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Updated October 22, 2019
Bureau of Land Management: FY2020 Appropriations
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages 246
including rangeland management, wildlife and aquatic
million acres of federal land, nearly all in the West. Under
habitat management, and resource management planning.
its multiple-use mission, BLM manages lands for diverse
purposes, including livestock grazing, energy development,
H.R. 3055 and S. 2580 included higher appropriations for
recreation, and preservation. The agency also administers
this account than requested for FY2020 and enacted for
onshore federal energy and mineral resources generally and
FY2019. H.R. 3055 would increase funds for many
supervises mineral operations on Indian trust lands.
programs over FY2019, such as management of wild horses
and burros, wildlife and aquatic habitat, recreation, and the
At issue for Congress is determining the amount of funding
National Landscape Conservation System. Also, the House
to provide for BLM programs and activities for FY2020,
bill would change the period of availability of most funds
the terms and conditions of such funding, and whether to
from “no-year” (available until expended) to “two-year.”
enact related Trump Administration proposals.
The Senate committee bill generally would provide level or
increased funding for programs, with the largest increase
For FY2020, BLM is receiving continuing appropriations at
($35.0 million, 43%) for wild horse and burro management.
the FY2019 level through November 21, 2019 (under P.L.
116-59), unless full-year appropriations are enacted sooner.
Reorganization. For FY2019, Congress appropriated $14.1
The Administration requested $1,187.4 million in
million for Department of the Interior reorganization but
discretionary appropriations for BLM for FY2020, a $158.8
did not specify the BLM portion. The reorganization seeks
million (11.8%) decrease from the FY2019 enacted level of
to improve public service, communication, and efficiency.
$1,346.2 million. On June 25, 2019, the House passed H.R.
The FY2020 BLM request included $7.7 million to foster
3055 with $1,411.8 million for BLM (in Division C), which
common regional boundaries of agencies, transfer some
would be $65.6 million (4.9%) more than the FY2019
headquarters functions to the field, and integrate agencies’
enacted level and $224.4 million (18.9%) more than the
business operations. The FY2020 House bill did not
FY2020 request. On September 26, 2019, the Senate
identify funding for BLM reorganization. The House
Appropriations Committee reported S. 2580 with $1,399.4
Appropriations Committee expressed that “approximately
million for BLM. This would be $53.2 million (4.0%) more
93 percent of Bureau employees are already working in the
than the FY2019 enacted level and $212.0 million (17.9%)
field” and directed that “no additional relocations of
more than the FY2020 request. (See Table 1.)
headquarters staff take place” (H.Rept. 116-100, p. 13). The
Senate committee bill does not make explicit whether funds
BLM discretionary appropriations generally are provided in
are included for BLM reorganization.
Title I of Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
Figure 1. BLM FY2020 Administration-Requested
appropriations laws. Mandatory (permanent) appropriations
Appropriations (dollars in millions)
also are provided to BLM under various statutes within the
jurisdiction of authorizing committees. For FY2020, BLM
estimated its mandatory appropriations at $201.3 million.
This would be a decrease from the $241.2 million estimated
for FY2019, in large part due to an anticipated reduction in
receipts from the sale of BLM lands in Nevada.
Appropriations Accounts
BLM discretionary appropriations are provided through
several accounts. Figure 1 shows the Administration’s
FY2020 request for these accounts. Table 1 contains
account-level funding for the FY2020 request, House-
passed bill, and Senate committee-reported bill.
Source: Prepared by CRS with information from the House
Management of Lands and Resources. The largest
Appropriations Committee. Not shown are rescissions for the Land
account—Management of Lands and Resources—
Acquisition account (-$10.0 million) and $0 for Service Charges,
comprised 89% of the request. It funds varied programs,
Deposits, and Forfeitures due to a match by offsetting collections.
including energy and minerals, rangelands, wild horses and
burros, wildlife and fisheries, recreation, resource
Land Acquisition. BLM typically receives appropriations
protection, law enforcement, and facility maintenance.
from the Land and Water Conservation Fund to acquire
lands. To focus on maintaining current BLM lands, the
Overview. As compared with FY2019 enacted funding, the
Administration’s FY2020 request did not include funding
Administration’s FY2020 request contained lower funding
for particular acquisition projects or for acquisitions that
for the account overall and for many of its programs,
generally facilitate access to BLM land for recreation. The
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overall request was -$10.0 million, reflecting a rescission of
proposed a reduction ($53.8 million), H.R. 3055 would
unobligated balances. Relative to FY2019, H.R. 3055
increase funding ($82.3 million), and S. 2580 would
contained increased funds and S. 2580 contained nearly
provide level funding. The Administration also proposed
level funding. Both bills included funds for recreational
establishing a Public Lands Infrastructure Fund with $6.5
access generally and for individual acquisition projects.
billion over five years, with 5% for BLM deferred
maintenance. H.R. 3055 and S. 2580 did not include this
Oregon and California Grant Lands. Oregon and
change, although related legislation has been introduced.
