BLM statement on the GAO Report concerning the agency’s Headquarters move West
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WASHINGTON – The Bureau of Land Management released the following statement in response to the Government Accountability Office report on the agency’s Headquarters move West:
"We have received the GAO report, and while it is worth noting that the report did not fully appreciate the fundamental difference between a relocation and a reorganization, the report did thoroughly refute Chair Grijalva’s assertion that this effort was “hastily planned.” The report recognizes that the BLM established goals and outcomes for the initiative, used data and evidence to inform its decision-making, took steps to manage and monitor the relocation process, and adopted measures to ensure strategic workforce management. The relocation of the Bureau’s headquarters to Grand Junction, Colorado and its employees to other Western states is commonsense, and the Bureau will be better positioned to better serve the American public through this relocation in executing its multiple use mission.”
BLM Deputy Director for Policy and Programs William Perry Pendley’s full response to the GAO report can be found here.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.