Bureau of Land Management: FY2025 Appropriations

Bureau of Land Management: FY2025 Appropriations

Bureau of Land Management: FY2025 Appropriations

Updated August 21, 2025 (IF12749)

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), in the Department of the Interior (DOI), manages 245 million acres of federal land, nearly all in the West. Under its multiple-use mission, BLM manages lands for diverse purposes, including livestock grazing, energy development, recreation, and conservation. The agency also administers onshore federal energy and mineral resources generally.

In general, BLM discretionary appropriations are provided in Title I of Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations laws. BLM also receives a portion of the appropriations to DOI for wildland fire management. In addition, mandatory (permanent) appropriations are provided to BLM under various statutes. The Interior Budget in Brief for FY2025 estimated FY2025 mandatory appropriations for BLM at $507.2 million, excluding $95.0 million for BLM deferred maintenance (discussed below).

FY2025 Discretionary Appropriations Action

For FY2025, President Biden requested $1,505.7 million for BLM—$92.6 million over the FY2024 regular enacted level of $1,413.1 million (in P.L. 118-42, Division E). The request included increases for BLM's main account—Management of Lands and Resources (MLR) and for the account's nine main activities (excluding mining law administration). (See Table 1.) It also included an increase for BLM's second-largest account—Management of Oregon and California Grant Lands (O&C).

On July 11, 2024, the House Appropriations Committee reported H.R. 8998 (H.Rept. 118-581). On July 24, 2024, the House passed H.R. 8998, as amended, with $1,297.6 million for BLM for FY2025. This would have been a decrease of $115.6 million from FY2024. H.R. 8998 would have decreased funding for the MLR account (and six of its nine main activities, with increases for three activities) and would have decreased funding for the O&C account.

On July 25, 2024, the Senate Appropriations Committee reported S. 4802 (S.Rept. 118-201), with $1,465.5 million for BLM for FY2025. This would have been an increase of $52.3 million over FY2024. S. 4802 would have increased funding for the MLR account and its nine main activities. S. 4802 also contained an increase for the O&C account.

No regular, full-year appropriations had been enacted by the start of FY2025 on October 1, 2024. Congress enacted continuing resolutions, and, accordingly, BLM received appropriations through March 14, 2025, at FY2024 levels.

The Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 (P.L. 119-4), enacted on March 15, 2025, did not specify a total BLM appropriation for FY2025. Funding for most BLM accounts was continued at FY2024 levels. Total FY2025 appropriations for BLM were $1,412.0 million (see S.Rept. 119-46 on S. 2431, which pertains to FY2026 appropriations). The FY2025 total was $93.8 million (6%) less than requested by the President for FY2025 and $1.2 million (<1%) less than enacted for FY2024. (See Table 2.)

Discretionary Appropriations Accounts

Management of Lands and Resources (MLR). This account, BLM's largest, funds diverse activities and programs. For instance, the land resources activity includes programs on rangelands, forestry, cultural resources, and wild horses and burros. Table 1 shows amounts for the account's nine main activities, mining law administration with offsets, and estimated offsetting collections from the Administration's proposed oil and gas inspection fee. Relative to the FY2024 enacted level, for FY2025, the President sought an $87.4 million increase, the Senate committee-reported bill would have provided a $47.6 million increase, and the House-passed bill would have provided a $107.9 million decrease. FY2025 enacted was $1.2 million lower than FY2024 (due to different estimates for Land Resources and Mining Law Administration).

Oregon and California Grant Lands. This account funds management of more than 2 million acres of forested lands in Western Oregon, primarily for timber production. The FY2025 appropriations law included $115.5 million for this account, the same as the FY2024 appropriation. For FY2025, the President sought a $5.3 million increase, the Senate committee-reported bill included a $4.7 million increase, and the House-passed bill contained a $7.7 million decrease compared with FY2024 enacted levels.

Range Improvements. The Range Improvements account funds rehabilitation, protection, and improvement of BLM rangelands. By law, 50% of grazing fees collected on BLM lands or $10.0 million—whichever is greater—is credited to a Range Improvements Fund. Through the Range Improvements account, BLM typically receives an annual appropriation of $10.0 million for the fund, as for FY2025.

Service Charges, Deposits, and Forfeitures. This account allows BLM to use monies paid to the agency for activities such as rights-of-way processing and energy and minerals authorizations. The FY2025 estimate was $30.0 million, offset by collections. This also was the case for FY2024, and for the FY2025 President's request, House-passed bill, and Senate committee-reported bill.

