Bureau of Land Management: FY2022 Appropriations

Bureau of Land Management: FY2022 Appropriations

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Updated May 16, 2022
Bureau of Land Management: FY2022 Appropriations
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), in the
Management of Lands and Resources. The largest
Department of the Interior (DOI), manages 244 million
account—Management of Lands and Resources—funds
acres of federal land, nearly all in the West. Under its
diverse programs including energy and minerals, wild
multiple-use mission, BLM manages lands for diverse
horses and burros, rangelands, wildlife and fisheries,
purposes, including livestock grazing, energy development,
facility maintenance, law enforcement, and recreation. The
recreation, and conservation. The agency also administers
FY2022 appropriations law included $1,257.6 million for
onshore federal energy and mineral resources generally.
this account—6% over FY2021. The President’s request,
House, and SCMD supported higher increases for FY2022.
On March 15, 2022, FY2022 appropriations for BLM of
(Program comparisons below do not reflect an FY2021
$1,410.9 million were enacted in P.L. 117-103, Division G.
general rescission of $13.0 million.)
(Also for FY2022, P.L. 117-43 provided BLM with $1.2
million in emergency supplemental appropriations to
The Biden Administration expressed that increases
address certain natural disasters.) From the start of FY2022
proposed for FY2022 were intended to support several
on October 1, 2021, until regular appropriation were
goals. These goals included enhancing restoration and
enacted, Congress had provided BLM with continuing
conservation of BLM lands, fostering conservation of 30%
appropriations at the FY2021 level.
of the nation’s lands and waters by 2030, addressing
climate change, improving equitable access to the outdoors,
The FY2022 BLM appropriation of $1,410.9 million was
and strengthening the economy, in part by creating jobs
$101.3 million (8%) over the FY2021 appropriation of
(The Interior Budget in Brief, Fiscal Year 2022, p. BH-7).
$1,309.6 million (in P.L. 116-260, Division G). It was less
than the FY2022 amounts requested by the President,
The FY2022 appropriations law, Administration’s request,
passed by the House, and included in a draft released by the
House, and SCMD contained increased funding (by
Senate Appropriations Committee Chair. The President
differing amounts in most cases) for most programs,
requested $1,620.5 million. On July 6, 2021, the House
including rangelands, recreation, national conservation
Appropriations Committee reported H.R. 4372 (H.Rept.
lands, and others addressed below. The FY2022 enacted
117-83) with $1,594.6 million for BLM. On July 29, 2021,
amounts generally were lower than the FY2022 amounts
the House passed H.R. 4502, an omnibus appropriations
supported by the Administration, House, and SCMD.
measure, with the same amount. On October 18, 2021, the
Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee released a
For wild horse and burro management, the FY2022
Senate Committee Majority Draft (SCMD) bill and draft
appropriation was $137.1 million—18% over the FY2021
explanatory statement with $1,541.0 million for BLM. On
level of $115.7 million. The Administration requested
October 20, 2021, S. 3034 was introduced reflecting the
$152.6 million, the House approved $162.1 million, and the
SCMD text; no further action was taken on the bill.
SCMD contained $151.6 million. There are 82,384 wild
horses and burros on BLM lands, more than triple the
BLM discretionary appropriations are provided in Title I of
appropriate management level (AML)—the level that the
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations
range can support, as determined by BLM—of 26,785.
laws. Mandatory (permanent) appropriations are provided
BLM manages an additional 58,942 animals off-range. The
to BLM under various statutes within the jurisdiction of
explanatory statement for the FY2022 enacted bill specified
authorizing committees. The Department of the Interior
that up to $11.0 million of the total was for reversible
estimated BLM mandatory appropriations at $541.7 million
fertility control, as part of a population control strategy. It
for FY2022. This total does not include $95.0 million for
also directed or encouraged BLM to remove excess animals
BLM deferred maintenance (discussed below).
from the range, secure less costly and longer-term off-range
facilities to care for animals, and leverage funding through
For FY2022, issues for Congress included determining the
public-private partnerships, among other actions.
amount of funding to provide BLM accounts and activities
and the terms and conditions of such funding, as well as
For wildlife and aquatic habitat management, the FY2022
whether to enact related Biden Administration proposals.
appropriation was $197.7 million. This appropriation was
5% over the FY2021 level of $188.5 million and included
Appropriations Accounts
an increase for threatened and endangered species. The
For each BLM account, Table 1 shows FY2021 enacted
Administration sought $237.0 million, the House passed
amounts and FY2022 amounts requested by the Biden
$232.7 million, and the SCMD contained $219.8 million.
Administration, passed by the House, included in the
SCMD, and enacted.
For energy and minerals management, the enacted
appropriation was $216.5 million, an increase of 9% over
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Bureau of Land Management: FY2022 Appropriations
