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August 5, 2022
Bureau of Land Management: FY2023 Appropriations
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), in the
Management of Lands and Resources (MLR). The
Department of the Interior (DOI), manages 244 million
largest account—MLR—funds diverse programs including
acres of federal land, nearly all in the West. Under its
rangelands, wild horses and burros, wildlife and aquatic
multiple-use mission, BLM manages lands for diverse
habitat, recreation, energy and minerals, law enforcement,
purposes, including livestock grazing, energy development,
facility maintenance, and national conservation lands. This
recreation, and conservation. The agency also administers
account also funds workforce and organizational support,
onshore federal energy and mineral resources generally.
including financial and information technology
management. For FY2023, the Biden Administration,
For FY2023, President Biden requested $1,561.4 million
House, and S. 4686 supported varying increases over
for BLM—$150.4 million (11%) more than the FY2022
FY2022 for this account, of $139.0 million (11%), $127.2
enacted level of $1,410.9 million (in P.L. 117-103, Division
million (10%), and $114.1 million (9%) respectively.
G). (This total and comparisons in this In Focus do not
include FY2022 emergency supplemental appropriations of
The Biden Administration expressed that increases
$1.2 million in P.L. 117-43, to address certain natural
proposed for FY2023 were intended to support several
disasters.) On July 1, 2022, the House Appropriations
goals. These goals include fostering conservation of 30% of
Committee reported H.R. 8262 (H.Rept. 117-400), with
the nation’s lands and waters by 2030; addressing climate
$1,545.9 million for BLM for FY2023. On July 20, 2022,
change, including through improvements in land health and
the House passed H.R. 8294, an omnibus appropriations
resiliency and deployment of clean energy generation and
measure with the same amount (in Division E), which
transmission projects; and remediating and reclaiming
would be $135.0 million (10%) over the FY2022 enacted
abandoned wells and mine sites, to improve human health,
level. On July 28, 2022, the Senate Appropriations
safety, and the environment and to create jobs. (Fiscal Year
Committee Chair released a Senate Committee Majority
2023, The Interior Budget in Brief, p. BLM-1).
Draft (SCMD) bill and draft explanatory statement with
$1,536.4 million for BLM for FY2023. On the same day, S.
The Administration’s request, House-passed bill, and S.
4686 was introduced, reflecting the SCMD text.
4686 seek to increase funding (by differing amounts in
(Hereinafter, this In Focus refers to S. 4686 as introduced.)
some cases) for most programs, including management of
This would be $125.5 million (9%) over the FY2022
wild horses and burros, wildlife and aquatic habitat, energy
enacted level and $9.5 million (<1%) less than the House-
and minerals, recreation, resource management planning,
passed level.
abandoned mines and hazardous materials, and national
conservation lands. A few areas are highlighted below.
BLM discretionary appropriations are provided in Title I of
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations
There are 82,384 wild horses and burros on BLM lands,
laws. BLM also receives a portion of the appropriations to
more than triple the appropriate management level—the
DOI for wildland fire management. For further information,
level that BLM determined the range can support—of
see CRS In Focus IF12142, Funding for Wildfire
26,785. BLM manages an additional 58,517 animals off-
Management: FY2023 Appropriations for Forest Service
range. For wild horse and burro management, the
and Department of the Interior. Mandatory (permanent)
Administration requested $153.1 million, the House
appropriations are provided to BLM under various statutes
approved $156.1 million, and S. 4686 contained $156.6
within the jurisdiction of authorizing committees. DOI
million. The FY2022 enacted level was $137.1 million.
estimated BLM mandatory appropriations at $599.2 million
Portions of the increases for FY2023 would be for
for FY2023. This total does not include $95.0 million for
administering fertility control, removing animals from the
BLM deferred maintenance (DM, discussed below).
range, and caring for animals in long-term pasture facilities.
For FY2023, issues for Congress include determining the
For wildlife and aquatic habitat management, the
amount of funding to provide BLM accounts and activities
Administration and S. 4686 supported $239.1 million, and
and the terms and conditions of such funding, as well as
the House approved $229.8 million. The FY2022 enacted
whether to enact related Biden Administration proposals.
amount was $197.7 million. Portions of the increases for
FY2023 would be for addressing climate change, water
Discretionary Appropriations Accounts
quantity and quality, landscape connectivity and function,
For each BLM discretionary funding account, Table 1
and adaptive management and for advancing the President’s
shows FY2022 enacted amounts and FY2023 amounts
Civilian Climate Corps proposal, among other purposes.
requested by the Biden Administration, passed by the
House, and included in S. 4686 as introduced.
For energy and minerals management, the Administration
proposed $249.9 million, the House approved $242.2
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Bureau of Land Management: FY2023 Appropriations
million, and S. 4686 contained $251.8 million. The FY2022
BLM lands or $10.0 million—whichever is greater—are
enacted level was $216.5 million. Portions of the increases
credited to a Range Improvement Fund. Through the Range
for FY2023 would be for developing renewable energy and
Improvements account, BLM typically receives an annual
managing oil and gas. Oil and gas management includes
appropriation of $10.0 million for the fund.
remediation of legacy wells in Alaska.