Miscellaneous Trust Funds. This account appropriates contributions made to BLM (e.g., from individuals, states, and businesses). The FY2025 enacted amount was $26.0 million, the same as enacted for FY2024 and requested by the President, passed by the House, and reported by the Senate Appropriations Committee for FY2025.

Selected Mandatory Appropriations

Deferred Maintenance (DM). BLM estimated its DM at roughly $5.7 billion in FY2023 (the most recent available), more than five times the FY2019 estimate ($1.1 billion). The increase is largely due to changes in estimation methods. BLM receives both discretionary and mandatory appropriations for DM. Annual Interior appropriations laws provide discretionary appropriations, with $20.0 million in FY2025 through the MLR account, the same as FY2024.

A source of DM mandatory appropriations is the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund, established by P.L. 116-152, the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA). Under GAOA, BLM's appropriation would be roughly $95.0 million annually for each of FY2021-FY2025 (assuming maximum revenue to the fund). GAOA requires BLM to include, as part of its budget submission, projects to be funded. For FY2025, the President's budget request identified funding for 19 specific projects and other purposes, totaling $95.0 million. Appropriations laws may specify alternate allocations. P.L. 119-4 did not do so for FY2025. For FY2024, BLM received $98.6 million for 15 specific projects and other purposes.

FY2025 is the last year of mandatory funding for DM under GAOA. The impact of the GAOA funding for BLM is not clear. This is because a current DM estimate is not readily available, appropriations can take multiple years to spend, changes in DM estimation methods, and other factors.

Land Acquisition. BLM typically receives appropriations from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to acquire lands. Under GAOA, LWCF programs receive mandatory appropriations each year. GAOA generally requires the President to submit to Congress detailed account, program, and project allocations as part of the annual budget submission. The President's FY2025 budget set out an allocation of $78.2 million for BLM land acquisitions. Under GAOA, Congress may provide for an alternate allocation; Congress did not do so in P.L. 119-4. For FY2024, BLM received $73.9 million for specified acquisitions and activities.

Table 1. Activities Within Management of Lands and Resources (MLR) Account ($ in Millions)

Activity

FY2024 Enacted
P.L. 118-42

FY2025 Requested

FY2025
House-Passed
H.R. 8998

FY2025
Senate Comm.-Reported S. 4802

FY2025 Enacted
P.L. 119-4

Land Resources

$279.6

$317.4

$286.8

$283.9

$279.4

Wildlife & Aquatic Habitat Man.

198.9

213.2

200.2

202.0

198.9

Recreation Management

72.0

81.1

73.0

73.7

72.0

Energy & Minerals

219.1

251.2

211.8

225.9

219.1

Realty & Ownership Man.

87.5

90.4

72.0

89.8

87.5

Resource Protection & Main.

149.0

160.0

124.2

151.0

149.0

Transp. & Facilities Main.

55.0

77.0

53.9

67.2

55.0

Workforce & Org. Support

174.7

190.1

104.8

187.4

174.7

National Conservation Lands

59.1

65.8

58.4

61.5

59.1

Oil & Gas Inspection Fee Offset

0

-66.0

0

0

0

Mining Law Admin. (w/ offsets)

-33.3

-31.3

-31.3

-33.3

-34.3

Total MLR

$1,261.6

$1,349.0

$1,153.8

$1,309.2

$1,260.5

Sources and Notes: CRS, with information from the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, including S.Rept. 119-46 on S. 2431, 119th Congress, for FY2025 enacted. H.R. 8998 and S. 4802 are 118th Congress bills. Columns may not sum to totals shown due to rounding.

Table 2. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Discretionary Appropriations by Account ($ in Millions)

Account

FY2024 Enacted
P.L. 118-42

FY2025 Requested

FY2025
House-Passed
H.R. 8998

FY2025
Senate Comm.-Reported S. 4802

FY2025 Enacted
P.L. 119-4

Management of Lands and Resources

$1,261.6

$1,349.0

$1,153.8

$1,309.2

$1,260.5

Oregon and California Grant Lands

115.5

120.8

107.8

120.3

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

$1,413.1

$1,505.7

$1,297.6

$1,465.5

$1,412.0

Sources and Notes: CRS, with information from the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, including S.Rept. 119-46 on S. 2431, 119th Congress, for FY2025 enacted amounts. For Service Charges, Deposits, and Forfeitures, the $0 amounts are a result of an appropriation matched by offsetting fees. H.R. 8998 and S. 4802 are 118th Congress bills. Columns may not sum to totals shown due to rounding