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Bureau of Land Management

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Open Recommendations (13 total)

Oil and Gas Development: Improved Collection and Use of Data Could Enhance BLM's Ability to Assess and Mitigate Environmental Impacts

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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Sort descending Recommendation Status
Bureau of Land Management The Director of the Bureau of Land Management should provide additional guidance to field offices on how to collect and use data collected during monitoring inspections and, in doing so, determine and implement an approach for using the data to assess the effectiveness of the agency's mitigation efforts, including its best management practices.
Open
In February 2024, Interior stated that it was updating its Information Technology system, AFMSS 2, to produce national reports identifying the monitoring inspections BLM conducts and for which resources and assessing whether mitigation efforts have been effective. The Bureau also intends to revise BLM WO IM-2009-224, Use and Application of Fluid Minerals and Environmental Monitoring Program Element - MW, to ensure the use of scientifically based data and more consistent, repeatable methodology. As the BLM incorporates aspects of the Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring protocols into its oil and gas monitoring, the agency will also implement a reclamation-monitoring database. The BLM will support these improvements with additional training. We will update this when we confirm that these actions have been taken.

Oil and Gas Development: Actions Needed to Improve Oversight of the Inspection and Enforcement Program

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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Sort descending Recommendation Status
Bureau of Land Management The Director of BLM should implement a risk-informed approach to scheduling and conducting internal control reviews that takes into account the risks to BLM's mission, such as those inherent in field offices' workload and workforce. (Recommendation 3)
Open
In June 2023, BLM issued a new oversight policy for its Oil and Gas Inspection and Enforcement program. This June 2023 policy states that it was developed in response to GAO's recommendations, replaces the prior oversight policy that required internal control reviews, and contains revised program oversight requirements that seek to identify and address workforce and training needs. However, GAO believes that the June 2023 policy does not address the intent of this recommendation because it does not contain a stated risk-based strategy to conduct oversight activities. For example, our 2019 report found that 58 percent of the program's workload was located at the 6 highest-activity field offices, which had 44 percent of the workforce. In contrast, the 6 lowest-activity field offices had 2 percent of the workload and 4 percent of the workforce. Under the June 2023 policy, these highest and lowest-activity field offices are required to conduct the same number and type of oversight tasks each year despite significant difference in the risk to BLM's mission. Documentation accompanying the June 2023 policy states that BLM has an inherent risk-based approach in the overall program. However, this risk-based approach is applicable to technical field inspections (e.g., drilling, abandonment, and production) and not to oversight tasks, which is the focus of our recommendation and the June 2023 policy.

Bureau of Land Management: Agency's Reorganization Efforts Did Not Substantially Address Key Practices for Effective Reforms

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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Sort descending Recommendation Status
Bureau of Land Management The Director of BLM should complete a strategic workforce plan that addresses how it will recruit for and fill vacant positions resulting from the relocations. (Recommendation 3)
Open
The agency neither agreed nor disagreed with our recommendation. As of February 2023, BLM has developed a workforce planning framework and project plan, but had not yet finalized a strategic workforce plan. The target date for creating the plan is September 2023. By finalizing such a plan that addresses recruitment, BLM will better ensure that it has the workforce necessary to fulfill the agency's mission and achieve its goals.

Oil and Gas Permitting: Actions Needed to Improve BLM's Review Process and Data System

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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Sort descending Recommendation Status
Bureau of Land Management The Acting Director of BLM should develop a documented process to consistently implement the APD prioritization process outlined in Instruction Memorandum 2013-104 at all field offices. (Recommendation 1)
Open
The Department of the Interior, on behalf of BLM, did not concur with this recommendation. As of November 2023, BLM has not taken steps to address this recommendation, and the agency continues to disagree with our recommendation.

