Sidebilder
PDF
ePub
[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

Note: Excludes emergency firefighting costs, which fluctuate from year to year due to weather and fuel conditions.

General

Over the ten-year period, the following changes have occurred:

[ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]

Energy, minerals, and lands activities have almost doubled, primarily as a result of greater development of onshore and offshore energy

resources.

The "traditional" BLM activities of forest management, cadastral
survey, and fire protection are much less predominant in the
Bureau's budget.

Rangeland management activities and recreation have remained
relatively constant as a percentage of the totals.

A smaller share of costs (about half as much) goes to administration.

Planning and data management costs are now a substantial part of the
Bureau's budget because of statutory requirements.

In addition to the programmatic changes that have occurred, the nature of funding requirements has also changed markedly. Using the same comparison (1972 and 1982), the following chart shows costs by object class.

[blocks in formation]

In 1982, as compared with 1972,

0 more of each BLM dollar is spent on

[merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]

contracted services

space, utilities, and communications (which have quadrupled
as a percentage of the total)

supplies, materials, and equipment

less of each BLM dollar is spent on

[merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Several efforts are currently underway to improve the development and administration of BLM's budget. First, the Bureau's budget process

is being thoroughly reviewed. Because the Bureau's budget is developed and implemented by 12 BLM state offices and 55 district and other field offices, it is critical that the decision-making process results in appropriate trade-offs and in decisions that can be efficiently implemented and that are responsive to changing priorities. The review now underway is expected to result in recommendations that will ensure clearly defensible budget priorities and improved targeting of limited funds and personnel to meet the most urgent requirements for managing the public lands.

Second, a review of the Bureau's financial management system is underway to develop more simplified reports that will be more useful to BLM managers at all levels.

Finally, the first steps of automating budget and planning data are being taken. Because the Bureau's programs involve so many subactivities (the funds for each of which must be controlled) and a decentralized field organization, it has become impracticable to manually "track" appropriated funds. Automation of the budget process will result in more accurate and efficient control of funds.

No increases in funds or personnel are requested for these efforts.

Conclusion

[ocr errors]

This budget responds to the needs that the Bureau must address as the manager of the Nation's largest block of lands lands which have both tapped and untapped resources for energy and minerals development; recreation, timber, and forage use; and historical, cultural, and environmental

values.

With existing funds and personnel, the Bureau has made significant improvements in its responsiveness to those needs and is exploring other possibilities to make its activities more cost-effective and efficient. At the same time, some of these needs require additional funds, outlined here and explained in more detail in the following justifications.

« ForrigeFortsett »