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August 26, 2019
Bureau of Land Management: FY2020 Appropriations
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages 246
including rangeland management, wildlife and aquatic
million acres of grasslands, forests, high mountains, arctic
habitat management, and resource management planning.
tundra, deserts, and other public land, nearly all in the
However, the Administration requested increases for some
western United States. Under its multiple-use mission,
programs, including management of coal and renewable
BLM manages lands for diverse purposes, including
energy as part of a domestic energy strategy.
livestock grazing, recreation, and preservation. Also, the
H.R. 3055 included higher appropriations for this account
agency administers onshore federal energy and mineral
than requested for FY2020 and enacted for FY2019. It
resources covering more than 700 million acres of federal
would increase funding for many programs, such as
subsurface mineral estate, and supervises mineral
management of wild horses and burros, wildlife and aquatic
operations on about 60 million acres of Indian trust lands.
habitat, recreation, and the National Landscape
At issue for Congress is determining the amount of funding
Conservation System. The bill also would rescind $14.0
to provide for BLM programs and activities for FY2020,
million in unobligated prior year funds, and change the
the terms and conditions of such funding, and whether to
period of availability of most account funds from “no-year”
enact related Trump Administration proposals.
(available until expended) to two-year.
For FY2020, the Administration requested $1,187.4 million
Reorganization. For FY2019, Congress appropriated $14.1
in discretionary appropriations for BLM, a $158.8 million
million for Department of the Interior (DOI) reorganization
(11.8%) decrease from the FY2019 enacted level of
of five agencies, although the portion for BLM was not
$1,346.2 million. On June 25, 2019, the House passed H.R.
specified. The intent of the reorganization is to improve
3055 with $1,411.8 million for BLM (in Division C). This
public service, communication, and efficiency. The FY2020
would be $65.6 million (4.9%) more than the FY2019
request for BLM included $7.7 million to support DOI
enacted level and $224.4 million (18.9%) more than the
reorganization by achieving common regional boundaries
FY2020 request. (See Table 1.) In earlier action, the House
of agencies, transferring some headquarters functions to the
Committee on Appropriations reported H.R. 3052 (H.Rept.
field, and integrating agencies’ business operations. The
116-100) with FY2020 funding for BLM.
FY2020 House bill did not identify funding for BLM
reorganization. The House Appropriations Committee was
BLM discretionary appropriations generally are provided in
“not convinced of the efficacy of moving additional
Title I of Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
personnel out of the headquarters area when approximately
appropriations laws. Mandatory (permanent) appropriations
93 percent of Bureau employees are already working in the
also are provided to BLM under various statutes within the
field,” and directed that “no additional relocations of
jurisdiction of authorizing committees. For FY2020, BLM
headquarters staff take place.” (H.Rept. 116-100, p. 13).
estimated its mandatory appropriations at $201.3 million.
This would be a decrease from the $241.2 million estimated
Figure 1. BLM FY2020 Administration-Requested
for FY2019, in large part due to an anticipated reduction in
Appropriations (dol ars in millions)
receipts from sale of BLM land in Nevada.
Appropriations Accounts
BLM discretionary appropriations are provided through
several accounts. The Administration’s FY2020 request for
these accounts is shown in Figure 1. Table 1 contains
account-level funding for the Administration’s FY2020
request and the FY2020 House-passed bill, as compared
with FY2019 enacted amounts.
Management of Lands and Resources. The largest
account—Management of Lands and Resources—
comprised 89% of the request. This account funds an array
of BLM programs, including energy and minerals,
Source: Prepared by CRS with information from the House
rangelands, wild horses and burros, wildlife and fisheries,
Appropriations Committee. Not shown are rescissions for the Land
threatened and endangered species, recreation, resource
Acquisition account (-$10.0 mil ion) and $0 for Service Charges,
protection, law enforcement, resource management
Deposits, and Forfeitures due to a match by offsetting col ections.
planning, and facility maintenance.
Land Acquisition. BLM typically receives appropriations
As compared with FY2019 enacted funding, the
from the Land and Water Conservation Fund to acquire
Administration’s FY2020 request contained lower funding
lands. To focus on maintaining current BLM lands, the
for the account overall and for many of its programs,
Administration’s FY2020 request did not include funding
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for particular acquisition projects or for acquisitions that
were $75.0 million. For FY2020, the Administration
generally facilitate access to BLM land for recreation. The
proposed a reduction ($53.8 million), while H.R. 3055
overall account request was -$10.0 million, reflecting a
would increase funding ($82.3 million). The Administration
rescission of unobligated balances. H.R. 3055 contained
also proposed establishing a Public Lands Infrastructure
$33.8 million, including funds for recreational access
Fund with $6.5 billion over five years, of which 5% would
generally and for “preliminary” individual acquisition
be for BLM deferred maintenance (and the remainder for
projects, pending detailed project information from the
other agencies). H.R. 3055 did not include this change,
Administration (H.Rept. 116-100, p. 16).
although related legislation has been introduced.
