Bureau of Land Management: FY2024 Appropriations

Bureau of Land Management: FY2024 Appropriations

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Updated April 16, 2024
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 of BLM’s five discretionary accounts, Table 2
acres of federal land, nearly all in the West. Under its
shows FY2023 enacted amounts, and FY2024 amounts
multiple-use mission, BLM manages lands for diverse
requested by President Biden, passed by the House in H.R.
purposes, including livestock grazing, energy development,
4821, reported by the Senate Appropriations Committee in
recreation, and conservation. The agency also administers
S. 2605, and enacted in P.L. 118-42, Division E.
onshore federal energy and mineral resources generally.
Management of Lands and Resources (MLR). This
P.L. 118-42, Division E, enacted on March 9, 2024,
account, BLM’s largest, funds diverse activities and
contained FY2024 regular appropriations for BLM of
programs. For instance, the land resources activity includes
$1,413.1 million. From the start of FY2024 on October 1,
programs on rangelands, forestry, cultural resources, and
2023, until regular appropriations were enacted, BLM
wild horses and burros. Table 1 shows amounts for the nine
received continuing appropriations at FY2023 levels.
main activities in the MLR account (and mining law
administration). For FY2024, the President sought a $115.1
The FY2024 enacted appropriation for BLM was $80.9
million (9%) increase, the Senate committee-reported bill
million lower than the FY2023 regular enacted level of
would have provided a $3.7 million (<1%) increase, and the
$1,494.0 million (in P.L. 117-328, Division G). The
House-passed bill would have provided a $195.0 million
FY2024 total appropriation was provided through five
(15%) decrease compared with FY2023 enacted levels. The
accounts. It included a decrease for BLM’s main account—
FY2024 appropriations law included $1,261.6 million for
Management of Lands and Resources (MLR)—and for the
this account—$76.1 million (6%) less than enacted for
account’s nine main activities (excluding mining law
FY2023.
administration). (See Table 1.) It also included a decrease
for BLM’s second
Table 1. Activities Within MLR Account (in Millions)
-largest account—Management of
Oregon and California Grant Lands (O&C). The other three
FY2024
BLM accounts received level funding.
FY2023
FY2024
H.R.
FY2024
FY2024
4821
S. 2605
The FY2024 total enacted appropriation was $208.4 million
Activity
Enacted
Request
Enacted
less than the $1,621.5 million total that had been requested
Land
$294.6
$304.3
$281.5
$291.2
$279.6
by President Biden. It also was $85.5 million less than the
Resources
$1,498.6 million that would have been provided by S. 2605,
Wildlife &
207.2
235.4
188.5
209.2
198.9
as reported by the Senate Appropriations Committee on
Aquatic
July 27, 2023. However, the FY2024 enacted amount was
Habitat
$174.5 million more than would have been provided by the
Recreation
74.8
91.1
74.8
74.8
72.0
$1,238.6 million in H.R. 4821, as passed by the House on
Energy &
234.3
281.5
216.5
236.3
219.1
November 3, 2023. (See Table 2.) This In Focus provides
Minerals
additional comparisons among amounts that were enacted
Realty and
89.8
97.6
71.9
89.8
87.5
for FY2023 and FY2024 and had been included for FY2024 Ownership
in the President’s request, H.R. 4821 as passed by the
House, and S. 2605 as reported by committee.
Resource
154.8
189.9
129.5
154.8
149.0
Protection &
BLM discretionary appropriations are provided in Title I of
Maintenance
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations
Transp. &
76.2
85.0
57.1
76.2
55.0
laws. BLM also receives a portion of the appropriations to
Facilities
DOI for wildland fire management. Mandatory (permanent)
Maintenance
appropriations are provided to BLM under various statutes
Workforce &
175.8
190.5
105.5
175.8
174.7
within the jurisdiction of authorizing committees. DOI
Org. Support
estimated BLM mandatory appropriations at $502.4 million
National
61.6
72.9
55.5
63.6
59.1
for FY2024. This total does not include $95.0 million for
Conservation
BLM deferred maintenance (discussed below).
Lands
Mining Law
-31.3
-30.3
-38.0
-30.3
-33.3
For FY2024, issues for Congress included determining the
Admin. (with
amount of funding for BLM accounts and activities, the
Offsets)
terms and conditions of such funding, and whether to enact
related Biden Administration proposals.
Offsetting
0
-65.0
0
0
0
Collections
Total MLR
$1,337.7
$1,452.8
$1,142.6
$1,341.3
$1,261.6
https://crsreports.congress.gov

