities to provide appropriate recreation opportunities on public lands and waters.

The BLM public lands and waters are noted for their undeveloped, wild nature of recreation opportunities. The BLM manages each local area according to its own unique attributes. Through partnerships and collaborative efforts, the BLM is striving to provide a diversity of opportunities and to ensure their availability to all segments of the public. Each local BLM office is identifying its recreation niche in cooperation with other community recreation, travel, and tourism providers to serve a broad spectrum of customers by providing complementary--not competing--services, facilities, and opportunities.

As one example of this, Montana BLM participated in the State of Montana's 5-year strategic plan, which will guide the future of recreation and tourism in the State. And Montana's Lewistown District had ten recreation sites included in the Russell Country Tourism Region 1997 Travel Planner, an annual publication covering 13 counties in north-central Montana.

During the summer of 1997, 10 high school AmeriCorps Program apprentices under the supervision of two Grand County AmeriCorps Program members constructed 67 campsites in seven camping areas in the Colorado Riverway Recreation Area near Moab, Utah. The project was completed under the terms of a cooperative agreement between the BLM Moab Field Office and Grand County.

Through the BLM's on-going partnership with the Oregon-California Trails Association and Trails West, Inc., 31 new permanent metal trail markers were placed along the Hastings Cutoff of the California National Historic Trail. And in the BLM Salem District in Oregon, volunteers, AmeriCorps groups, Federal prison work crews, and jobs-in-training crews constructed an additional 15 miles of single track trails for mountain bikes and equestrians on the Molalla Shared-Use Trail System. In Minnesota, BLM-managed islands are a small piece of a large puzzle--the Lake Vermilion ecosystem, providing a myriad of recreational opportunities. Through volunteer island stewards and a jointly funded summer seasonal position with a local State Park, the BLM was able to promote day use of public island resources. Even the smallest islands provide excellent fishing opportunities, while other islands offer perfect sites for picnicking, berry picking, or just relaxing and taking in the sights and sounds of the North Woods.

The Paiute All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Trail continues to be an example of cooperation among the BLM, Fishlake National Forest, Utah Division of Parks and Recreation, local law enforcement entities, local merchants, and many interested individuals from surrounding communities. During Public Lands Appreciation Day on September 27, 1997, the Richfield BLM Field Office hosted and directed a group of 20 volunteers, including personnel from the BLM and Forest Service, trail hosts, high school students, and local citizens, all of whom worked hard to help open the trail to Rock Canyon for ATV use.

Volunteers construct a trail to Pohick Bay in northern Virginia during Public Lands Appreciation Day. (courtesy BLM's Eastern States Office)

The BLM dedicated the Black Magic Canyon Interpretive Wayside along the Sawtooth Scenic Byway on September 17, 1997. This wayside showcases the sculptured rock and unique geologic features of the Big Wood River. The project was cooperatively funded by the BLM and the Idaho Transportation Department through the Scenic Byways Program.

In northwest Colorado, the Bureau constructed the Juniper Mountain segment of Yampa Valley Trail in partnership with the Routt County Riders Bicycle Club and the Rocky Mountain Youth Corps. This project was partially funded by a Great Outdoors Colorado Grant. BLM fire crews also assisted with construction of this segment and maintenance on other existing Yampa Valley Trail segments in the Little Snake Resource Area.

Performance Goal: Provide easy access to outdoor recreation information for the public lands.

By 2001, cooperate with other Federal agencies to develop an electronic access system for recreation use permits, reservations, and other information.

In fiscal year 1997, the BLM, Bureau of Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, Army Corps of Engineers, and Forest Service began using Internet technology to increase public access to recreation information. The intent is to create an electronic information center on the Internet where the public can more easily obtain the information they need to plan their recreation visits to the public lands. Future versions of the system will include the ability to make campground and other recreation site reservations for areas participating in the reservation system. There are also plans to eventually include sites managed by State and local governments, as well as Indian tribes. The Park Service has been selected as the lead agency to develop the prototype system.

In addition, BLM field offices have participated in one-stop multiagency information centers, highlighted recreation information and maps on Web home pages, and played a key role in publicizing recreation through various travel publications, brochures, and recreation/tourism initiatives .

Other Accomplishments

The BLM continues to embrace methods and technology to ensure that its programs and facilities are available to the widest range of customers, including those with disabilities. During 1997, the BLM, Forest Service, University of Minnesota, Wilderness Inquiry, Inc., and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sponsored the course "Universal Design: The Outdoor Recreation Environment," which focused on design that is inclusive of all users. Plans are to continue this cosponsorship in 1998 and beyond.

The BLM coordinated the development of an interagency memorandum of understanding between six Federal agencies and Wilderness Inquiry, Inc., a non-profit organization that promotes the use of outdoor recreation areas by people with disabilities. This agreement will allow cooperation on accessibility issues of common interest and on joint planning of programs, projects, and activities.

The Bureau also co-sponsored, along with Wilderness Inquiry, Inc., a national workshop entitled "Universal Access," addressing access to river-based recreation activities for people with disabilities. The workshop focused on working with outfitters to ensure inclusion of all customers in their programs.

Participants in the Kids' Fishing Day in Virginia (courtesy BLM's Eastern States Office)

The Bureau played a major role in the planning and implementation of the first annual National C.A.S.T. (Catch A Special Thrill) Fishing Event, sponsored by the Department of the Interior, Departmental bureaus, and the C.A.S.T. for Kids Foundation. The event, held in the Washington, DC, area, provided kids with disabilities and their families an opportunity to enjoy fishing and to gain an understanding of fish as a natural resource. It also fostered partnerships and increased awareness of the capabilities of children with disabilities.

In FY 1997 the BLM received new authority to collect fees under the Congressionally authorized Recreation Fee Demonstration Project. Using this authority, the Bureau has begun to test a variety of new methods for collecting fees, for working with partners to collect fees, and for collecting fees for different uses and activities. The focus has been on those sites and areas that have not collected fees under previously existing Land and Water Conservation Fund Act authorities. The BLM has implemented this program in close coordination with the other Federal agencies receiving similar authority.

While the existing law permits the BLM to operate fee demonstration pilot projects with up to 100 sites, the Bureau has taken a more modest approach. At the close of the fiscal year, the BLM was operating nine separate pilot projects in five States. Among the resulting innovations have been an agreement with Northern Arizona University to issue permits and collect fees for use of a wilderness area, the use of third-party contractors to collect fees at several sites, charging of entrance fees to recreation areas and visitor centers, acceptance of the Golden Eagle Passport (with a resultant 763% increase in passport sales), and the use of fees as a management tool to adjust use patterns on Oregon's Deschutes River.