Oregon and California Grant Lands. Oregon and
Energy and Minerals. The FY2020 request proposed
California (O&C) Grant Lands constituted 9% of the
altering the distribution of revenues from geothermal
request for FY2020. This account funds management of
leasing on federal lands—currently 50% to the states, 25%
more than 2 million acres of forested lands in western
to the Treasury, and 25% to counties—to a distribution of
Oregon, primarily for sustained yield of timber production.
50% for states and 50% for the Treasury. According to the
For FY2020, the Administration would provide funding
Administration, the change would foster consistency with
level with FY2019. The House bill would increase funding,
other revenue sharing programs and increase the return to
but did not accept an Administration proposal to
the general public. Some counties favor the status quo to
consolidate funding for activities within the account.
reflect their energy investments and enhance funds for
services. H.R. 3055 did not include this change.
Range Improvements. The Range Improvements account
funds rehabilitation, protection, and improvement of BLM
Recreation. The authority in the Federal Lands Recreation
rangelands. Of the Administration’s total request, 1% was
Enhancement Act (16 U.S.C. §§6801 et seq.) that allows
for this purpose. The request and House-passed amount for
BLM (and other agencies) to charge, collect, and use fees
FY2020 were $10.0 million, equal to FY2019.
for recreation on agency lands is set to expire on September
30, 2020. The Administration supported permanent
Service Charges, Deposits, and Forfeitures. This account
authority through authorizing legislation, while also seeking
allows BLM to use monies paid to the agency for particular
a two-year extension (through September 30, 2022) in
activities (e.g., processing rights-of-way). As is typically
appropriations law. H.R. 3055 included an extension
the case, the amounts proposed by the Administration and
through September 30, 2021.
passed by the House for FY2020 were offset by collections,
making them $0. This was also the case for FY2019.
Wild Horses and Burros. The Wild Free-Roaming Horses
and Burros Act (16 U.S.C. §§1331 et seq.) provides BLM
Miscellaneous Trust Funds. This account appropriates
authority to destroy healthy, excess wild horses and burros
contributions made to BLM from individuals, businesses,
and to sell without limitation excess animals meeting
user groups, and states. It comprised 2% of FY2020
certain criteria. In practice, BLM generally sells animals
requested funds. The request and House-passed amount
with limits (e.g., a maximum per buyer). The FY2019
were equal, and higher than the FY2019 level.
appropriations law (and recent earlier ones) barred the use
Legislative Proposals by the Administration
of funds for the destruction of healthy, unadopted BLM
In the FY2020 request, the Trump Administration proposed
wild horses and burros and for the sale of animals for
extending or amending some authorities and enacting new
processing into commercial products. In its FY2020 budget,
ones. Some of these proposals are discussed below.
the Administration proposed removing the funding ban and
allowing sales without limitations to reduce the excess of
Deferred Maintenance. BLM estimates its deferred
wild horses. H.R. 3055 did not include the Administration
maintenance at $955.3 million, mostly for roads, bridges,
proposal, and would continue the funding ban.
and trails. FY2019 appropriations for deferred maintenance
Table 1. BLM Discretionary Appropriations by Account (dol ars in mil ions)
FY2019
FY2020
% Change
House Passed
% Change
Account
Enacted
Request
from FY2019
H.R. 3055
from FY2019
Management of Lands and Resources
$1,178.7
$1,054.4
-10.5%
$1,229.8
4.3%
Land Acquisition
26.5
-10.0
-137.7%
33.8
27.5%
Oregon and California Grant Lands
107.0
107.0
0%
117.2
9.5%
Range Improvements
10.0
10.0
0%
10.0
0%
Service Charges, Deposits, & Forfeituresa
0
0
n/a
0
n/a
Miscellaneous Trust Funds
24.0
26.0
8.3%
26.0
8.3%
Total BLM
$1,346.2
$1,187.4
-11.8%
$1,411.8b
4.9%
Source: Prepared by CRS with information from the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.
Notes: N/A = not applicable.
a. The amounts of $0 for Service Charges, Deposits, and Forfeitures are a result of an appropriation matched by offsetting fees.
b. The FY2020 House-passed total reflects a -$5.0 mil ion rescission of prior year unobligated funds for Construction not shown.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Bureau of Land Management: FY2020 Appropriations
Carol Hardy Vincent, Specialist in Natural Resources
Policy
IF11297
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