DOI Bureaus

Bureau of Indian Affairs

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) responsibility is the administration and management of 55.7 million acres of land held in trust by the United States for American Indians, Indian tribes, and Alaska Natives. There are 562 federal recognized tribal governments in the United States. Developing forestlands, leasing assets on these lands, directing agricultural programs, protecting water and land rights, developing and maintaining infrastructure and economic development are all part of the agency's responsibility. In addition, the Bureau of Indian Affairs provides education services to approximately 48,000 Indian students.

Bureau of Land Management

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages 264 million acres of surface acres of public lands located primarily in the 12 Western States, including Alaska. The agency manages an additional 300 million acres of below ground mineral estate located throughout the country. Originally, these lands were valued principally for the commodities extracted from them; today, the public also prizes them for their recreational opportunities and their natural, historical, and cultural resources they contain.

Bureau of Reclamation

The mission of the Bureau of Reclamation is to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public. Established in 1902, Reclamation is the largest wholesale water supplier in the country, delivering 10 trillion gallons of water to more than 31 million people. Reclamation manages 457 dams, and its 348 reservoirs have more than 90 million recreation visits annually. Reclamation is also the nation's second largest producer of hydropower and the tenth largest electric utility generating about 42 billion kilowatt hours a year.

Minerals Management Service

The Minerals Management Service (MMS), a bureau within the Department of Interior, regulates and manages the development of mineral resources in the Federal waters off the nation's shores. MMS also collects, audits and distributes all mineral revenues from these federal waters as well as from mineral resources on both Federal and Indian lands.

National Park Service

Created by Congress on August 25, 1916, the National Park Service (NPS) preserves, unimpaired, the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The National Park System of the United States comprises 388 areas covering more than 84 million acres in 49 States, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, Saipan, and the Virgin Islands. These areas are of such national significance as to justify special recognition and protection in accordance with various acts of Congress. The Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.

Office of Surface Mining

The Office of Surface Mining (OSM) mission is to carry out the requirements of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act in cooperation with States and Tribes. OSM's primary objectives are to ensure that coal mines are operated in a manner that protects citizens and the environment during mining, assuring that the land is restored to beneficial use following mining, and to mitigate the effects of past mining by aggressively pursuing reclamation of abandoned coal mines.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is the only agency of the U.S. Government whose primary responsibility is fish, wildlife, and plant conservation. The Service helps protect a healthy environment for people, fish and wildlife, and helps Americans conserve and enjoy the outdoors and our living treasures. The Service's major responsibilities are for migratory birds, endangered species, certain marine mammals, and freshwater and anadromous fish.

U.S. Geological Survey

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) serves the Nation as an independent fact-finding agency that collects, monitors, analyzes, and provides scientific understanding about natural resource conditions, issues, and problems. The value of the USGS to the Nation rests on its ability to carry out studies on a national scale and to sustain long-term monitoring and assessment of natural resources. Because it has no regulatory or management mandate, the USGS provides impartial science that serves the needs of our changing world. The diversity of scientific expertise enables the USGS to carry out large-scale, multi-disciplinary investigations that build the base of knowledge about the Earth. In turn, decision makers at all levels of government-and citizens in all walks of life- have the information tools they need to address pressing societal issues.