As the revenues from the pilot projects accumulate, they will be used to make much-needed improvements to the infrastructure, maintenance, and management of the areas generating the revenues. The goal is to improve the quality of recreation opportunities available to the public.

One of the objectives of the 1995 White House Conference on Travel and Tourism was to preserve our natural, historic, and cultural resources for future generations, as well as expanding urban and rural economic development opportunities through a national strategy for fostering environmental and cultural travel and tourism. The BLM has responded by participating in regional and national cultural tourism summits, helping to identify conservation and management strategies that encourage the responsible use of travel and tourism opportunities on public lands in an environmentally sensitive manner.

In September 1997, the Bureau joined with other Federal agencies to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Western States Tourism Policy Council on implementing the National Tourism Strategy adopted by the White House Conference on Travel and Tourism, as well as the recommendations from the Western Summit on Tourism and the Public Lands. Federal agencies participating in the agreement are the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, Forest Service, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Highway Administration, and the Army Corps of Engineers. The Western States Tourism Policy Council consists of Western States government tourism offices from Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.

Provide Opportunities for Environmentally Responsible Commercial Activities

The public lands provide myriad opportunities for commercial activities. Commercially valuable natural resources include energy and mineral commodities, forest products, grazing forage, and special uses such as rights-of-way for pipelines and transmission lines. The BLM recognizes the Nation's need for a domestic source of minerals, food, timber, and fiber from the public lands.

Energy and minerals generate the highest commercial production values. The public lands produce 33% of the Nation's coal, 8% of its natural gas, and 5% of its oil. These lands also produce a large portion of the Nation's fertilizer minerals, mineral materials, gold, silver, and other metals. In addition to overseeing activities on the Nation's public lands, the BLM provides technical supervision of mineral development on Indian lands.

Timber production and livestock grazing are also important uses of the public lands. Livestock grazing on the public lands makes an important contribution to the livelihood and culture of many local communities.

Other commercial uses include rights-of-way and other permits and leases. Every year thousands of companies apply to the BLM to obtain right-of-way grants to use public lands for roads, pipelines, transmission lines, and communication sites. Many of these provide for the basic infrastructure of society, meeting the needs of local cities and towns.

The nature and scope of commercial activities have changed over time and will continue to evolve as new technologies are developed and as the population increases in the United States, particularly in the West. To accommodate future competing demands on limited resources, the BLM will need to direct even greater effort to maintaining the health of the land. Measures to protect the environment must be strengthened at the planning and leasing/permitting stages, and compliance must be ensured through inspection and enforcement. Public lands can meet multiple-use needs only if the land is kept healthy and productive.

Timber harvest on BLM-managed lands contributes significantly to local economies in the Pacific Northwest. (courtesy BLM's Oregon State Office)

Other challenges and opportunities that need to be addressed include the following:

About 2.5 million acres of public land are expected to return to BLM administration as a result of a review of Bureau of Reclamation land withdrawals. Additional land acreages could be obtained by reviewing the continued need for lands withdrawn by agencies other than Reclamation. Making these lands available for multiple-use management represents a significant opportunity to increase commercial activities as well as recreational and other public land uses.
The BLM is committed to improving the quality of service to our customers and stakeholders. In a 1995 nationwide customer survey of commercial users, oil and gas scored lower than other areas. The BLM will need to improve customer service in most of the use authorization categories by streamlining use authorization/permitting processes, as well as utilizing a performance-based regulatory approach and using electronic commerce for business transactions.
Significant environmental and safety problems have been created by abandoned mines and orphan wells in the past. The BLM must ensure it has financial assurance, including adequate bonds, for current and future activities to help alleviate problems caused by failed commercial uses.
Additional funding will be needed to accomplish the agency's strategic goals; the BLM will emphasize cost recovery and other means to increase available funding.

Accomplishments for Fiscal Year 1997

Performance Goal: Contribute to the Nation's economy by providing opportunities for the production and transport of commercial goods and services. Annually report to the public the economic value of commercial activities on BLM lands.

By 2002, complete BLM recommendations on Bureau of Reclamation withdrawal reviews, which encompass about 7.25 million acres, and where appropriate, open to multiple use.

As the following table shows, the estimated fiscal year (FY) 1997 market value of production occurring on the public lands was around $12.4 billion. The direct and indirect economic impact of this production was also significant, amount ing to over $27.5 billion in output. States share in a large portion of the $1.4 billion of the revenues collected.

Note: Table does not include the economic value of commercial and non-commercial recreation activities on the public lands. Recreation is discussed in the previous section.

Energy and mineral resources generate the highest commercial economic production values for uses of the public lands. Of the total $1.4 billion in annual revenues from BLM-managed lands, energy and minerals generated over $1.3 billion from mineral royalties, rents, bonuses, sales, and fees, most of which was collected by the Minerals Management Service. Energy and minerals also generated 98% of the total $12.4 billion of production value from the public lands. The total direct and indirect economic output impact of the mineral production value amounted to $26.6 billion out of the $27.5 billion total in commercial activities.

Currently, BLM administers about 46,000 oil and gas leases, of which 19,650 are producing or producible leases. During the fiscal year, the Bureau processed 2,795 oil and gas applications for permit to drill. As of the end of FY 1997, the BLM administered 370 coal leases, of which 123 leases were producing. The significant increase in revenue and production value in FY 1997 was primarily due to higher oil and gas prices. However, the decrease in revenue in the other leasable and salable category was due to one carbon dioxide payer who claimed a refund for the prior year.

The number of active mining claims, down in past years, has stabilized at about 300,000. Because mining claims may be patented out of Federal ownership, production of minerals such as gold, silver, copper, limestone, gypsum, and other minerals subject to location under the General Mining Law of 1872 has decreased on the public lands in recent years. During FY 1997, seven patents were issued for BLM lands.

In FY 1997, the BLM managed production of over 15 million cubic yards of sand, gravel, and other mineral materials. This amount represents a significant increase over the previous year's production in both total exclusive sales and free-use permits.

BLM lands produced 231 million board feet of timber (sold) in fiscal year 1997, amounting to about 6% of Federal production. In addition, the BLM authorizes livestock grazing for more than 17,000 operators on about 164 million acres of public land in 16 Western States, providing nearly 9.8 million animal unit months of grazing. A significant portion of the cattle and sheep produced in the West graze on public rangelands. For example, 88% of the cattle produced in Idaho, 64% of the cattle in Wyoming, and 63% of the cattle in Arizona graze at least part of the year on public rangelands.

As of the end of FY 1997, the BLM administered 77,642 rights-of-way grants for electrical transmission lines, communication sites, oil and gas pipelines, and other facilities nationwide and was processing 6,148 right-of-way actions. Nevertheless, there remains a backlog of about 3,000 actions still awaiting processing to be completed. Note that the economic value of commercial realty activities such as permits and leases could be higher than the collected annual rents used in this presentation. These rents do not include the economic value of the many exempted rights-of-way.

