Bureau of Land Management: FY2021 Appropriations

Bureau of Land Management: FY2021 Appropriations

link to page 2

Updated June 7, 2021
Bureau of Land Management: FY2021 Appropriations
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), in the
FY2020 and FY2021 appropriations contained general
Department of the Interior (DOI), manages 244 million
rescissions from unobligated prior-year funds (of $19.0
acres of federal land, nearly all in the West. Under its
million and $13.0 million, respectively). The allocations
multiple-use mission, BLM manages lands for diverse
among activities and programs are not readily available;
purposes, including livestock grazing, energy development,
thus, comparisons in this section exclude these general
recreation, and conservation. The agency also administers
rescissions.
onshore federal energy and mineral resources generally.
Both the FY2021 appropriation and the Administration’s
This In Focus pertains to discretionary appropriations for
request included increases for certain programs over
BLM, particularly those enacted for FY2021, in comparison
FY2020 enacted levels. For example, cadastral, lands and
with appropriations enacted for FY2020 and requested by
realty management—which performs cadastral surveys,
President Trump for FY2021. The FY2021 enacted
manages rights-of-way, and implements changes to land
appropriation for BLM was $1,309.6 million (P.L. 116-260,
ownership—received increased funds to convey lands to
Division G), with direction and details in an explanatory
Alaska Native veterans and to facilitate broadband
statement. This total was $60.2 million less than in FY2020
infrastructure on BLM lands . Wild horse and burro
($1,369.8 million, P.L. 116-94, Division D) and $87.3
management funding also was augmented for BLM’s
million more than requested by the Trump Administration
proposal “to institute an aggressive, non-lethal population
for FY2021 ($1,222.4 million). The FY2021 enacted total
control strategy to address the current unsustainable
also was $14.9 million more than the total passed by the
trajectory of on-range wild horse and burro population
House ($1,294.7 million, H.R. 7608, Division C) and $31.3
growth ... to include a robust expansion of fertility control.”
million less than that in a Senate Appropriations Committee
(Congressional Record, explanatory statement, December
majority draft measure ($1,340.9 million) released on
21, 2020, p. H8528.) In 2020, the number of wild horses
November 10, 2020.
and burros on BLM lands was 95,114, more than triple the
appropriate management level—the level that the range can
BLM discretionary appropriations generally are provided in
support, as determined by BLM—of 26,770.
Title I of Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
appropriations laws. Mandatory (permanent) appropriations
For other programs, both the FY2021 appropriation and the
also are provided to BLM under various statutes within the
Administration’s request included decreases from FY2020
jurisdiction of authorizing committees. BLM mandatory
enacted levels. For instance, administrative support was
appropriations were $335.8 million for FY2020 and are
reduced; less funding was needed due to the completion of
estimated at $297.0 million for FY2021.
organizational changes to new, unified DOI regions,
according to BLM. Funding for deferred maintenance (DM)
For FY2021, issues for Congress included determining the
for transportation assets and other facilities also was
amount of funding to provide BLM accounts and activities
reduced. (See “Deferred Maintenance,” below.)
and the terms and conditions of such funding, as well as
whether to enact related Trump Administration proposals.
The FY2021 BLM appropriation provided level or
increased funding (relative to FY2020) for some programs
Appropriations Accounts
that the Trump Administration had proposed to cut. These
BLM discretionary appropriations are provided through
programs included rangeland management, wildlife and
several accounts. For each account, Table 1 shows amounts
aquatic habitat management, resource management
enacted for FY2020, requested by the Trump
planning, abandoned minelands and hazardous materials
Administration for FY2021, and enacted for FY2021.
management, and the national landscape conservation
system. The FY2021 appropriation also included level
Management of Lands and Resources. The largest
funding for coal management, which the Trump
account—Management of Lands and Resources—funds
Administration had sought to increase, to improve coal
diverse programs including energy and minerals, wild
leasing, permitting, and inspections.
horses and burros, rangelands, wildlife and fisheries,
facility maintenance, resource protection, law enforcement,
Land Acquisition. BLM typically receives appropriations
and recreation.
from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to
acquire lands. The FY2021 appropriations law rescinded
For FY2021, the enacted appropriation for this account was
unobligated funds (-$5.4 million) and did not contain
$1,184.3 million, $13.0 million less than enacted for
discretionary appropriations, given the establishment of
FY2020 ($1,197.2 million) and $105.7 million more than
$900 million in mandatory spending (from the LWCF)
President Trump requested ($1,078.5 million). Both the
under the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA; P.L. 116-
https://crsreports.congress.gov

