Bureau of Land Management
National Energy Policy
Implementation Plan

On May 6, 2001, The President issued his National Energy Policy. Since then, the Bureau of Land Management has been working on a plan to implement the Presidential directives. Over 20 of the recommendations within the National Energy Policy were identified as specifically affecting one or more of the Bureau's energy-related responsibilities. The Bureau identified 54 short- and long-term action items that will enable it to successfully implement the President's policy using innovation and new technologies, programs that protect the environment and ways to expand and diversify our energy resources. In implementing these action items, the Bureau will work closely with other federal agencies, state and tribal governments, local communities, industry and citizens of the U.S. to develop dependable, affordable and environmentally sound energy from the public lands.

NOTE: There have been some minor changes to remarks for some of the completed tasks. Also, tasks nos. 20, 33 and 51 have recently been completed and remarks on them provided. Task no. 43, listed as being completed, has been reviewed and revised. It has been restated and work on it is continuing.

The following is a list of the action items (tasks) that the Bureau is currently in the process of developing for use in the implementation of the National Energy Policy:

1. BLM will expedite completion of the ongoing Energy Policy Conservation Act (EPCA) study of impediments to federal oil and gas exploration and development. (details)
2. BLM will, based on the results of the EPCA evaluation, review lands status and lease stipulations. All changes will be considered with full public consultation through the land use planning process, especially with the people in the region.
3. BLM will evaluate royalty rate reductions and other incentives for enhanced recovery and extension of field life consistent with the receipt of fair market value. Where such steps require legislation, BLM will draft legislation proposals.
4. BLM will complete the rule making on bonding liability for onshore oil and gas operations.
5. BLM will develop common reclamation standards for oil and gas leases, and institute a reclamation monitoring policy to determine the efficacy of lease provisions to achieve reclamation.
6. BLM will explore innovative sources of funding for reclamation and other non- funded liability issues.
7. BLM will explore other regulation and policy changes relative to liability and reclamation, including the lease assignment approval policy and process, and the orphan well policy relating to legacy wells. It will also consider a single bond and common stipulations for both lease and related off-lease facilities and roads.
8. BLM will identify ways to expedite the process of approving Applications for Permits to Drill. (details)
9. BLM will complete unitization, suspension, and extension regulations for National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A). (details)
10. BLM will conduct biennial leasing in the northeast sector of NPR-A starting in 2002. (details)
11. BLM will prepare to hold lease sales in other NPR-A sectors, with the first sale scheduled for 2004.
12. BLM will work with the USGS on updating the undiscovered oil and gas resource estimates for the NPR-A. (details)
13. BLM will initiate environmental analyses for full field development within NPR-A by 2003.
14. BLM will continue ongoing operations associated with existing leases (Applications for Permits to Drill, Inspection and Enforcement, and National Environmental Policy Act) within the NPR-A area. (details)
15. BLM, should Congress so authorize, will evaluate and determine the necessary steps for an environmentally sound leasing and development program in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).
16. BLM will institute environmental and planning studies, if funding is available, for implementation of a best-practices leasing and development program. (details)
17. BLM will complete the re-permitting of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System by 2003. (details)
18. BLM will expeditiously review the application(s) anticipated for the North Slope natural gas pipeline(s). As a part of this effort, BLM will coordinate activities with the State of Alaska and the Canadian government.
19. BLM will identify methods to expedite the processing of pending geothermal leases. (details)
20. BLM will revise the Categorical Exclusion list to include geothermal resources and examine opportunities that could be added to the geothermal list. (details)
21. BLM will contract for a geothermal literature search and an identification of constraints to access. (details)
22. BLM will evaluate the availability of, and limitations on, use and access to public lands in order to increase renewable energy production, such as biomass, water, wind and solar energy. (details)
23. BLM will, for each hydropower licensing project, appoint a Project Manager and assemble a team of resource specialists to identify impacts, mitigation opportunities, and annual budget needs; identify hydropower projects within all Resource Management Plans; and work with other agencies to streamline and improve the application process. (details)
24. BLM will inventory and prioritize energy-related right-of-way applications. (details)