To help complete the withdrawal review process for Bureau of Reclamation withdrawn lands, BLM's California State Office processed about 470,000 acres of land using FLPMA Section 204(a) authority; these lands were formerly slated for review under section 204(l). This is significant because it is the first time that this newly approved process has been used. The lands that were returned to BLM administration will be used for various resource programs.

Performance Goal: Manage commercial activities to achieve and maintain public land health standards.

By 2000, incorporate comprehensive land health standards into new commercial use authorizations.

During FY 1997, rangeland health standards were established by all BLM State Offices. These standards apply to all uses in the rangeland landscape. However, for commercial activities to comply fully, the BLM will have to adopt comprehensive standards for the health of the land that can be applied to all landscapes, not just rangelands. Implementation of health-of-the-land standards by commercial users will then follow.

Surface Protection Specialists on a routine inspection of an oil well in western North Dakota. (photo by Del Harding)

In a January 6, 1997, memorandum, the Secretary of the Interior directed the BLM to resume modernizing the surface management regulations for the Mining Law of 1872 to lessen the risk of environmental impacts due to mining. Areas specifically addressed by the Secretary include the definition of "unnecessary or undue degradation," performance standards for mining, operations that disturb 5 acres or less, and coordination with the States. Thus far, the BLM has conducted public scoping meetings in 12 locations across the country, totaling approximately 1,000 attendees. A total of 1,832 written comments were analyzed and presented in the scoping report published in September 1997. This regulation revision effort continues.

Performance Goal: Improve customer service to commercial users.

By 2002, implement new oil and gas and rights-of-way use authorization procedures to increase customer satisfaction with BLM's authorization processes.

To improve customer service to commercial users of the public lands, we will not only reduce and ultimately eliminate the approval delay in processing oil and gas applications for permit to drill (APDs) and right-of-way (R/W) permits. We will also use a pilot study to test a performance-based approach for issuing oil and gas permit, and will run a pilot application of electronic commerce for oil and gas permitting and reporting purposes.

In response to the 1995 customer survey to improve customer satisfaction levels with use authorizations, the BLM included eliminating delays in permit processing in the Bureau's per formance plan as a multi-year program starting in FY 1998. During this past year, tracking systems have been established for oil and gas and rights-of-way so that progress in reducing decision delays can be gauged.

Currently, there are about 3,000 cases of R/W permit processing delays each year that will be eliminated by the year 2002. The Bureau has recently changed its financial system to permit R/W application processing fees to be returned directly to the field offices that generate the fees. Making greater use of cost recovery and returning those fees directly to the field offices that generate them will allow additional resources to be allocated to processing R/W applications.

This wind energy field in the Ridge Crest Resource Area is just one example of BLM rights-of-way granted for such things as powerlines, pipelines, and other commercial uses. (photo by Doran Sanchez, BLM's California Desert District Office)

As for oil and gas, a 1995 survey of APD processing indicated that about 42% of the APDs filed were not processed within the required 35-day time frame. However, a closer examination of the causes for the delay reveals one primary cause: operators have been submitting incomplete APDs. The 35-day time frame should not start until the APD is considered complete. Inconsistent determination of the starting date may have resulted in overestimating the number of processing delays.

The Bureau is focusing its efforts on education and training, helping operators to prepare and submit a complete APD the first time around. This effort will hopefully improve customer satisfaction and make life easier for everyone. The Bureau's goal is to eliminate APD processing delays by the year 2001.

As part of the regulatory streamlining effort, the BLM has selected the White River Resource Area of Colorado as a pilot site for testing a performance-based regulatory approach. Under this approach, only the end result or objective to be achieved will be specified and the public land users will then propose the method or means to achieve it, consistent with existing laws and regulations. This initiative involves the use of performance-based lease stipulations and conditions of approval.

The initial implementation of this pilot project was held up awaiting resolution of appeals to the Resource Management Plan. Now that the Plan has been completed, the White River Resource Area is seeking industry partners. A potential partner has expressed an interest in participating in the pilot, and a search is currently underway for an appropriate project. This pilot effort will be evaluated by the end of the year 2000.

Initial efforts at electronic commerce started in conjunction with developing the oil and gas Automated Fluid Minerals Support System (AFMSS) a few years ago. This system will allow operators to apply for permits and file reports electronically, with the data automatically being entered in the appropriate data bases. The fundamental first step in establishing electronic commerce is defining data requirements and using an accepted standard for transmitting that data. As a well-defined standard does not exist for most of the data exchanged with BLM oil and gas operators, we have been working with industry, the Minerals Management Service, and State agencies to define a standard and get it approved as a national standard. Working with a BLM contractor and some technical support from the Minerals Management Service and industry, the BLM has developed a new ANSIX12 transaction set (#625) that will cover all of the Bureau's oil and gas data exchange requirements, as well as the corresponding requirements for the Minerals Management Service's offshore program and for State oil and gas commissions. We will be working with industry and States in the coming year to test electronic permitting and reporting.

Performance Goal: Reduce existing and future liabilities created by abandoned, inactive, or unauthorized commercial activities.

By 2000, revise regulations to require adequate financial assurances for current and future commercial activities.

On February 28, 1997, the BLM published a final rule requiring hardrock (locatable minerals) mining operators on BLM lands to be bonded for the full amount of their projected reclamation costs. Under this rule, all parties engaging in hardrock mining or exploration on BLM-managed lands must maintain bonds or financial guarantees showing coverage of the full cost of restoring land that has been disturbed by mining activities. This rule will help protect the public from liabilities for restoration costs.

Under the Bureau's former policy, the agency required the bonding of only "plan-level" operators whose mining activities disturbed more than 5 acres of public land. The BLM did not require bonds for "notice-level" operators whose activities disturbed 5 acres or less. The new rule requires all mining and exploration operators, regardless of how much acreage will be affected, to maintain bonds or financial guarantees that cover the entire amount of projected reclamation costs.

Continuous (borer) miner at a Wyoming trona mine on federally leased lands. (courtesy BLM's Wyoming State Office)

In the oil and gas program area, the BLM is also addressing the issue of reducing existing and future liabilities created by abandoned and inactive oil and gas wells. As part of the current regulatory revision effort, the Bureau is considering an increase of minimum bond amounts for individual leases and Statewide bonds. In addition, a bond for inactive wells is being considered as a new requirement to reduce the risk of incurring restoration costs.

Current financial assurances for the coal program and timber sales are considered adequate to avoid potential liabilities. The financial assurances required for other commercial activities will be reviewed in the coming years to determine if they are adequate.