link to page 2 link to page 2 Bureau of Land Management: FY2021 Appropriations
152) beginning in FY2021. Of this total, the FY2021
Legislative Proposals by the Administration
explanatory statement allocated $66.1 million for BLM land
In the FY2021 request, the Trump Administration proposed
acquisition, including $23.6 million for six individual
extending or amending some authorities and enacting new
acquisitions and $20.5 million for acquisitions that foster
ones. Some of these proposals are discussed below.
recreational access generally. The Administration’s FY2021
overall request for the account was -$5.0 million, including
Deferred Maintenance. BLM estimated its DM at
a rescission of unobligated funds and no funding for
$955.3 million in FY2018, mostly for roads, bridges, and
individual projects to focus on maintaining current BLM
trails. The FY2021 appropriation and the Administration’s
lands. The FY2020 appropriation was $29.9 million.
request had reductions from FY2020 enacted funding for
DM. However, the Trump Administration also supported a
Oregon and California Grant Lands. This account funds
new fund with mandatory spending for DM of BLM and
management of more than 2 million acres of forested lands
other agencies. The GAOA subsequently established the
in Western Oregon, primarily for timber production. For
National Parks and Public Land Legacy Res toration Fund.
FY2021, the appropriations law contained $114.8 million,
Of the $1.9 billion for FY2021 allocated to five agencies,
an increase over the FY2020 appropriation and the
the FY2021 explanatory statement identified $95.0 million
Administration’s FY2021 request. In report language, the
for BLM, including for dozens of projects.
House Appropriations Committee expressed concern about
disparities in timber targets and timber awarded and
Energy and Minerals. The FY2021 request proposed
harvested in some areas (H.Rept. 116-448).
altering the distribution of revenues from geothermal
leasing on federal lands—currently 50% to the states, 25%
Range Improvements. The Range Improvements account
to the Treasury, and 25% to counties—to a distribution of
funds rehabilitation, protection, and improvement of BLM
50% for states and 50% for the Treasury. The Trump
rangelands. The FY2021 appropriated and requested
Administration said the change would foster consistency
amount was $10.0 million, the same as the FY2020 enacted
with other revenue-sharing programs and would increase
total. Under law, 50% of grazing fees collected on BLM
the return to the public. Some counties favor the status quo
lands, or $10.0 million—whichever is greater—are credited
to reflect their energy investments and enhance funds for
to a Range Improvement Fund. Through the Range
services. The FY2021 appropriations law did not include
Improvements account, BLM typically receives an annual
this change.
appropriation of $10.0 million for the fund.
Recreation. The FY2021 appropriations law extended by
Service Charges, Deposits, and Forfeitures. This account
one year, to October 1, 2022, the authority in the Federal
allows BLM to use monies paid to the agency for particular
Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA, 16 U.S.C.
activities, such as costs of processing rights-of-way and
§§6801 et seq.) that allows BLM (and other agencies) to
energy and mineral authorizations. The FY2021
charge, collect, and use fees for recreation on agency lands.
appropriation of -$20.0 million reflected a rescission of
The explanatory statement directed DOI (and the Forest
unobligated funds from earlier years. Appropriations for the
Service) to post on a centralized website the FLREA
account typically are offset entirely by collections, as for
projects performed each year. The Trump Administration
FY2020 enacted and FY2021 requested funding.
supported permanent authority through authorizing
legislation and sought a two-year extension (to September
Miscellaneous Trust Funds. This account appropriates
30, 2023) in appropriations law. For FY2021, BLM
contributions made to BLM from individuals, businesses,
estimated $28.1 million in recreation fee collections.
user groups, and states. The FY2021 appropriated and
requested level of $26.0 million was equal to the FY2020
enacted appropriation.
Table 1. BLM Discretionary Appropriations by Account (dollars in millions)
FY2020
FY2021
FY2021
Account
Enacted
Request
Enacted
Management of Lands and Resources
$1,197.2
$1,078.5
$1,184.3
Land Acquisition
29.9
-5.0
-5.4
Oregon and California Grant Lands
112.1
112.8
114.8
Range Improvements
10.0
10.0
10.0
Service Charges, Deposits, and Forfeituresa
0
0
-20.0
Miscel aneous Trust Funds
26.0
26.0
26.0
Total BLM
$1,369.8b
$1,222.4
$1,309.6
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 FY2020 and FY2021
enacted 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 f ees.
b. FY2020 enacted total reflects rescissions of $5.4 mil ion of unobligated Construction funds not shown in table.
https://crsreports.congress.gov

Bureau of Land Management: FY2021 Appropriations

Carol Hardy Vincent, Specialist in Natural Resources
Policy
IF11590

Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the
United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be
reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include
copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permissio n of the copyright holder if you
wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.

https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11590 · VERSION 4 · UPDATED