Bureau of Land Management: FY2024 Appropriations
Source: CRS, with information from the House and Senate
President, contained in the House-passed and Senate
Appropriations Committees.
committee-reported bills, and enacted into law.
Notes: MLR = Management of Lands and Resources. H.R. 4821 was
passed by the House. S. 2605 was reported by the Senate
Selected Mandatory Appropriations
Appropriations Committee. Because of rounding, some columns do
Deferred Maintenance (DM). BLM estimated its DM at
not sum to totals shown.
$4.8 billion in FY2022 (the most recent available), more
Oregon and California Grant Lands. This account funds
than four times the FY2019 estimate ($1.1 billion). The
management of more than 2 million acres of forested lands
increase is largely due to changes in estimation methods.
in Western Oregon, primarily for timber production. The
FY2023 appropriations law included $120.3 million for this
BLM receives both discretionary and mandatory
account. For FY2024, the President sought a $12.4 million
appropriations to address DM. Annual Interior
(10%) increase, the Senate committee-reported bill would
appropriations laws provide discretionary appropriations,
have provided a $1.0 million (1%) increase, and the House-
with $32.0 million in FY2023 through the MLR account.
passed bill would have provided a $60.3 million (50%)
For FY2024, the President sought an increase to $39.2
decrease compared with FY2023 enacted levels. The
million, S. 2605 would have provided level funding, and
FY2024 appropriations law included $115.5 million for this
H.R. 4821 did not detail the level of funding. The FY2024
account—$4.8 million (4%) less than enacted for FY2023.
appropriations law included $20.0 million.
Range Improvements. The Range Improvements account
A source of DM mandatory appropriations is the National
funds rehabilitation, protection, and improvement of BLM
Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund,
rangelands. By law, 50% of grazing fees collected on BLM
established by P.L. 116-152, the Great American Outdoors
Act (GAOA). Under GAOA, BLM’s appropriation is about
lands or $10.0 million—whichever is greater—is credited to
a Range Improvements Fund. Through the Range
$95.0 million annually (assuming maximum revenue to the
Improvements account, BLM typically receives an annual
fund). GAOA requires BLM to include, as part of its budget
appropriation of $10.0 million for the fund. The FY2023
submission, projects to be funded. Appropriations laws may
appropriations law included $10.0 million. For FY2024, the
specify alternate allocations. For FY2024, H.R. 4821 and S.
President’s request, House-passed bill, Senate committee-
2605 would have allocated funding as proposed by BLM;
reported bill, and appropriations law also contained this
the FY2024 appropriations law included a few differences
amount.
in project funding.
Service Charges, Deposits, and Forfeitures. This account
Land Acquisition. BLM typically receives appropriations
allows BLM to use monies paid to the agency for activities
from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to
such as rights-of-way processing and energy and minerals
acquire lands. Under GAOA, LWCF programs receive
authorizations. The FY2023 estimate was $30.0 million,
mandatory appropriations. GAOA requires BLM to include,
offset by collections, for a net of $0. For FY2024, the
as part of its budget submission, program and project
President’s request, House-passed bill, Senate committee-
allocations for the LWCF funds. Appropriations acts may
reported bill, and appropriations law contained the same
specify alternate allocations. For FY2023, the Interior
amount.
appropriations law provided $69.9 million for BLM
acquisitions. For FY2024, the appropriations law provided
Miscellaneous Trust Funds. This account appropriates
$73.9 million for specified acquisitions and activities as
contributions made to BLM (e.g., from individuals,
requested by the President. H.R. 4821 had reflected an
businesses, and states). The FY2023 enacted amount was
allocation of $76.2 million, and S. 2605 had reflected an
$26.0 million, as were the FY2024 levels requested by the
allocation of $62.4 million.
Table 2. BLM Discretionary Appropriations by Account (in Millions)
FY2023
FY2024
FY2024
Enacted
FY2024
H. Passed
S. Committee
FY2024
Account
P.L. 117-328
Requested
H.R. 4821
S. 2605
Enacted
Management of Lands and Resources
$1,337.7
$1,452.8
$1,142.6
$1,341.3
$1,261.6
Oregon and California Grant Lands
120.3
132.7
60.0
121.3
115.5
Range Improvements
10.0
10.0
10.0
10.0
10.0
Service Charges, Deposits, and Forfeitures
0
0
0
0
0
Miscellaneous Trust Funds
26.0
26.0
26.0
26.0
26.0
Total BLM
$1,494.0
$1,621.5
$1,238.6
$1,498.6
$1,413.1
Source: CRS, with information from the House and Senate Appropriations Committees.
Notes: BLM = Bureau of Land Management. 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.

IF12499
Carol Hardy Vincent, Specialist in Natural Resources
Policy
https://crsreports.congress.gov

Bureau of Land Management: FY2024 Appropriations

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