Service Charges, Deposits, and Forfeitures. This account
Not all MLR programs would receive increases for
allows BLM to use monies paid to the agency for certain
FY2023. For instance, funding for DM of BLM assets
activities, such as processing rights-of-way and energy and
would decrease to $32.0 million from the FY2022 enacted
mineral authorizations. Appropriations for the account
level of $35.0 million under both the Administration’s
typically are offset entirely by collections, as proposed for
FY2023 request and S. 4686, though it would increase to
FY2023 by the Administration, the House, and S. 4686.
$35.2 million under the House-passed bill. However, under
the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA; P.L. 116-152),
Miscellaneous Trust Funds. This account appropriates
BLM receives mandatory appropriations for DM. (See
contributions made to BLM (e.g., from individuals,
below.)
businesses, and states). The FY2023 requested, House-
passed, and S. 4686 level of $26.0 million was equal to the
The Administration’s FY2023 request, the House-passed
FY2022 enacted appropriation.
bill, and S. 4686 contained provisions related to MLR
programs. For instance, one provision would prohibit
Selected Mandatory Appropriations
funding for the destruction of healthy wild horses and
Deferred Maintenance. Under the GAOA, BLM receives
burros or for sales of animals that result in processing into
mandatory appropriations for DM through the National
commercial products. Another provision would extend, to
Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund. BLM’s
October 1, 2024, the authority in the Federal Lands
mandatory appropriation is about $95.0 million annually
Recreation Enhancement Act (16 U.S.C. §§6801 et seq.) for
(assuming maximum revenue to the fund). For FY2023, the
BLM (and other agencies) to charge, collect, and use fees
Administration, the House, and S. 4686 proposed
for recreation on agency lands. For FY2023, BLM
allocations of mandatory funding among BLM projects. For
estimated $28.0 million in recreation fee collections. A
context, BLM estimated its DM at $4.4 billion in FY2021,
third provision would allow BLM to collect and retain new
about four times the FY2019 estimate ($1.1 billion). The
onshore oil and gas inspection fees to cover inspection
increase is largely due to changes in estimation methods.
costs, similar to offshore energy operations.
Land Acquisition. BLM typically receives appropriations
Oregon and California Grant Lands. This account funds
from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to
management of more than 2 million acres of forested lands
acquire lands. Under the GAOA, BLM land acquisition
in Western Oregon, primarily for timber production. For
(and other LWCF programs) receive mandatory
FY2023, the Biden Administration and S. 4686 proposed
appropriations. For FY2023, the Administration, the House,
$128.7 million and the House approved $125.0 million. The
and S. 4686 proposed allocations of mandatory funding for
FY2022 appropriation was $117.3 million for this account.
BLM land acquisition. Overall, the Administration
proposed $70.9 million, the House supported $70.2 million,
Range Improvements. The Range Improvements account
and S. 4686 included $63.6 million. The mandatory
funds rehabilitation, protection, and improvement of BLM
appropriation for FY2022 was $67.4 million. FY2023
rangelands. The FY2023 requested, House-passed, and S.
funding would support several specified projects;
4686 amount was $10.0 million, the same as the FY2022
acquisitions that foster access to BLM lands for hunting,
enacted total. Under law, 50% of grazing fees collected on
fishing, and other recreation; and other purposes.
Table 1. BLM Discretionary Appropriations by Account (dol ars in mil ions)
FY2023
FY2023
FY2022
FY2023
H.R. 8294
S. 4686
Account
Enacted
Requested
House Passed
Introduced
Management of Lands and Resources
$1,257.6
$1,396.7
$1,384.8
$1,371.7
Oregon and California Grant Lands
117.3
128.7
125.0
128.7
Range Improvements
10.0
10.0
10.0
10.0
Service Charges, Deposits, and Forfeitures
0
0
0
0
Miscellaneous Trust Funds
26.0
26.0
26.0
26.0
Total BLM
$1,410.9
$1,561.4
$1,545.9
$1,536.4
Source: CRS, with information from the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.
Notes: The Interior Budget in Brief for FY2023 shows a higher requested total largely due to differences in rescissions and offsetting col ections. For
Service Charges, Deposits, and Forfeitures, the $0 amounts are a result of an appropriation matched by offsetting fees. On July 28, 2022, the Senate
Appropriations Committee chair released the Senate Committee Majority Draft (SCMD). On the same day, S. 4686 was introduced reflecting the
SCMD text. Column figures may not sum to totals shown due to rounding.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Bureau of Land Management: FY2023 Appropriations
IF12187
Carol Hardy Vincent, Specialist in Natural Resources
Policy
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