Department of the Interior

Departmental Manual

 

Effective Date:  9/20/07

Series:  Organization

Part 135:  Bureau of Land Management

Chapter 3:  Office of the Director

 

Originating Office:  Bureau of Land Management

135 DM 3

 

3.1     Office of the Director.  The Director, as Chief Executive of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), formulates BLM policy and directs all activities of BLM.  The Director advises and assists the Assistant Secretary - Land and Minerals Management in overseeing national public land and resource management issues and all programs within the purview of BLM's responsibilities.  The Director maintains relationships with other Federal agencies, the Congress, Native American authorities, State and local governments, and private entities.  The Director carries out the programs and functions of the bureau with assistance from the following: 

 

3.2     Deputy Director, Operations.  The Deputy Director, Operations shares the Director’s responsibility for all BLM functions.  In the absence of the Director, the Deputy Director acts as Director.  The Deputy Director provides top-level executive direction and management continuity for all BLM programs and activities; oversees BLM-wide issue management; directs policy activities; and supervises the Assistant Directors, Directors of the National Offices, the National Operations Center, and the State Directors.

 

3.3     Deputy Director, Policy and Programs.  The Deputy Director, Policy and Programs shares the Director’s responsibility for all BLM functions.  In the absence of the Director, the Deputy Director acts as Director.  The Deputy Director addresses policy concerns associated with the Bureau's wide variety of multiple use activities; works closely with external stakeholders including State and local governments; and facilitates efforts to coordinate the Bureau's work within Interior and with other Federal Agencies and Congress.

 

3.4     Chief of Staff.  The Chief of Staff provides counsel, advice, technical expertise, and assistance to the Director in formulating and evaluating policy for significant and politically sensitive or urgent issues; maintains close review and coordination on items of a sensitive policy nature between the Director and high level officials throughout the Department; represents the Director and acts as the Director’s liaison in contacts with the White House staff, the Congress, and other Departments and Agencies, the public, and Government officials; and develops, coordinates, resolves, and implements a variety of special projects which are often highly sensitive and/or confidential.

 

3.5     Director, Office of Law Enforcement and Security.  The Office of Law Enforcement and Security (OLES) is responsible for establishing, coordinating, and implementing national policy, procedures, and standards for the bureau-wide law enforcement and investigations program.  OLES is also responsible for conducting investigations of crimes involving public lands and resources, providing functional oversight of the field level law enforcement program, providing technical advice on physical security of BLM facilities, coordinating HQ Office continuity of operations planning, and investigating incidents involving criminal misconduct by BLM employees.  The OLES develops partnerships with agencies and organizations to foster collaborative efforts in the protection of public lands and resources.  OLES also serves as the primary liaison to the Department’s Office of Inspector General on investigations involving BLM employees.  The Director is assisted by a Deputy Director, Assistant Deputy Director, national staff, Chief of Internal Affairs, Special Agents-in-Charge, State Staff Rangers, and special agents.

 

3.6     Office of the National Landscape Conservation System.  The Office of the National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS) consists of a Director, Deputy Director, and a national staff.  The NLCS is responsible for establishing and coordinating national policy, guidance, and procedures for managing components of the NLCS consistent with enabling legislation or Presidential Proclamation.  The NLCS is composed of National Monuments, National Conservation Areas, the Forest Reserve Cooperative Management and Protection Areas, outstanding Natural Areas, National Recreation Areas, Wilderness Areas, Wilderness Study Areas, National Wild and Scenic Rivers, and National Historic and Scenic Trails.  The NLCS also provides national leadership and policy development for the implementation of cooperative conservation, alternative dispute resolution, and environmental education.

 

3.7     Assistant Director, Renewable Resources and Planning (AD, RRP).  The AD, RRP is responsible for establishing policy and guidance for BLM’s planning, renewable and non-renewable resources, cultural and fossil resources, restoration, use allocation, collaborative action, environmental compliance, and science and geographic information systems programs.

 

          A.      The AD, RRP provides national leadership and develops and maintains processes and standards for all planning, environmental analysis, renewable resource management, non-renewable resource management and protection activities, including physical, biological, ecological, cultural, social, and economic components.  The Directorate develops national partnerships with organizations and agencies to foster collaborative engagement and to prevent or reduce litigation, appeals, and protests or to mitigate the impacts of such formal filings. 

 

          B.      The Directorate includes seven divisions – the Division of Planning and Science Support, the Division of Rangeland Resources, the Division of Fish, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, the Division of Cultural, Paleontological Resources and Tribal Consultation, the Division of Recreation and Visitor Services, the Division of Wild Horses and Burros, and the Division of Forest and Woodlands. 

 

3.8     Assistant Director, Minerals, Realty, and Resource Protection (AD, MRRP).  The AD, MRRP, is responsible for establishing and coordinating policy and guidance for BLM's minerals, realty, and resource protection programs, and the Public Land Survey System. 

 

          A.      The Directorate develops policy and guidance for the fluid minerals program; solid minerals programs, including leasable, mining-law and salable minerals; the lands and realty programs, the Public Land Survey System and Hazard Management and Resource Restoration, and Abandoned Mine Lands.  The Directorate provides national leadership and develops national partnerships with organizations interested in minerals, realty, and resource protection.  The Directorate is also responsible for BLM’s trust management for Indian minerals operations, surveys, and trust patent preparation. 

 

          B.      The Directorate includes three Divisions – the Division of Fluid Minerals, the Division of Solid Minerals, and the Division of Lands, Realty and Cadastral Survey.

