UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240
http://www.blm.gov
 
June 19, 2009
 
In Reply Refer To:
1700 (280) P 
 
EMS TRANSMISSION 06/23/2009
Instruction Memorandum No. 2009-148
Expires: 09/30/2010                                                                            
 
To:                   State Directors and Center Directors
 
From:               Assistant Director, Renewable Resources and Planning
 
Subject:            The Bureau of Land Management’s Use of Environmental Management Systems for Addressing Environmental Aspects of Internal Operations and Activities
 
Program Area:  Environmental Management
 
Purpose: This Instruction Memorandum (IM) provides a schedule for the implementation of Environmental Management Systems (EMS) at all appropriate Bureau of Land Management (BLM) organizations. This IM also transmits the BLM Environmental Management System and Core Aspect Guidance (Attachment 1) which summarizes lessons learned from the Washington Office and Wyoming State Office pilots, as well as provides guidance on the use of core aspects that may be useful as States and Centers develop their EMS. The Department of the Interior (DOI) has identified September 30, 2011, as the deadline for having all EMSs fully implemented.  These requirements apply to State Offices, Centers, and the Washington Office.
 
Policy/Action: All State Offices, Centers, and the Washington Office (WO) are required to implement and maintain an active EMS in accordance with the established directives. A schedule for the BLM’s completion of EMS implementation is provided below. State Offices and Centers Offices are encouraged to coordinate with the Division of Environmental Quality and Protection (WO280) to accelerate implementation, should sufficient funds be available.
 
            Organization                                         Quarter EMS Development Must Begin
 
1.      Wyoming State Office,                                                 Underway
2.      Washington Office                                                       Underway
3.      New Mexico State Office                                              Underway
4.      Eastern States Office                                                   Underway
5.      Oregon State Office                                                     Underway
6.      Utah State Office                                                         3rd Quarter, FY 2009
7.      Nevada State Office                                                     4th  Quarter, FY 2009
8.      Montana State Office                                                   4th Quarter, FY 2009
9.      National Training Center                                              4th Quarter, FY 2009
10.    Arizona State Office                                                     1st Quarter, FY 2010
11.    National Interagency Fire Center                                 2nd Quarter, FY 2010
12.    Colorado State Office                                                   2nd Quarter, FY2010
13.    Idaho State Office                                                        3rd Quarter, FY 2010
14.    California State Office                                                   1st Quarter, FY 2011
15.    National Operations Center                                         2nd Quarter, FY 2011
16.    Alaska State Office                                                       2nd Quarter, FY 2011
 
Timeframe: This IM is effective immediately.
 
Budget Impact: Some staff time will be involved (estimated 3 days per month for EMS coordinator and 2 days per month for staff managing significant aspects). Minimal operational costs will be incurred. An EMS Implementation Support contract managed by WO 280 and the CASHE Program Lead is available for use by the States and Centers. WO 280 will provide funding for this contract if a State or Center requests the support.   The intent of the contract is to facilitate the development of an organization’s EMS and eliminate the need for each organization to prepare the documentation necessary to properly implement an EMS. The deliverable from this contract is an EMS Implementation Plan tailored to an organization’s specific mission. 
 
Background: The requirements relating to implementation of EMS can be found in Executive Order (EO) 13423 (Attachment 2), Section 6 of Secretarial Order 3226 (Attachment 3), and the DOI’s 515 DM 4 (Attachment 4). The EO specifies EMS as the primary management approach for addressing environmental aspects of Federal agencies internal operations and activities. 
 
In May 2006, the BLM Director issued IM 2006-148 requiring implementation of the EMS throughout the BLM. In June 2006, IM 2006-170 commissioned a pilot implementation of the EMS in the Washington Office and in the Wyoming State Office. The results and lessons learned from those pilots were compiled and distributed to Deputy State Directors in December 2008 in the draft BLM Environmental Management System and Core Aspect Guidance. Frequently asked questions (Attachment 5) provide additional information and answers to common EMS questions.
 
The BLM seriously lags other Bureaus in implementing EMS and is currently RED on the Environmental Stewardship Scorecard for implementation and YELLOW for progress.
 
The DOI and the Office of the Environmental Executive have both published information requiring an independent audit of an organization’s EMS and management must address the audit findings before it can formally declare that it has implemented an EMS. Over 80 percent of the BLM’s organizations or 13 of 16 of the organizations identified in this IM must declare they have implemented their EMS before the BLM may be rated green on the Office of Management and Budget’s Environmental Stewardship scorecard. 
 
Manual/Handbook Sections Affected: None. An Environmental Management System Handbook will be developed to address continuing operation of the EMS.
 
Coordination: This IM has been coordinated with the State Hazardous Material Management program leads and the Division of Business Resources (WO-850).
 
Contact: Robert Jolley, Senior Environmental Engineer, Division of Environmental Quality and Protection (WO-280), (202) 785-6568, or Ken Morin, CASHE Program Lead, (303) 236-6418, National Operations Center.
 
 
Signed by:                                                                    Authenticated by:
Scott W. Lieurance                                                       Robert M. Williams
Acting, Assistant Director                                             Division of IRM Governance,WO-560
Renewable Resources and Planning
 
 
5 Attachments