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September 25, 2023
Bureau of Land Management: FY2024 Appropriations
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), in the
Discretionary Appropriations Accounts
Department of the Interior (DOI), manages 245 million
For each BLM discretionary account, Table 2 shows
acres of federal land, nearly all in the West. Under its
FY2023 enacted amounts and FY2024 amounts requested
multiple-use mission, BLM manages lands for diverse
by the Biden Administration, reported by the House
purposes, including livestock grazing, energy development,
Appropriations Committee (H.R. 4821), and reported by the
recreation, and conservation. The agency also administers
Senate Appropriations Committee (S. 2605).
onshore federal energy and mineral resources generally.
Management of Lands and Resources (MLR). For
For FY2024, President Biden requested $1,623.5 million
FY2024, the President sought a $117.1 million (9%)
for BLM—$129.5 million (9%) over the FY2023 regular
increase; the Senate committee-reported bill sought a $3.7
enacted level of $1,494.0 million (in P.L. 117-328,
million (<1%) increase; and the House committee-reported
Division G). The request included increases for BLM’s
bill included a $195.0 million (15%) decrease. This
main account—Management of Lands and Resources
account, BLM’s largest, funds diverse activities and
(MLR)—and for the account’s nine main activities
programs within those activities. For instance, the Land
(excluding mining law administration). (See Table 1.) It
Resources activity includes programs on rangelands,
also included an increase for BLM’s second largest
forestry, cultural resources, and wild horses and burros.
account—Management of Oregon and California Grant
Table 1 shows amounts for nine main activities in the MLR
Lands (O&C).
account (and mining law administration) as enacted for
FY2023, requested by the President for FY2024, and
On July 24, 2023, the House Appropriations Committee
reported by the House and Senate Appropriations
reported H.R. 4821 (H.Rept. 118-155), with $1,238.6
Committees for FY2024.
million for BLM for FY2024. This would be a decrease of
$255.4 million (17%) from FY2023. H.R. 4821 would
Table 1. Activities within MLR Account (in millions)
decrease funding for the MLR account and eight of the
account’s nine main activities, with level funding for the
FY2023
FY2024
H.R.
recreation activity. The bill also contained a decrease for
Activity
Enacted Request
4821
S. 2605
the O&C account.
Land Resources
$294.6
$304.3
$281.5
$291.2
On July 27, 2023, the Senate Appropriations Committee
Wildlife &
207.2
235.4
188.5
209.2
reported S. 2605 (S.Rept. 118-83), with $1,498.6 million
Aquatic Habitat
for BLM for FY2024. This would be an increase of $4.7
Recreation
74.8
91.1
74.8
74.8
million (<1%) over FY2023. S. 2605 would increase
funding for the MLR account; of the nine main activities in
Energy &
234.3
281.5
216.5
236.3
the account, five would receive level funding, three would
Minerals
increase, and one would decrease. S. 2605 also contained an
Realty and
89.8
97.6
71.9
89.8
increase for the O&C account.
Ownership
BLM discretionary appropriations are provided in Title I of
Resource
154.8
189.9
129.5
154.8
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations
Protection &
laws. BLM also receives a portion of the appropriations to
Maintenance
DOI for wildland fire management. Mandatory (permanent)
appropriations are provided to BLM under various statutes
Transportation
76.2
85.0
57.1
76.2
within the jurisdiction of authorizing committees. DOI
& Facilities
estimated BLM mandatory appropriations at $564.1 million
Maintenance
for FY2023 and $423.9 million for FY2024. This total does
Workforce &
175.8
190.5
105.5
175.8
not include $95.0 million for BLM deferred maintenance
Organizational
for each year (DM, discussed below).
Support
For FY2024, issues for Congress include determining the
National
61.6
72.9
55.5
63.6
amount of funding for BLM accounts and activities and the
Conservation
terms and conditions of such funding, as well as whether to
Lands
enact related Biden Administration proposals. Congress
Mining Law
-31.3
-30.3
-38.0
-30.3
also could conduct oversight of expenditures as well as
Admin. (with
consider additional funding (e.g., for any emergencies).
Offsets)
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Bureau of Land Management: FY2024 Appropriations
FY2023
FY2024
H.R.
Miscellaneous Trust Funds. This account appropriates
Activity
Enacted Request
4821
S. 2605 contributions made to BLM (e.g., from individuals,
businesses, and states). The FY2023 enacted amount was
Offsetting
0
-63.0
0
0 $26.0 million, as were the FY2024 levels requested by the
Col ections