25. BLM will initiate coordinated, inter-governmental, interagency, Right-of-Way corridor planning efforts (including coordination with BLM land use planning for public lands efforts) in partnership with industry and public interest groups. (details)
26. BLM will expand its existing Right-Of -Way Project Manager Pilot Project (assigning ROW specialists to major and complex right-of-way applications on a bureau-wide basis) to include other federal and state agencies. (details)
27. BLM will work with all federal agencies that have responsibility for the review and analysis of energy-related right-of-way applications to expedite the process. (details)
28. BLM will initiate an internal review with all agencies of administrative processes for reviewing and granting right-of-way applications and remove or reduce impediments to timely decision-making. (details)
29. BLM will increase the availability of existing right-way-way training courses and work towards wider participation in such courses by appropriate federal and industry staff involved in right-of -way applications. (details)
30. BLM will finalize and publish BLM and USFS 1999 proposed right-of -way cost recovery regulations to increase cost recovery revenue.
31. BLM will develop a legislative proposal for Administration consideration to allow federal agencies to retain a portion of rental receipts (rather than returning receipts to the U.S. Treasury) paid by holders of right-of-way for use on federal lands. (details)
32. BLM will review its policies, practices, regulations and statutes to identify opportunities to expand the scope of existing coal and coal bed methane conflict policy to new and readjusted coal and oil and gas leases with the intent of adopting a uniform policy for revising or rewriting existing regulations, and/or developing legislation, as needed. (details)
33. BLM will improve our ability to meet the demand for federal coal sales through the Lease by Application Process. This will include a review of current Lease by Application Process to streamline procedures and reduce processing time. (details)
34. BLM will develop policy, regulatory revisions, or proposed technical amendments to the Mineral Leasing Act, as amended, to streamline coal lease operations, and eliminate obsolete leasing provisions, while maintaining environmental and fair-market value standards. This task will focus on actions that can be taken after a lease is issued.
35. BLM will provide timely royalty relief incentives for recovery of uneconomic or marginally economic coal resources through improved lease management.
36. BLM will look for opportunities to improve and streamline the management of the NEPA process for all energy resource proposals with all surface management bureau's offices and affected agencies. (details)
37. BLM will develop policy to encourage recovery of abandoned coal refuse with uncertain federal title. (details)
38. BLM will establish an internal mechanism with staff capability to coordinate bureau efforts and obligations associated with the implementation of energy-related programs and projects. (details)
39. BLM will form a Land Use Management Team to coordinate and facilitate efforts of BLM and USFS. (details)
40. BLM will issue guidance to ensure meaningful consultation with federally recognized tribal governments when assisting in the development of tribal energy resources; when implementing energy tasks which might affect trust resources and treaty rights; when energy tasks might affect areas on public land of concern to tribal communities; or when developing energy related regulatory policies on matters that significantly or uniquely affect tribal communities. (details)
41. BLM will enhance inspection and enforcement capabilities to ensure that inspections are completed and lessee/operators are notified of corrective action requirements in a timely manner to ensure that the public resources are protected. (details)
42. BLM will identify as energy-related "time sensitive' the land use plans to facilitate energy development and will ensure that those plans are completed within 2-3 years.
43. BLM will establish Regional Energy Teams to focus on, and resolve, specific regional energy issues by expanding the Federal Leadership Forum concept.
44. BLM will issue a Final Rule for amending current regulations concerning approval of rights-of-way for pipelines of 24 inches or more in diameter. (details)
45. BLM will develop strategy to encourage the use of biomass from public lands.
46. BLM will develop policy for encouraging the development of wind power on public lands. (details)
47. BLM will develop common measures of energy production.
48. BLM will explore the use of natural gas and alternative fuels for use in the Bureau fleet and facilities.
49. BLM will facilitate and promote the development of tar sands on federal lands.
50. BLM will facilitate the development of oil shale resources by making Federal lands available for leasing. (details)
51. BLM will develop procedures for cooperative mitigation of environmental degradation resulting from energy exploration and development. (details)
52. BLM will revise Onshore Order No. 1.
53. BLM will revise the “Gold Book.”
54. BLM will facilitate the speeding up of the permitting process electronically through E-Commerce.