Bureau of Land Management

Agency

1. Interior Department agency charged with the management of more than 245 million acres of public land, located primarily in the western United States and Alaska. Resources managed by the BLM include timber, minerals, oil and gas, geothermal energy, wildlife habitats, endangered plant and animal species, recreation areas, lands with cultural importance, wild and scenic rivers, designated conservation and wilderness areas, and open-space lands. The BLM regulates certain multiple-use lands such as grazing lands, issues rights of way for crossing federal lands, manages watersheds, and makes certain land available for sale or lease to encourage the use and development of natural resources. An additional 700 million acres of subsurface mineral estate are also managed by the BLM. Land use plans are generally developed with public involvement and frequently include debates between business interests and conservation groups.