Socioeconomic Impacts of the BLM

A Sound Investment for America

The BLM's management of public lands contributed more than $130 billion to the national economy in FY 2011.  About $126 billion of that impact resulted from mineral development.  Timber and grazing activity generated about $2 billion worth of economic activity.

The BLM's management of public lands also supported more than 600,000 American jobs.  Most of these jobs were related to energy, timber, grazing, and recreation, which are activities that fall under the BLM's multiple-use mission in managing public lands.  In the energy category, jobs included work in minerals, geothermal, wind, solar energy, coal, and oil and gas.

A related video about these impacts is available by clicking this link.

Related Content Available

A PDF version of data from BLM's 2012 report, “A Sound Investment for America,” is available for download by clicking this link.  In addition, the Department of the Interior has an economic report that incorporates economic data on hardrock minerals that are not included in the BLM report.  You can also download the BLM's 2011 report by clicking this link.  A related video is available by clicking this link.

SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS

Energy

Recreation

Timber

Grazing

Managing America's 
Greatest Assets

Click to download fact sheet.

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public lands and raises more money each year for the American taxpayer from the use of these lands than it spends.  The BLM manages recreational activities, conserves much of our Nation's natural and cultural resources, improves habitat for many species of wildlife and plants, and administers 700 million acres of mineral estates.  The BLM does all this with a workforce of just 10,000 people.

BLM lands, primarily in the West, include rangelands, forests, high mountains, arctic tundra, and deserts.  These lands are among America's greatest assets—both economically and environmentally.  The BLM strives to balance economic benefits with the conservation of precious natural resources.