Preserve Natural and Cultural Heritage

The public lands contain exceptional geologic formations; rare and vulnerable plant and animal communities; wild free-roaming horse and burro herds; wilderness areas and Wild and Scenic Rivers; and innumerable paleontological, archaeological, and historical sites. These resources are scientifically, educationally, and recreationally important, representing a significant part of our Nation's natural and cultural heritage.

Congress has passed a variety of laws concerning the management and use of these heritage resources, including the Antiquities Act (1906), the Wilderness Act (1964), the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (1968), the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act (1971), the Endangered Species Act (1973), and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (1990). While the requirements vary somewhat from resource to resource, the BLM is generally required to inventory, evaluate, and, where appropriate, protect these legacies for the use and enjoyment of the American people.

Archaeologists from BLM Safford Field Office and the University of Arizona excavate the tusk of a prehistoric mammoth at the Murray Springs Archaeological site. (courtesy BLM's Arizona State Office)

For example:

More than 42,000 wild horses and burros in 199 herd management areas roam the Western public lands, the majority in Nevada. The BLM seeks to ensure a healthy, viable population of wild horses and burros within the limits of available public land resources.
The public lands encompass unique and unusual natural areas that provide habitat for more than 8,000 native fish, wildlife, and plant species. Many of these special habitat areas are critical for the protection and recovery of more than 350 plant and animal species that are either listed or candidates for listing under the Endangered Species Act.
The BLM is steward for the Federal government's largest, most varied, and scientifically most important body of rock art, cliff dwellings, historic homesteads and ranches, and other cultural resources, totaling some 4 to 5 million cultural properties that span at least 12,000 years.
Congress has designated 34 Wild and Scenic Rivers in five western States comprising over 2,022 miles and encompassing 951,800 acres. The BLM has also identified a number of eligible river segments worthy of study and potential designation by Congress.
Congress has designated 136 wilderness areas on the public lands covering 5.3 million acres. The BLM has also identified 622 wilderness study areas covering an additional 18 million acres and is managing these as study areas pending Congressional action. Following such action, the BLM will manage designated areas as wilderness and the released areas for other uses.

For both cultural resources and native plant and animal communities, BLM's goal is to work with others in developing frameworks for inven tory and protection efforts, and in streamlining consultations required under the National Historic Preservation Act and the Endangered Species Act. The BLM recently signed an agreement with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers, which represents an important first step in this direction for cultural resources.

Small bands of wild horses and burros roam freely on 97 herd management areas in Nevada. (courtesy BLM's Nevada State Office)

In addition, the National Plant Communities classification that the Federal Geographic Data Committee's Vegetation Subcommittee is developing in cooperation with the Nature Conservancy may provide a standard classification system for rare, vulnerable, and representative habitats, plant communities, and ecosystems.

Specific challenges and opportunities include the following:

Because wilderness and other designations are often controversial, BLM's challenge is to work with all interested parties to expeditiously identify such areas, resolve any resource use conflicts, and manage any resulting designations.
With the tight budgets of recent years, land exchanges are becoming an increasingly viable option for obtaining lands with key conservation values while transferring properties with development and commercial potential to State and private interests.
Simply recognizing that an area contains unique and important features does not, by itself, translate into protection of the resource. Research must be conducted to determine the effects of fire, weed invasions, or other events. Wild horse and burro populations must be managed to ensure both the health of the land and viable free-roaming herds. Recovery plans must be implemented for threatened and endangered species. BLM's challenge is to improve its understanding and on-the-ground management of all of these recognized heritage resources.

Accomplishments for Fiscal Year 1997

Cultural Heritage

In fiscal year 1997, the BLM:

Inventoried 623,170 acres for cultural resources, recorded 9,939 properties, and issued or had in effect 448 study or management permits (excluding permits for paleontological collecting). To date, the Bureau has inventoried a total of 12.9 million acres and recorded 212,342 cultural resource properties. Of these, 241 are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with 22 listed as National Historic Landmarks.
Continued to operate the Anasazi Heritage Center in southwestern Colorado. At the close of FY 1997, the Center's collections consisted of an estimated 2.5 million archaeological specimens, of which 99% are estimated to be in good condition.
Continued to implement the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, publishing 11 Federal Register notices identifying 46 skeletal remains and 3,528 objects subject to repatriation provisions.
Promoted public education and awareness of the importance of protecting cultural resources through BLM's "Adventures in the Past" program. Specifically, Project Archaeology, a program for teachers and youth group leaders, provides hands-on activities to teach children about archaeology and stewardship. Project Archaeology is up and running in six western and three eastern States, and four more States will be added over the next two years. The Project involves partnerships between the BLM and other Federal agencies, State agencies, the Society for American Archaeology, and volunteer organizations.
Published a series of history articles in Science and Children, a magazine published by the National Science Teachers Association (one of BLM's partners). Topics included the history of gold mining and prehistoric farming practices.
Produced a special exhibit on pioneer life at BLM's National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, focusing this year on pioneer quilts, and continued a partnership with Eastern Oregon State College to provide students with internships focusing on various aspects of museum management.
Worked with a variety of partners to observe the Sesquicentennial of the Mormon Pioneer experience. This Sesquicentennial wagon train re-enactment was the largest of the century. Nearly 500,000 visitor days were recorded along the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail in Wyoming. The BLM also developed an information packet that included a Highway Guide to the Mormon Trail in Wyoming.

Gold panning demonstration at BLM Outdoor Week. (photo by Edward Bovy, BLM's Alaska State Office)

Teamed up with the Boy Scouts, the Pony Express and Oregon California Trails Associations, State government agencies, and various outdoor recreation groups to complete projects along the central corridor of three trails (the California, Pony Express, and Oregon National Historic Trails) that cross Idaho, Nevada, and Wyoming. A var iety of trail management activities were completed, including an educational conference, trail mapping, signing/re-monumentation, and interpretive projects.
Worked with the National Park Service to develop a single comprehensive management plan for four National Historic Trails. This effort marks the first use of a 1995 Interagency Agreement to coordinate and cooperate in all aspects of managing National Historic Trails.
Began planning for the commemoration of the Sesquicentennial of the California Gold Rush in 1999 in collaboration with Federal, State, local government, and private-sector partners.

Natural Heritage

The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, BLM's first and only national monument, continued to be the focus of planning and management efforts. Future management direction for the Monument is being addressed in an overall management plan scheduled for completion by September 1999. The Bureau is working closely with Utah's Governor and other elected officials, local communities, and national constituencies to develop a plan that will be good for the people of Utah and for all Americans.

A total of 696 Areas of Critical Environmental Concern totaling almost 10.4 million acres have been designated nationwide on the public lands to protect important historical, cultural, scenic, and natural areas or to identify areas where hazards to human life and property exist. About 7 million of these acres have been designated to protect biological resource values.

