BLM. The Bureau of Land Management was established July 16, 1946, by the consolidation of the General Land Office (created in 1812) and the Grazing Service (formed in 1934).
The Bureau is responsible for the total management of 341 million acres of public lands. These lands are located primarily in the far west and Alaska; however, scattered parcels are located in other States. In addition to minerals management responsibilities on the public lands, BLM is also responsible for subsurface resource management of an additional 169 million acres where mineral rights have been reserved to the Federal Government.
Resources managed by the Bureau include timber, minerals, oil and gas, geothermal energy, wildlife habitat, endangered plant and animal species, rangeland vegetation, recreation and cultural values, wild and scenic rivers, designated conservation and wilderness areas, and open space. Bureau programs provide for the protection (including fire suppression), orderly development, and use of the public lands and resources under principles of multiple use and sustained yield. Land use plans are developed with public involvement to provide orderly use and development while maintaining and enhancing the quality of the environment. The Bureau also manages watersheds to protect soil and enhance water quality; develops recreational opportunities on public lands; administers programs to protect and manage wild horses and burros; and under certain conditions, makes land available through sale to individuals, organizations, local governments, and other federal agencies when such transfer is in the public interest. Lands may be leased to state and local government agencies and to nonprofit organizations for certain purposes. The Bureau has responsibility to issue rights-of-way, in certain instances, for crossing federal lands under other agencies' jurisdiction. It also has general enforcement authority. The Bureau is responsible for the survey of federal lands and establishes and maintains public land records and records of mining claims. It administers a program of payments in lieu of taxes based on the amount of federally owned lands in counties and other units of local government.