California Grant Lands constituted 9% of the request for
FY2020. This account funds management of more than 2
Energy and Minerals. The FY2020 request proposed
million acres of forested lands in western Oregon, primarily
altering the distribution of revenues from geothermal
for timber production. For FY2020, the Administration
leasing on federal lands—currently 50% to the states, 25%
request and the Senate committee bill would provide
to the Treasury, and 25% to counties—to a distribution of
funding equal to FY2019, but the House bill would increase
50% for states and 50% for the Treasury. According to the
funding. Neither the House nor the Senate committee have
Administration, the change would foster consistency with
accepted an Administration proposal to consolidate funding
other revenue-sharing programs and increase the return to
for activities within the account.
the public. Some counties favor the status quo to reflect
their energy investments and enhance funds for services.
Range Improvements. The Range Improvements account
H.R. 3055 and S. 2580 did not include this change.
funds rehabilitation, protection, and improvement of BLM
rangelands. Of the Administration’s total request, 1% was
Recreation. The authority in the Federal Lands Recreation
for this purpose. The FY2020 request, H.R. 3055, and S.
Enhancement Act (16 U.S.C. §§6801 et seq.) that allows
2580 included $10.0 million, equal to FY2019.
BLM (and other agencies) to charge, collect, and use fees
for recreation on agency lands is set to expire on September
Service Charges, Deposits, and Forfeitures. This account
30, 2020. The Administration supported permanent
allows BLM to use monies paid to the agency for particular
authority through authorizing legislation, while also seeking
activities (e.g., processing rights-of-way). As in FY2019,
a two-year extension (through September 30, 2022) in
the FY2020 amounts proposed by the Administration and
appropriations law. Extensions would be provided by H.R.
included in H.R. 3055 and S. 2580 were offset by
3055 and S. 2580—through September 30, 2021, and
collections, making them $0.
October 1, 2021, respectively.
Miscellaneous Trust Funds. This account appropriates
Wild Horses and Burros. The Wild Free-Roaming Horses
contributions made to BLM from individuals, businesses,
and Burros Act (16 U.S.C. §§1331 et seq.) provides BLM
user groups, and states. It comprised 2% of the FY2020
authority to destroy healthy, excess wild horses and burros
request. The FY2020 requested, House-passed, and Senate-
and to sell without limitation excess animals meeting
committee amounts were equal and higher than FY2019.
certain criteria. In practice, BLM generally sells animals
Legislative Proposals by the Administration
with limits (e.g., a maximum per buyer). The FY2019
In the FY2020 request, the Trump Administration proposed
appropriations law (and recent earlier ones) barred the use
extending or amending some authorities and enacting new
of funds for the destruction of healthy, unadopted BLM
ones. Some of these proposals are discussed below.
wild horses and burros and for the sale of animals for
processing into commercial products. In its FY2020 budget,
Deferred Maintenance. BLM estimates its deferred
the Administration proposed removing the funding ban and
maintenance at $955.3 million, mostly for roads, bridges,
allowing sales without limitations to reduce the excess of
and trails. FY2019 appropriations for deferred maintenance
wild horses. H.R. 3055 and S. 2580 did not include the
were $75.0 million. For FY2020, the Administration
Administration proposal and would continue the ban.
Table 1. BLM Discretionary Appropriations by Account (dollars in millions)
% Change
House
% Change
S. Comm.
% Change
FY2019
FY2020
from
Passed
from
Reported
from
Enacted
Request
Account
FY2019
H.R. 3055
FY2019
S. 2580
FY2019
Management of Lands and Resources
$1,178.7
$1,054.4
-10.5%
$1,229.8
4.3%
$1,230.0
4.4%
Land Acquisition
26.5
-10.0
-137.7%
33.8
27.5%
26.4
<-1%
Oregon and California Grant Lands
107.0
107.0
0%
117.2
9.5%
107.0
0%
Range Improvements
10.0
10.0
0%
10.0
0%
10.0
0%
Service Charges, Deposits, & Forfeituresa
0
0
n/a
0
n/a
0
n/a
Miscellaneous Trust Funds
24.0
26.0
8.3%
26.0
8.3%
26.0
8.3%
Total BLM
$1,346.2
$1,187.4
-11.8%
$1,411.8b
4.9%
$1,399.4
4.0%
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 million rescission of prior year unobligated funds for Construction (not shown).
Carol Hardy Vincent, Specialist in Natural Resources
Policy
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Bureau of Land Management: FY2020 Appropriations
IF11297
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