 

3.9     Assistant Director, Fire and Aviation (AD, FA).  The AD, FA is responsible for establishing national policy, guidance, and standards; and maintains functional oversight and interagency coordination for all fire, aviation, radio program, and all-hazard activities.

 

          A.      The Directorate develops national partnerships with organizations and agencies to foster a collaborative approach to mitigating risks to communities and the environment while promoting economic opportunities.  The AD, FA provides operational wildfire protection and support services for all cooperating wildland fire fighting agencies.  The AD, FA provides leadership in protecting life, property, and ecosystems from damage by wildfires, and assists in enhancing ecosystem health, integrity, and diversity through the use of fire.  The Directorate also oversees BLM’s national aviation management services and the national radio communications program. 

 

          B.      The Directorate includes five divisions – the Division of Support Services, the Division of Fire Operations, the Division of Aviation, the Division of Fire Planning and Fuels Management, and the Division of National Radio Program Management.

 

          C.      National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC).  The Directorate provides a unit manager to the National Interagency Fire Center Governing Board for the management and operation of the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC).  The NIFC is a physical facility located in Boise, Idaho, at which a number of Federal agencies, including the BLM, maintain offices and operational entities.  Day-to-day supervision of the NIFC unit manager is the responsibility of the Deputy Assistant Director – Fire Operations, Fire and Aviation Directorate, in conjunction with an interagency governing board.  NIFC includes cooperating fire-related units from the Forest Service, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, a fire weather support unit from the NOAA National Weather Service; representatives from other wildland fire partner organizations such as the U.S. Fire Administration and the National Association of State Foresters; and National Law Enforcement and National Radio program management staff.

 

3.10   Assistant Director, Information Resources Management (AD, IRM).  The AD, IRM, serves as the BLM's Chief Information Officer and provides strategic direction and leadership for the Headquarters Office, National Operations Center, and District and Field Offices in BLM-wide IRM program management.

 

          A.      The AD develops policy and guidance; and provides leadership on the management, integration, and use of information resources management systems; information dissemination; data and records administration; and information access and security.  The AD also provides Information Technology program oversight and enforces policy compliance.

 

          B.      The Directorate includes five divisions – the Division of Investment Management, the Division of Information Resource Management Governance, the Division of Business and Technical Alignment, the Division of Information Technology Services, and the Division of Information Technology Security.

 

3.11   Assistant Director, Communications (AD, COM).  The AD, COM, develops and coordinates policy and guidance for BLM external communications with the media, Members of Congress, various Federal, State and local agencies, interest groups, schools, and members of the public.      

 

          A.      The Directorate provides strategic direction and oversight for public affairs, legislative affairs, regulatory affairs, and intergovernmental affairs, and for the design and content of the BLM web sites.

 

          B.      The Directorate includes three divisions – the Division of Public Affairs; the Division of Legislative Affairs, Intergovernmental Affairs and Correspondence; and the Division of Regulatory Affairs.

 

3.12   Assistant Director, Human Capital Management (AD, HCM).  The AD, HCM establishes, coordinates, and evaluates implementation of national policies and programs for management of BLM’s human resources, including personnel administration, workforce planning, equal employment opportunity, employee training and career development, student employment programs, and occupational safety and health. 

 

          A.      The AD, HCM prepares and maintains the BLM’s current and future plans and strategies for work force management and monitors program implementation in order to support management in attaining the BLM’s programmatic goals and objectives.  The AD, HCM develops operating policies and procedural guidance to support human resources management practices throughout the BLM; coordinates programs for subordinate organizations; and serves as consultant and primary resource person to the BLM Director, the executive staff, and State and Center Directors on matters related to the management of human resources.

 

          B.      The Directorate includes four divisions - the Division of Civil Rights, the Division of Special Initiatives and National Recruitment, the Division of Human Resources Policy and Workforce Planning, and the Division of Safety and Occupational Health.

 

          C.      The National Training Center (NTC).  The Directorate also includes the management and operation of the National Training Center (NTC).  The NTC, located in Phoenix, Arizona, provides training and related support services to BLM and other Federal employees.  The NTC is responsible for classroom instruction courses, distance learning, facilitated package courses, private vendor courses, and self-study courses.  In addition, the NTC solicits BLM managers and employees for training needs; designs and develops training courses; evaluates training programs; and maintains video production capability.

 

3.13   Assistant Director, Business and Fiscal Resources (AD, BFR).  The AD, BFR, is the Chief Financial Officer.  The AD, BFR manages all contracting activities for the BLM, and is responsible for establishing and coordinating policy and guidance for the BLM's business and fiscal management programs. 

 

          A.      The BFR Directorate is responsible for budget-related activities that include strategic planning and coordination, performance measurement, budget development and execution, fund control systems, management of fiscal assets, and accounting principles and standards.  The BFR Directorate is also responsible for business process related activities such as:  management controls and evaluations, organization management and analysis, strategic planning, process redesign and reengineering, and coordination with the Office of Inspector General and the Government Accountability Office and resolution of all audit recommendations and reports.  The BFR Directorate is responsible for acquisition and property management related policies such as:  acquisition of goods and services, real and personal property management, and Federal assistance programs.  The BFR Directorate also provides administrative support functions to the Washington Office.

 

          B.      The Directorate includes three divisions – the Division of Evaluations and Management Services, the Division of Business Services, and the Division of Budget. 

 

9/20/07 #3759

Replaces 7/12/00 #3311