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August 3, 2021
Bureau of Land Management: FY2022 Appropriations
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), in the
rescission of $13.0 million for this account, because the
Department of the Interior (DOI), manages 244 million
agency allocation among activities and programs is not
acres of federal land, nearly all in the West. Under its
available in published budget documents.
multiple-use mission, BLM manages lands for diverse
purposes, including livestock grazing, energy development,
The Biden Administration expressed that increases for
recreation, and conservation. The agency also administers
FY2022 were intended to support several goals. These
onshore federal energy and mineral resources generally.
goals included enhancing restoration and conservation of
BLM lands, fostering conservation of 30% of the nation’s
For FY2022, President Biden requested $1,620.5 million
lands and waters by 2030, addressing climate change,
for BLM, which was $310.9 million (24%) more than the
improving equitable access to the outdoors, and
FY2021 enacted appropriation of $1,309.6 million (P.L.
strengthening the economy, in part by creating jobs. (The
116-260, Division G). On July 6, 2021, the House
Interior Budget in Brief, Fiscal Year 2022, p. BH-7.)
Appropriations Committee reported H.R. 4372 (H.Rept.
117-83) containing $1,594.6 million; this was $284.9
Both the FY2022 Administration’s request and the House-
million (22%) over the FY2021 enacted level and $25.9
passed bill seek to increase funding for most programs over
million (2%) less than requested by the President for
FY2021 enacted levels. For wild horse and burro
FY2022. On July 29, 2021, the House passed H.R. 4502, an
management, the Administration requested $152.6 million
omnibus appropriations measure with funding in Division E
and the House approved $162.1 million; the FY2021
for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies.
enacted level was $115.7 million. The number of wild
Amendments agreed to by the House did not appear to alter
horses and burros on BLM lands is 86,189, more than triple
funding levels for BLM accounts and programs reported by
the appropriate management level (AML)—the level that
the House Appropriations Committee; thus, those funding
the range can support, as determined by BLM—of 26,785.
levels are reflected here as passed by the House.
An additional 50,030 animals are being managed by BLM
off-range. The FY2022 increase would be for the
BLM discretionary appropriations generally are provided in
Administration’s plan to achieve AML and includes $11.0
Title I of Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
million for fertility control research and administration,
appropriations laws. Mandatory (permanent) appropriations
according to the House Appropriations Committee.
also are provided to BLM under various statutes within the
jurisdiction of authorizing committees. BLM mandatory
For wildlife and aquatic habitat management, the
appropriations were estimated at $297.0 million for FY2021
Administration requested $237.0 million and the House
and $320.8 million for FY2022.
approved $232.7 million; the FY2021 enacted level was
$188.5 million. Increases were included for enhancing
For FY2022, issues for Congress include determining the
landscape function and connectivity, partly to address
amount of funding to provide BLM accounts and activities
climate change, and improving water quality and quantity.
and the terms and conditions of such funding, as well as
whether to enact related Biden Administration proposals.
For energy and minerals management, the Administration
requested $248.9 million and the House approved $241.2
Appropriations Accounts
million; the FY2021 enacted level was $198.6 million.
Table 1 shows amounts enacted for FY2021, requested by
Increases were included for remediation in the Naval
the Biden Administration for FY2022, and passed by the
Petroleum Reserve, Alaska, of “Alaska legacy wells” left
House for FY2022.
by the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Geological Survey;
remediation in several states of “orphaned” oil and gas
Management of Lands and Resources. The largest
wells, which have no liable party and insufficient bond
account—Management of Lands and Resources—funds
coverage for plugging and reclamation; restoration of
diverse programs including energy and minerals, wild
mineral material sites; and development of renewable
horses and burros, rangelands, wildlife and fisheries,
energy, including establishment of renewable energy
facility maintenance, resource protection, law enforcement,
coordination offices.
and recreation.
For resource protection and maintenance, the
For FY2022, both the Biden Adminis tration and the House
Administration requested $189.4 million and the House
supported increases over FY2021 enacted appropriations
approved $177.8 million; the FY2021 enacted level was
for this account, of $271.8 million (23%) and $249.9
$133.2 million. Increases were included to augment
million (21%), respectively. (See Table 1.) Program
inventory, monitoring, and analysis of landscape status and
comparisons herein do not reflect an FY2021 general
trends as ecological systems adapt to changes; to revise
https://crsreports.congress.gov
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resource management plans to allow for permitting and
appropriations (beginning in FY2021). For FY2022, the
siting of renewable energy and infrastructure projects; and
Administration and the House proposed allocating $66.2
to foster monitoring and analysis of water resources and
million of mandatory funding to BLM land acquisition,
uses.
including $28.7 million for eight specified projects and
$20.5 million for acquisitions that foster access to BLM
The Administration and the House-passed bill would
lands for hunting, fishing, and other recreation. The
increase funding for other programs, including rangelands;
mandatory appropriation for FY2021 was $66.1 million.
recreation; and the National Landscape Conservation
The FY2021 appropriations law also rescinded $5.4 million
System, which contains wilderness areas, national
in unobligated prior-year discretionary appropriations.
monuments, national conservation areas, and other BLM
areas.