The BLM continued its stewardship of 136 Congressionally designated wilderness areas (5.3 million acres) and its management of 622 wilderness study areas (18 million acres).

The Bureau also continued to manage 34 Wild and Scenic River segments totaling 2,022 miles, including 392 miles of the Fortymile River in Alaska, the longest designated river in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.

The BLM exercised stewardship responsibilities for eight National Conservation Areas (11.7 million acres), one National Scenic Area (65,000 acres), one National Recreation Area (1 million acres), 43 National Natural Landmarks (600,000 acres), 100 Research Natural Areas (326,000 acres), and two Globally Important Bird Areas (56,500 acres).

In 1997, 10,443 wild horses and burros were removed from the range, with 8,692 animals being adopted through BLM's popular Adopt-A-Horse or Burro program. The remaining animals are still in our facilities awaiting adoption. The Adopt-A-Horse or Burro program is very active in the continental United States. Approximately 100 adoptions are held across the country each year.

Two reports addressing management concerns regarding BLM's Wild Horse and Burro program were completed in 1997. These reports recommended operational, structural, and procedural changes in the program. Both reports were accepted and are now being implemented:

The National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board is being rechartered in conjunction with the Forest Service,
Titling of animals after one year is being emphasized,
Compliance checks are being increased,
The wild horse and burro data base is being upgraded,
Employees are receiving training, and
Public outreach is being increased.

Several hundred hours of volunteer work are donated to the Wild Horse and Burro program each year. Volunteers develop water sources for the animals, hold health and training clinics, perform compliance checks, assist at adoptions, and help promote the program.

In fiscal year 1997, the BLM accomplished the following relating ot fossil collecting and other paleontological activities.

ion teams deployed in Alaska and the Southwest areas in 1996, developed an inte ragency workshop and guide to enhance field expertise and procedures for future mobilizations of these proactive loss-mitigation teams.

Using" firefighter on the fire line near Petersen Mountain in the Carson City District, Nevada. (courtesy BLM's Nevada State Office)

The BLM Fire and Aviation staff participated with the Environmental Protection Agency and other Federal, State, and Tribal governments and interested parties to implement new air quality rules. This work was in compliance with the Clean Air Act and recommendations from the Grand Canyon Transport Commission Report.

The National Association of Interpretation named the Bureau's poster series "Fire's Role in Nature" the winner of its 1996 Interpretative Media Award - Poster Category.

On the international front, BLM Fire and Aviation participated in the 2nd International Wildland Fire Conference in Vancouver, Canada, in June. More than 34 nations were represented at this major event. The BLM Fire and Aviation Director presented a keynote speech and Bureau specialists exhibited technical poster papers and displays.

Senior wildland fire officials from Russia, Norway, Austria, the United Nations, South Africa, Mexico, and Canada participated in an educational visit to Idaho, New Mexico, and Alaska in June. Information pertaining to wildland fire response, procedures, and studies was exchanged. Letters of agreement for future cooperation were signed with both Russia and Mexico.Other accomplishments include the following:

In August and September, four BLM officials participated in a hosted tour to Russia to work with Avialesookhrana (Federal Aviation Forest Fire Protection Service) and observe procedures and natural resources.
The Bureau's wildland fire education and prevention specialist participated in annual meetings of the forestry and rural fire groups in New Zealand and presented two prevention planning workshops for an international audience.
More than 24 foreign delegations visited BLM Fire and Aviation headquarters at the National Interagency Fire Center during the year. They were presented information on BLM's management role and fire organization.
A German graduate student conducted a study both at NIFC and other BLM locations in the West as part of an exchange program established during the year.
A major meeting with Mexico and U.S. officials pertaining to radio frequency use was hosted by BLM during the summer.

Law Enforcement and Resource Protection

The BLM employs 206 law enforcement officers (56 special agents and 150 rangers) tasked with providing visitor and resource protection services in support of all BLM program areas. BLM officers conduct high-priority investigations and enforcement actions that focus on resource protection and public health and safety, with the goal of ensuring compliance with both Federal criminal laws and land use regulations on public lands under BLM's management jurisdiction.

BLM law enforcement is also committed to reducing illegal drug activities on public lands, at the direction of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. The BLM focuses its efforts on reducing marijuana cultivation and illicit drug lab manufacturing, both of which pose a direct threat to the land, its natural resources, and legitimate land users.

Accomplishments for Fiscal Year 1997

Initiated 7,613 investigations and enforcement actions.
Opened 3,229 investigations.
Issued 3,695 citations.
Made 286 arrests.
Filed or obtained 194 complaints or indictments.
Have 185 investigations pending prosecution (23 investigations declined for prosecution).
Re-invigorated drug suppression effort on public lands, which resulted in the eradication and seizure of 159,024 marijuana plants and other drugs valued at over $350 million. This is the highest single-season seizure of drugs by the BLM since it began keeping drugs statistics in 1988.
Successfully concluded a major Archaeological Resource Protection Act investigation in Oregon, resulting in conviction of the suspect, imposition of criminal penalties, restitution, and site rehabilitation.
Successfully investigated the under-reporting of oil and gas royalties in New Mexico, resulting in fines, penalties, and recovery of lost royalties totaling over $200,000.

Abandoned Mine Lands

Abandoned mine lands pose significant safety and environmental hazards to the public, to natural resources, and to ecosystems. The BLM manages abandoned mines on public lands through identification and remediation of high-priority hazards.

Abandoned mine activities in most States concentrate on those sites with public safety issues and concerns. The BLM works cooperatively with the western States to identify and mitigate the highest priority abandoned mines. In Colorado and Montana, where water quality issues are significant, the BLM is spearheading an interagency effort to clean up abandoned mines on a watershed basis.

The BLM is an active participant in the Western Abandoned Mine Restoration Partnership, which includes both Federal and State agencies as well as the Western Governors' Association.

Accomplishments for 1996 and 1997

Identified over 3,100 safety hazards at abandoned mines.
Identified 267 locations with environmental hazards from abandoned mines.
Abated 868 priority safety hazards and mitigated environmental hazards at 21 priority locations through partnerships with States and other stakeholders.
Located 61 abandoned mine disturbances containing 71 public safety hazards in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah.
Secured 201 hazardous mine openings in Nevada on BLM-administered lands under a joint agreement with the State.

In Montana and Colorado, Interdepartment-al Watershed Cleanup Initiative activities by the Bureau and its partners included:

removal of polluting mine waste and tailings from stream channels and floodplains, and
treatment of acid rock drainage from abandoned mines in priority watersheds.