President and contained in the committee-reported bills.
Total, MLR
$1,337.7
$1,454.8
$1,142.6
$1,341.3 Selected Mandatory Appropriations
Sources and Notes: Amounts are derived from S.Rept. 118-83
Deferred Maintenance (DM). BLM estimated its DM at
accompanying S. 2605, except that the H.R. 4821 column shows
$4.8 billion in FY2022 (the most recent available), more
amounts in H.Rept. 118-155 accompanying H.R. 4821. The FY2024
than four times the FY2019 estimate ($1.1 billion). The
request total in H.Rept. 118-155 is $2.0 mil ion lower than the total
increase is largely due to changes in estimation methods.
shown here, due to a difference in offsetting col ections. Also,
columns may not sum to totals shown due to rounding.
BLM receives both discretionary and mandatory
appropriations to address DM. Annual Interior
Oregon and California Grant Lands. This account funds
appropriations laws provide discretionary appropriations,
management of more than 2 million acres of forested lands
with $32.0 million in FY2023 through the MLR account.
in Western Oregon, primarily for timber production. The
For FY2024, the President sought an increase to $39.2
FY2023 appropriations law included $120.3 million for this
million, S. 2605 would provide level funding, and H.R.
account. For FY2024, the President sought a $12.4 million
4821 did not detail the level of funding.
(10%) increase; the Senate committee-reported bill sought a
$1.0 million (1%) increase; and the House committee-
A source of DM mandatory appropriations is the National
reported bill sought a $60.3 million (50%) decrease.
Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund,
established by P.L. 116-152, the Great American Outdoors
Range Improvements. The Range Improvements account
Act (GAOA). Under GAOA, BLM’s appropriation is about
funds rehabilitation, protection, and improvement of BLM
$95.0 million annually (assuming maximum revenue to the
rangelands. Under law, 50% of grazing fees collected on
fund). GAOA requires BLM to include, as part of its budget
BLM lands or $10.0 million—whichever is greater—is
submission, projects to be funded. Appropriations laws may
credited to a Range Improvement Fund. Through the Range
specify alternate allocations. For FY2024, H.R. 4821 and S.
Improvements account, BLM typically receives an annual
2605 would allocate funding as proposed by BLM.
appropriation of $10.0 million for the fund. The FY2023
appropriations law included $10.0 million. For FY2024, the
Land Acquisition. BLM typically receives appropriations
President’s request and House and Senate committee-
from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to
reported bills also contained this amount.
acquire lands. Under GAOA, LWCF programs receive
mandatory appropriations. GAOA requires BLM to include,
Service Charges, Deposits, and Forfeitures. This account
as part of its budget submission, program and project
allows BLM to use monies paid to the agency for certain
allocations for the LWCF funds. Appropriations acts may
activities, such as processing rights-of-way and energy and
specify alternate allocations. For FY2023, the Interior
mineral authorizations. The FY2023 estimate was $30.0
appropriations law provided $69.9 million for BLM
million, offset by collections, for a net of $0. For FY2024,
acquisitions. For FY2024, the President requested $73.9
the President’s request and House and Senate committee-
million, H.R. 4821 reflected an allocation of $76.2 million,
reported bills contained the same amount.
and S. 2605 reflected an allocation of $62.4 million.
Table 2. BLM Discretionary Appropriations by Account (dol ars in mil ions)
FY2023
FY2024
FY2024
Enacted
FY2024
H. Cmte.
S. Cmte.
Account
P.L. 117-328
Requested
H.R. 4821
S. 2605
Management of Lands and Resources
$1,337.7
$1,454.8
$1,142.6
$1,341.3
Oregon and California Grant Lands
120.3
132.7
60.0
121.3
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
$1,494.0
$1,623.5
$1,238.6
$1,498.6
Sources and Notes: The H.R. 4821 column shows amounts in H.Rept. 118-155 accompanying H.R. 4821. The other three columns show
amounts in S.Rept. 118-83 accompanying S. 2605. H.Rept. 118-155 shows $2.0 mil ion lower for the FY2024 request for the MLR account and
Total BLM, due to differences in offsetting col ections. The Interior Budget in Brief for FY2024 shows higher FY2023 enacted and FY2024
requested totals largely due to differences in offsetting col ections. For Service Charges, Deposits, and Forfeitures, the $0 amounts are a result
of an appropriation matched by offsetting fees.

Carol Hardy Vincent, Specialist in Natural Resources
Policy
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Bureau of Land Management: FY2024 Appropriations

IF12499


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