Review of Revised Bureau of Land Management Travel and Transportation Manual
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240
http://www.blm.gov
December 18, 2014
In Reply Refer To:
1601/8340/9113 (250) P
EMS TRANSMISSION 12/23/2014
Instruction Memorandum No. 2015-032
Expires: 09/30/2018
To: All Washington Office Officials and State Directors
From: Assistant Director, Resources and Planning
Subject: Review of Revised Bureau of Land Management Travel and Transportation Manual DD: 02/20/2015
Program Area: Recreation and Visitor Services; Decision Support, Planning, and NEPA
Purpose: The purpose of this Instruction Memorandum (IM) is to establish a review period and request formal comments on the draft revision of the Travel and Transportation Manual.
Policy/Action: The revised Travel and Transportation Manual provides updated guidance for comprehensive travel and transportation management and program planning within the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) land use planning process. Though the majority of the guidance in this manual section was previously issued on July 14, 2011, some subsections represent new or modified guidance.
Timeframe: Consolidated directorate and state office comments, are to be sent to Rob Perrin at the following e-mail address: rperrin@blm.gov by February 20, 2015.
Budget Impact: Minimal.
Background: Dating back to Executive Orders issued by Presidents Nixon and Carter, the BLM has primarily used a piecemeal approach to travel and transportation planning and management. Specifically, the BLM established off-highway vehicle area designations in land use plans, including resource management plans (RMP), yet separately managed its transportation infrastructure under the engineering program and permitted motorized uses, or managed access under various other programs. The original Travel and Transportation Manual was issued in 2011, and needs to be updated to reflect current practices in travel and transportation management.
The BLM is striving to establish a more orderly and comprehensive process to address travel and transportation planning and management; one that recognizes all access needs rather than just recreational uses. Travel and transportation planning must evaluate, consider, and balance all public permitted and administrative access needs with resource effects, functions and condition. The revised manual improves the BLM’s approach to travel and transportation planning as part of the land use planning process by more clearly delineating land use planning-level decisions from implementation-level decisions. Subsequent to the development or revision of a land use plan (e.g. RMP) each affected program will be required to develop implementation actions delineating and evaluating program specific travel and transportation needs. Recreational access and road and trail-based recreational opportunities will specifically be addressed using the guidance provided in BLM MS-8320, Planning for Recreation and Visitor Services and BLM H-8320-1, Recreation and Visitor Services Planning.
Manual/Handbook Sections Affected: The revised Manual affects guidance contained in BLM Manual 1626, Travel and Transportation Manual and BLM Handbook 8342, Travel and Transportation Handbook.
Coordination: The development of this guidance was coordinated among the Directorate of Resources and Planning; Recreation and Visitor Services Division; Division of Decision Support, Planning and NEPA; Directorate of Business, Fiscal and Information Resources Management; Business Resources Division; the Asset Management Policy Branch; and the BLM State Office Travel and Transportation Management leads.
Contact: If you have any questions or concerns regarding this policy, please contact Rob Perrin by telephone at: 206-220-4040 or by email at rperrin@blm.gov or Dennis Byrd by telephone at: 202-912-7252 or by email at: dbyrd@blm.gov
Signed by: Authenticated by:
Edwin L. Roberson Robert M. Williams
Assistant Director Division of IRM Governance,WO-860
Resources and Planning
- Attachments
1- Draft Revised Travel and Transportation Manual (44 pp)