A significant public safety hazard was abated at the Osbiston Mine shaft in Virginia City, Nevada, this past year. The Osbiston shaft, begun in 1878 and used until 1923, is one of many shafts and underground workings that underlie Virginia City, site of the famous Comstock lode. The shaft was plugged with car bodies in the 1950s, used as a dump, and then covered with soil in the early 1970s. The Virginia City High School was later constructed adjacent to the site. In August 1995, the mine shaft reopened with a surface cavity 40 to 50 feet across and an unknown depth. The BLM and Storey County immediately treated the shaft as a top priority and limited access to it.

In March 1996, additional collapse occurred, sending 2,000 tons of rock and soil and the headframe into the shaft and enlarging the opening to 50 by 75 feet. Site conditions were unsafe, with major sloughing.

To remediate the hazard, a permanent reinforced concrete plug was designed and installed. The remainder of the shaft was then filled with 5,100 cubic yards of rock and earth fill. By July 1997, this ambitious abatement project was completed, eliminating a significant safety hazard for the residents of Virginia City.

Hazardous Materials Management

The public lands provide opportunities for a variety of commercial uses and, at times, for illegal activities as well. Both commercial and illegal activities have led to releases of hazardous substances and creation of hazardous waste sites. Over 60% of all hazardous waste sites on public lands result from commercial uses. Landfills, mines, and mill sites account for almost half of these; airstrips and oil and gas sites make up the remainder of the hazardous waste sites arising from commercial activities. Illegal activity (trespass dumping) is responsible for almost 40% of all hazardous waste sites discovered to date.

The BLM engages in hazardous material emergency response actions, site evaluations, and prioritization of cleanups in accordance with laws and regulations. This involves working with the Environmental Protection Agency, State environmental quality departments, counties, and potentially responsible parties (both public and private) to fund and expedite the>cleanup of hazardous sites. Those sites that are an imminent threat to public health and safety, as well as those sites that are under a consent order and can therefore generate penalties and fines, are a priority for the Bureau.

Illegal dumping of hazardous materials on public lands can pose a serious threat to public health. (BLM file photo)

As of September 30, 1997, there were 1,698 sites for which cases had been opened and which were actionable under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), commonly referred to as Superfund. A total of 1,320 sites have no further remedial action planned; these cases have been closed and administratively archived.

Accomplishments for Fiscal Year 1997

Conducted 182 studies and searches nationwide. These include CERCLA multiphase investigations, monitoring, and searches for responsible parties.
Carried out a total of 162 removal actions. Removal actions are relatively short-term, rapid responses to a release of a hazardous substance, or the threat of a release.
Conducted 11 remedial actions. Remedial actions are longer-term responses that are consistent with a permanent remedy for the problem.
Conducted a site characterization of contamination of the former Bureau of Mines facilities in Rolla, Missouri, and completed a removal of approximately 1,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil. The facilities are being transferred to the University of Missouri.
Assisted the Carson City BLM District in conducting a cleanup of the Monite Explosives site in Sparks, Nevada. The site had several thousand cubic yards of soil contaminated with TNT and DNT that was removed to hazardous waste disposal facilities. This is the largest cleanup the BLM has ever conducted.
Performed state-of-the-art lead isotope and electron microprobe analyses to determine the lead sources at the Tar Creek Mining Superfund site in Oklahoma. Levels of lead have been found to be elevated in children living at the site.

Small mammals near hazardous material sites are studied to determine levels of toxicity. (BLM file photo)

Characterized heavy metal toxicity along the Clark Fork River Superfund site in Montana by sampling soils, vegetation, and small mammals and birds, and by performing toxicity studies on plants, earthworms, and deer mice.
Undertook a two-phase study regarding aquatic and ripari>n habitat features relating to potential contamination effects from acid mine drainage and metals released from upstream, historic mining operations at the Iron Mountain mine near Redding, California.
Did site reconnaissance and ecological effects stud>es for public lands along the Belle Fourche and Cheyenne Rivers in west-central South Dakota, where resources have been adversely impacted by metals contamination from upstream mine tailings releases.
Undertook site reconnaissance and ecological effects studies for public lands along the Clark Fork River in western Montana, where resources have been adversely impacted by metals contamination from upstream mine tailings releases.
Developed a new hazardous materials technical assistance contract, which can be used by all BLM field offices or centers.

Facilities Maintenance

The BLM, through its facilities maintenance program, provides professional engineering services and corrective and scheduled maintenance for BLM-owned buildings, recreation facilities, water and sewer systems, and transportation systems (roads, trails, and bridges) on the public lands.

BLM builds a new shelter cabin on the Iditarod National Historic Trail near Unalakleet, Alaska. (photo by Edward Bovy, BLM's Alaska State Office)

The Bureau initiated a Compliance Assessment--Safety, Health, and the Environment (CASHE) program in 1993. CASHE visits help prevent environmental damage, employee illness, and accidents by identifying on-site problems and recommending realistic solutions for implementation by the field. The recommendations are usually quick and cost-effective--80 percent of the problems uncovered by CASHE have been corrected at no cost; another 19 percent have been corrected for $2,500 or less.

Accomplishments for Fiscal Year 1997

Maintained 1,515 buildings and 1,140 recreation sites.
Maintained or improved 8,900 miles of roads and 4,400 miles of trails, and inspected 135 bridges.
Conducted 1,240 facility condition surveys and evaluated 130 dams.
Completed 33 solar energy projects, utilizing solar energy for water pumps, data collection stations, and lighting.
Identified over 1,000 findings through the CASHE process related to noncompliance with environmental or hazardous material safety regulations.

Health and Safety

The BLM's safety program is managed by the National Human Resources Management Center in Denver. Safety personnel focus on providing safety services for both employees and the general public. The objectives of the Bureau's safety program are to:

Avoid accidents and prevent harm to people, property, and the environment.
Enhance the productivity of BLM employees by providing a safe and healthy work environment.
Ensure the well-being of the publics we serve.
Improve the health of the land and its resources.

Accomplishments for Fiscal Year 1997

Office of Workers' Compensation costs to the Bureau in 1997 totaled $4.9 million, a 9.2% decrease from the previous year.
A visitor safety initiative was implemented to increase the public's awareness of the need to be safety-conscious when using the public lands. Visitor safety messages have been incorporated into all BLM brochures, maps, and other information the public receives from the BLM.
A strategy to reduce BLM's worker injury compensation costs was implemented. A training course for workers and managers was developed and broadcast to over 4,000 employees. Additionally, a handbook was developed for supervisors and managers to use when employees are injured on the job. The handbook also addresses issues associated with long-term injury cases.

Improve Land, Resource, and Title Information

The BLM has extensive current and historical information about land ownership, use, and condition in the United States. The agency maintains cadastral survey and historical data on lands patented, along with information on the mineral estate, resource conditions, and permits or leases on Federal lands.

The BLM is also responsible for providing customers with efficient and effective means to retrieve and use this information. Historical records are critical to resolving many ownership disputes and are increasingly recognized as an important source of both genealogical information and data about historic resource conditions in the United States.