the FY2021 level of $198.6 million. The increase was
funding. The allocation included funding for eight specified
primarily for oil and gas management, with no less than
acquisition projects, acquisitions that generally foster
$22.1 million for “legacy” well remediation, according to
access to BLM lands for recreation, and other purposes.
the explanatory statement. The Administration requested
The mandatory appropriation for FY2021 was $66.1
$248.9 million, the House approved $241.2 million, and the
million. (The FY2021 appropriations law also rescinded
SCMD contained $243.5 million.
$5.4 million in unobligated discretionary appropriations.)
For deferred maintenance (DM) of BLM assets, FY2022
Oregon and California Grant Lands. This account funds
funding was relatively flat (at nearly $35 million).
management of more than 2 million acres of forested lands
However, under the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA;
in Western Oregon, primarily for timber production. The
P.L. 116-152), BLM (and other agencies) receive
FY2022 appropriation was $117.3 million for this account,
mandatory appropriations for DM through the National
a 2% increase over FY2021. The President’s request,
Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund. BLM’s
House, and SCMD supported higher appropriations.
mandatory appropriation for FY2022 was $95.0 million (the
annual amount assuming maximum revenue to the fund).
Range Improvements. The Range Improvements account
The FY2022 appropriations law and explanatory statement
funds rehabilitation, protection, and improvement of BLM
set out an allocation of the funding among BLM projects.
rangelands. The FY2022 enacted amount was $10.0
BLM estimated its total DM at $4.4 billion in FY2021,
million. This was the same as the FY2022 requested,
about four times the FY2019 estimate ($1.1 billion).
House-passed, and SCMD amounts and the FY2021
enacted total. Under law, 50% of grazing fees collected on
The FY2022 appropriations law, like the Administration’s
BLM lands or $10.0 million—whichever is greater—are
FY2022 request, House-passed bill, and SCMD, contained
credited to a Range Improvement Fund. Through the Range
provisions related to programs in this account. For instance,
Improvements account, BLM typically receives an annual
one provision would prohibit funding for the destruction of
appropriation of $10.0 million for the fund.
healthy wild horses and burros or for sales of animals that
result in processing into commercial products. Another
Service Charges, Deposits, and Forfeitures. This account
provision extended by one year, to October 1, 2023, the
allows BLM to use monies paid to the agency for certain
authority in the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act
activities, such as processing rights-of-way and energy and
(FLREA; 16 U.S.C. §§6801 et seq.) for BLM (and other
mineral authorizations. Appropriations for the account
agencies) to charge, collect, and use fees for recreation on
typically are offset entirely by collections, as for the
agency lands. For FY2022, BLM estimated $27.0 million in
FY2022 enacted appropriation and the amounts proposed
recreation fee collections.
for FY2022 by the Administration, House, and SCMD. The
FY2021 appropriation of -$20.0 million reflected a
Land Acquisition. BLM typically receives appropriations
rescission of unobligated funds from earlier years.
from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to
acquire lands. Under the GAOA, BLM land acquisition
Miscellaneous Trust Funds. This account appropriates
(and other LWCF programs) receive mandatory
contributions made to BLM (e.g., from individuals,
appropriations. For FY2022, the mandatory appropriation
businesses, and states). The FY2022 enacted amount was
for BLM was $67.4 million; the FY2022 appropriations law
$26.0 million, the same as the FY2022 requested, House-
and explanatory statement set out an allocation of the
passed, and SCMD levels and the FY2021 appropriation.
Table 1. BLM Discretionary Appropriations by Account (dol ars in mil ions)
FY2021
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022
FY2022
FY2021-
Account
Enacted
Request
House
SCMD
Enacted
FY2022
Management of Lands and Resources
$1,184.3
$1,456.0
$1,434.1
$1,376.6
$1,257.6
+6%
Land Acquisition
-5.4
0
0
0
0
—
Oregon and California Grant Lands
114.8
128.5
124.5
128.5
117.3
+2%
Range Improvements
10.0
10.0
10.0
10.0
10.0
0
Service Charges, Deposits, and Forfeitures
-20.0
0
0
0
0
—
Miscellaneous Trust Funds
26.0
26.0
26.0
26.0
26.0
0
Total BLM
$1,309.6
$1,620.5
$1,594.6
$1,541.0
1,410.9
+8%
Source: CRS, with information from the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.
Notes: SCMD = Senate Committee Majority Draft, released by the Senate Appropriations Committee Chair on October 18, 2021. On
October 20, 2021, S. 3034 was introduced reflecting the SCMD text. No further action was taken on this bil . 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. For
Management of Lands and Resources, the FY2021 enacted amount of $1,184.3 mil ion reflects a general rescission of $13.0 mil ion. For Land
Acquisition, the FY2021 enacted amount of -$5.4 mil ion reflects a rescission of unobligated funds; the $0 amounts relate to a change to
mandatory appropriations for land acquisition purposes. For Service Charges, Deposits, and Forfeitures, the FY2021 enacted amount of -$20.0
mil ion reflects a rescission of unobligated funds; 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: FY2022 Appropriations

IF11890

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