Oregon and California Grant Lands. This account funds
management of more than 2 million acres of forested lands
Not all programs would receive increased funding under the
in Western Oregon, primarily for timber production. For
FY2022 Biden Administration’s request and the House-
FY2022, both the Biden Administration and the House
passed bill. For instance, funding for deferred maintenance
supported increases for this account, as shown in Table 1.
(DM) of BLM assets would remain relatively flat (at nearly
Increases were included to address climate change, restore
$35 million). However, under the Great American Outdoors
fire-damaged lands, and foster the Administration’s
Act (GAOA; P.L. 116-152), beginning in FY2021, BLM
Civilian Climate Corps initiative.
(and other agencies) receive mandatory appropriations for
DM through the National Parks and Public Land Legacy
Range Improvements. The Range Improvements account
Restoration Fund. BLM’s mandatory appropriation is about
funds rehabilitation, protection, and improvement of BLM
$95.0 million annually (assuming maximum revenue in the
rangelands. The FY2022 requested and House-passed
fund). For FY2022, the Administration and the House
amount was $10.0 million, the same as the FY2021 enacted
proposed allocations of this funding among BLM projects.
total. Under law, 50% of grazing fees collected on BLM
BLM estimated its DM at $4.1 billion in FY2020—nearly
lands or $10.0 million—whichever is greater—are credited
four times the FY2019 estimate ($1.1 billion).
to a Range Improvement Fund. Through the Range
Improvements account, BLM typically receives an annual
The Administration’s FY2022 request and H.R. 4502
appropriation of $10.0 million for the fund.
contained provisions related to programs in this account.
For instance, one provision would prohibit funding for the
Service Charges, Deposits, and Forfeitures. This account
destruction of healthy wild horses and burros or for sales of
allows BLM to use monies paid to the agency for particular
animals that result in processing into commercial products.
activities, such as costs of processing rights-of-way and
Another provision would extend by one year, to October 1,
energy and mineral authorizations. Appropriations for the
2023, the authority in the Federal Lands Recreation
account typically are offset entirely by collections, as for
Enhancement Act (FLREA; 16 U.S.C. §§6801 et seq.) for
FY2022 requested and House-passed funding levels. The
BLM (and other agencies) to charge, collect, and use fees
FY2021 appropriation of -$20.0 million reflected a
for recreation on agency lands. For FY2022, BLM
rescission of unobligated funds from earlier years.
estimated $28.0 million in recreation fee collections.
Miscellaneous Trust Funds. This account appropriates
Land Acquisition. BLM typically receives appropriations
contributions made to BLM from individuals, businesses,
from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to
user groups, and states. The FY2022 requested and House-
acquire lands. Under the GAOA, BLM land acquisition
passed level of $26.0 million was equal to the FY2021
(and other LWCF programs) receive mandatory
enacted appropriation.
Table 1. BLM Discretionary Appropriations by Account (dollars in millions)
FY2021
FY2022
FY2022
Enacted
Requested
House
Account
Passed
Management of Lands and Resources
$1,184.3
$1,456.0
$1,434.1
Land Acquisition
-5.4
0
0
Oregon and California Grant Lands
114.8
128.5
124.5
Range Improvements
10.0
10.0
10.0
Service Charges, Deposits, and Forfeituresa
-20.0
0
0
Miscel aneous Trust Funds
26.0
26.0
26.0
Total BLM
$1,309.6
$1,620.5
$1,594.6
Source: CRS, with information from the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.
Notes: Components may not sum to totals due to rounding. The Interior Budget in Brief for FY2022 shows higher FY2021 enacted and
FY2022 requested totals largely due to differences in rescissions and offsetting col ections.
a.
The amounts of $0 for Service Charges, Deposits, and Forfeitures are a result of an appropriation matched by offsetting fees.
Carol Hardy Vincent, Specialist in Natural Resources
Policy
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Bureau of Land Management: FY2022 Appropriations
IF11890
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