As the scientific complexities of managing ecosystems emerge, data collection and analysis become ever more vital to managing the land. The BLM's information about land ownership, status, and condition is of interest to a wide variety of parties, including public land users; other Federal, State, Tribal and local agencies, and the scientific community.

Information technology capabilities are important to BLM's customers. The Bureau is using information technology to speed up workflow, improve accuracy, and share information with customers, agency partners, and the public.

Serving customer needs requires the highly technical job of determining user requirements, developing systems, collecting and storing data, maintaining systems, and providing for security and training. The BLM has been a leader in using geospatial tools (GIS, mapping, remote sensing, and GPS) to acquire and process information that land managers can use to determine the location, extent, and condition of natural resources and to monitor activities on public lands.

BLM employees and customers expect accurate and timely information. To respond to demands for faster and more accessible records, the Bureau's land ownership, status, and other records will be automated. Deployment of this automated system, known as the Automated Land and Mineral Record System (ALMRS), will begin in fiscal year 1998.

Eastern States Cadastral Surveyors, in partnership with the National Park Service, identify the boundaries of the Manassas National Battlefield in Virginia.

The BLM's response to the following challenges will be critical to its continued collaborative efforts with others:

Information technology can increase the efficiency of business processes, but the BLM cannot afford multiple systems doing similar functions, redundant data entry and retrieval, and excessive long-term costs for maintenance and training.
Enhancing ALMRS to allow both external and internal customers to access data while maintaining data integrity will be a challenge. (Enhancements will include greater querying and spatial capabilities, Internet and other public access, and links to other systems).
To simplify the exchange and retrieval of information among diverse organizations, data standards must be developed and agreed to among the participants. Quality control will be necessary to ensure that BLM's data and information are reliable and current.
Advanced technologies must be available to assure wide dissemination of information on a variety of media. System enhancements will be necessary over time.

Accomplishments for Fiscal Year 1997

Performance Goal: Through automation, provide a more efficient means to use land information.

By 1999, complete implementation of the Automated Land and Mineral Record System (ALMRS) release 1.0. By 2001, certify ALMRS data as the official agency record and establish electronic reading rooms containing information frequently sought by BLM customers.

Performance Goal: Ensure that BLM's spatial, cadastral, and records data and information are collected and maintained to standard.

By 2002, complete the BLM Geographic Coordinate Database (GCDB) component of the interagency National Spatial Data Infrastructure, except for California, which will be completed by 2005.

Performance Goal: Increase information sharing and collaborative decision making by providing wider access to BLM's business and land information.

By 2000, working with customer survey information, use the Internet, Intranet, and electronic commerce to respond to the most frequently requested services and products. By 2002, increase customer satisfaction with interconnectivity among Federal, State, Tribal, and county governments and non-governmental organizations.

Performance Goal: Provide spatial data technologies to assist in data collection and analysis to support resource management decision making.

By 2002, increase the availability of tools and products that support geospatial data acquisition, analysis, and management.

Automated Land and Mineral Record System (ALMRS) Accomplishments

Completed a draft project plan for ALMRS Release 2 that included the requirements, specifications, and recommendations.
Developed a brochure for ALMRS Release 2.
Established the User Functional Assessment Team.
Made presentations on ALMRS Release 1 and 2 to four State Offices (Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana).
Conducted testing on ALMRS (capability demonstration assessments), alpha tests 1- 4; (tests 1-3 occurred in FY 1997; test 4 was completed in early FY 1998).
Developed an ALMRS transition/deployment plan for implementation in BLM's State Offices.
Conducted an ALMRS/Public Room assessment.
Refined the life-cycle cost model.

Conducted ALMRS staffing assessments and site readiness reviews for four States and BLM's National Centers.
Successfully transitioned all legacy systems from the Honeywell system to the new operating system except for the Wild Horse and Burro program.

Access to BLM's Business, Land, and Other Information

To eliminate redundant systems and integrate work processes across the Bureau, the BLM Information Resources Management Review Council (IRMRC) decided to move the Bureauwide personal computer systems to Windows NT technology.

In FY 1997, the BLM was one of the few agencies within the Department of the Interior to accomplish all of the actions required by the 1996 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Amendments by the target date stipulated under the Act. These included identifying documents required to be made public, converting the paper documents into electronic format, developing an Electronic Homepage with links to the 18 major BLM offices, posting the requested information onto the Homepage, and providing BLM's customers with a search engine to facilitate their search for records Bureauwide by type of inquiry. Reference guides for the public were developed and made available on BLM's Homepage.

To further enhance public participation and interest, the BLM introduced electronic filing of FOIA requests directly with BLM offices to save the public the time and expense of sending requests through the mail. Direct filing also provides contacts for FOIA questions as well as general BLM inquiries. Other FOIA processing requirements are currently being implemented.

The Bureau took the following steps to protect privacy rights by strengthening safeguards on BLM Privacy Act Systems:

Identification of sensitive systems at risk.
Standardization of the disclosure restriction notice.
Increase in firewall protection.
Revision of BLM's security plans for privacy act systems.

A BLM public room employee provides land record assistance at BLM's Alaska State Office. (photo by Edward Bovy, Alaska State Office)

The BLM has made improvements in using Internet technology to provide business information to its managers and employees with the development of an internal "Intranet" site. Several pilot projects are ongoing in the State Offices to demonstrate the concept of providing electronic delivery of services to BLM customers. Services that will be provided on the Internet in the future include interactive online mapping and resources information, an interactive public land information center, general land and patent information retrieval, access to national environmental planning information, and interagency information on recreational opportunities. Virtual partnerships have already been established with the U.S. Forest Service.

Provide Economic and Technical Assistance

The BLM Strategic Plan heralds a new era of cooperation and coordination with partners who are interested in promoting sustainable economic activities consistent with the principles of multiple use and long-term biodiversity. The Bureau can contribute significantly toward these outcomes in a variety of ways, including:

Adjusting land tenure between Federal agencies and States to make management of lands more effective.
Transferring land to local governments under the Recreation and Public Purposes Act.
Conveying land to Alaska Native peoples, Native corporations, and the State of Alaska under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA), the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act ( ANILCA), and the Alaska Statehood Act mandates.
Providing Indian Tribes with technical assistance in developing the energy and mineral resources they have leased.
Providing fire suppression services on all Federal and Native lands in Alaska.

In addition, BLM-managed public lands generate substantial revenue from multiple use activities, much of which is returned in direct payments to the States and counties of origin. These payments are distributed to local governments to pay for such things as schools, roads, and employee salaries.

The Bureau's extensive surface and subsurface holdings put it in a unique position to manage public resources in a manner that helps assure long-term economic sustainability consistent with preserving biodiversity and improving the health of the land.