Federal Oil and Gas Revenue: Actions Needed to Improve BLM's Royalty Relief Policy

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2 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Sort descending Recommendation Status
Bureau of Land Management The Director of BLM should evaluate its temporary royalty relief program, including the extent to which the policy met BLM's objectives—conserving oil and gas resources from becoming unrecoverable—and likely costs, such as forgone revenues—to inform any royalty relief decisions it may make in the future under the ongoing regulatory authority. (Recommendation 1)
Open – Partially Addressed
In an October 2021 letter addressing our recommendations, Interior concurred with this recommendation and stated that BLM planned to review its federal oil and gas permitting and leasing program. In April 2023, BLM had partially conducted an evaluation of its temporary royalty relief program and estimated that it had foregone at least $6 million in revenues as of mid-June 2021; BLM also stated that these numbers were not final and subject to change. However, BLM stated that it decided it would not specifically evaluate its royalty rate reduction program, but instead would evaluate its wider royalty rate reduction program as part of a rulemaking process. BLM planned to issue its rulemaking in spring 2023.
Bureau of Land Management The Director of BLM should update BLM's 1995 royalty handbook to provide specific, consistent, and transparent policies and procedures for royalty relief. (Recommendation 2)
Open
In an October 2021 letter addressing our recommendations, Interior concurred with this recommendation and stated that BLM planned to update its handbook by November 2023 to provide specific, consistent, and transparent policies and procedures for royalty relief. As of April 2023, Interior officials stated that BLM plans to propose updates to its leasing regulations in Spring 2023. After these regulations are finalized, BLM plans to work on updating its 1995 handbook to provide specific, consistent, and transparent policies and procedures for royalty relief.

Oil and Gas: Interior Should Strengthen Management of Key Data Systems Used to Oversee Development on Federal Lands

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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Sort descending Recommendation Status
Bureau of Land Management The Director of BLM should develop training plans for key data systems that identify users and how they will be trained. (Recommendation 3)
Open
Interior stated that the BLM will document a standard operating procedure and/or guidance for training users on key data systems. The BLM will also work closely with the National Training Center to create and maintain training resources and other materials for users throughout the life of key data systems. To implement this recommendation, BLM should finalize the training plans for key data systems. As of March, 2024, we continue to monitor actions to address this recommendation.

Oil and Gas: Interior Should Strengthen Management of Key Data Systems Used to Oversee Development on Federal Lands

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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Sort descending Recommendation Status
Bureau of Land Management The Director of BLM should define and document processes for developing and managing requirements for AFMSS II and MLRS in a manner consistent with existing or updated IT policies and guidance. (Recommendation 5)
Open
In May 2022, BLM issued guidance reiterating that its 2016 Capital Planning and Investment Control handbook should be used, and considers this recommendation addressed as a result. While the 2016 policy provides a broad framework for requirements, it does not specify in any detail BLM's expectations for how requirements are to be developed and managed for AFMSS II and MLRS. For example, our report highlighted a lack of definition regarding which stakeholders should be involved in providing input and at what stages when developing customer requirements. The 2016 handbook does not address such issues and therefore does not address the recommendation. As of March 2024, we continue to monitor actions to address this recommendation.

Bureau of Land Management: Better Workforce Planning and Data Would Help Mitigate the Effects of Recent Staff Vacancies

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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Sort descending Recommendation Status
Bureau of Land Management The Director of BLM should track data on vacancies and the use of details for all offices. (Recommendation 1)
Open
The Department of the Interior concurred with this recommendation. As of February 2024, Bureau of Land Management officials said the agency, via the Interior Business Center, is developing a model for vacancy tracking.

Bureau of Land Management: Better Workforce Planning and Data Would Help Mitigate the Effects of Recent Staff Vacancies

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1 Open Recommendations
1 Priority
Agency Affected Sort descending Recommendation Status
Bureau of Land Management
Priority Rec.
The Director of BLM should develop an agency-wide strategic workforce plan that aligns the agency's human capital program with emerging mission goals and includes long-term strategies for acquiring, developing, and retaining staff to achieve programmatic goals. (Recommendation 2)
Open – Partially Addressed
The Department of the Interior concurred with this recommendation. As of February 2024, the Bureau of Land Management developed a draft workforce planning framework and project plan, which we reviewed. The agency expects to implement its workforce plan in fiscal year 2025.