Accomplishments for Fiscal Year 1997

In support of the President's Pacific Northwest Forest Plan, the BLM runs the Jobs in the Woods ecosystem investment program. In FY 1997, the program's fourth year, a total of $7.8 million was allocated to continue the program of watershed restoration and job creation for displaced workers in the timber-impacted region.

During fiscal year 1997, BLM's Jobs-In-The-Woods program created 362 job opportunities through 215 ecosystem restoration projects. The Wyden Amendment to the FY 1997 appropriations bill authorized the Bureau to spend money on private lands for restoration work that also benefits BLM lands. This has provided further opportunities to work more closely with others who have common goals and priorities, allowing the BLM to better address restoration needs across entire watershed systems.

Each year, the Bureau calculates and remits the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) to counties. These payments are intended to offset property tax shortfalls (under a Congressional formula) occurring in counties with public land holdings. As the following data show, the 1997 level was virtually the same as that for 1996, with both years being significantly higher than the FY 1994 and 1995 levels.

Numerous cooperative activities are now underway involving Federal, State, county, and private partners. These provide opportunities to reach a common understanding regarding the issues needing to be addressed and a framework for working together to track progress.

The Trading Post initiative in Colorado and Oregon represents an excellent example of improvements in joint BLM/Forest Service operations. This example of interagency cooperation has resulted in dollar savings, significantly improved customer service and convenience, and increased the ability to coordinate land management activities. The "Deliver Quality Services to Customers" section of this report provides more detailed information on the Trading Post initiative.

Many ongoing partnerships involve rural development councils, numerous public interest groups (including the National Association of Counties and National Governors Association), and Tribal, State, and special interest organizations. These partnerships will not only facilitate meeting our commitments in the Strategic Plan and multiple use mandate, but will also help the BLM prioritize its expenditure of time and resources in reaching outcomes of value to our customers.

There is an increased understanding that the BLM can manage the public lands successfully only in cooperation with others. This results from the awareness that public lands are just one component of a larger whole that has a wide variety of owners and managers, including Federal, State, Tribal, and local agencies; commercial interests; and private citizens and organizations.

An excellent example of this increased understanding is the California Desert plan, which involves the BLM, National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of Defense, and three local military bases, as well as State and local partners. Another example is the planning effort associated with the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument; the Bureau has included five State of Utah employees representing a variety of disciplines on the planning team. These types of efforts represent the new direction for the agency as it moves into the 21st Century.

A fisherman helps his daughter reel in a big one at Arizona's Lake Pleasant. (Photo © John Beckett, Beckett & Beckett Photography)

Blueprint Goal SERVE CURRENT AND FUTURE PUBLICS

Provide Opportunities for Environmentally Responsible Recreation

Hiking through Bull Canyon Wilderness Study Area in Northwestern Colorado. (courtesy BLM's Colorado State Office)

Accomplishments for Fiscal Year 1997

Performance Goal: Understand and assess the role that recreation, travel, and tourism play in supporting economic growth and social well-being.

Visitors prudently dressed in slickers enjoy the dramatic skies and pounding surf at Yaquina Head. (courtesy BLM's Oregon State Office)

Performance Goal: Manage outdoor recreation activities to achieve and maintain public land health standards.

Under clear Minnesota skies, canoeists island-hop in Lake Vermilion's cerulean waters (photo by Sylvia Jordan, BLM's Milwaukee District Office)

Performance Goal: Provide outdoor recreation opportunities that are within the BLM's local and regional recreation niche, considering the availability of other providers.

By 1999, ensure that each BLM field office has identified and documented its recreation niche and is working with local communities to provide appropriate recreation opportunities on public lands and waters.

Performance Goal: Provide easy access to outdoor recreation information for the public lands.

By 2001, cooperate with other Federal agencies to develop an electronic access system for recreation use permits, reservations, and other information.

Other Accomplishments

Provide Opportunities for Environmentally Responsible Commercial Activities

Timber harvest on BLM-managed lands contributes significantly to local economies in the Pacific Northwest. (courtesy BLM's Oregon State Office)

Accomplishments for Fiscal Year 1997

Performance Goal: Contribute to the Nation's economy by providing opportunities for the production and transport of commercial goods and services. Annually report to the public the economic value of commercial activities on BLM lands.

By 2002, complete BLM recommendations on Bureau of Reclamation withdrawal reviews, which encompass about 7.25 million acres, and where appropriate, open to multiple use.

Performance Goal: Manage commercial activities to achieve and maintain public land health standards.

By 2000, incorporate comprehensive land health standards into new commercial use authorizations.

Performance Goal: Improve customer service to commercial users.

By 2002, implement new oil and gas and rights-of-way use authorization procedures to increase customer satisfaction with BLM's authorization processes.

Performance Goal: Reduce existing and future liabilities created by abandoned, inactive, or unauthorized commercial activities.

By 2000, revise regulations to require adequate financial assurances for current and future commercial activities.

Preserve Natural and Cultural Heritage

Accomplishments for Fiscal Year 1997

Cultural Heritage

Natural Heritage

Law Enforcement and Resource Protection

Accomplishments for Fiscal Year 1997

Abandoned Mine Lands

Accomplishments for 1996 and 1997

Hazardous Materials Management

Accomplishments for Fiscal Year 1997

Facilities Maintenance

Accomplishments for Fiscal Year 1997

Health and Safety

Accomplishments for Fiscal Year 1997

Improve Land, Resource, and Title Information

Accomplishments for Fiscal Year 1997

Performance Goal: Through automation, provide a more efficient means to use land information.

By 1999, complete implementation of the Automated Land and Mineral Record System (ALMRS) release 1.0. By 2001, certify ALMRS data as the official agency record and establish electronic reading rooms containing information frequently sought by BLM customers.

Performance Goal: Ensure that BLM's spatial, cadastral, and records data and information are collected and maintained to standard.

By 2002, complete the BLM Geographic Coordinate Database (GCDB) component of the interagency National Spatial Data Infrastructure, except for California, which will be completed by 2005.

Performance Goal: Increase information sharing and collaborative decision making by providing wider access to BLM's business and land information.

Performance Goal: Provide spatial data technologies to assist in data collection and analysis to support resource management decision making.

By 2002, increase the availability of tools and products that support geospatial data acquisition, analysis, and management.

Automated Land and Mineral Record System (ALMRS) Accomplishments

Access to BLM's Business, Land, and Other Information

Provide Economic and Technical Assistance

Accomplishments for Fiscal Year 1997

The Alaska Native peoples are among those having statutory land entitlement rights that BLM has responsibility for processing. (BLM file photo)

Blueprint Goal
SERVE CURRENT AND FUTURE PUBLICS