Laws, Regulations, and Policies

BLM Related Laws

The laws and regulations that govern that BLM's system of public lands have been primarily developed over the course of the 20th century, beginning with the BLM's "organic act" -- the Federal Policy and Land Management Act of 1976. These laws contain direction for the BLM in the management of minerals, wild horses and burros, recreation, energy, and cultural resources. Many of these laws, regulations, and policies are broadly applicable to the BLM, while others are specific to particular lands or resource types.

• Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA) (PDF)
• Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) (PDF)
• General Mining Laws (overview only, actual legislation in the future)
• Mineral Leasing Act and Amendments (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.) (PDF)
• The Federal Land Transfer Facilitation Act (P.L. 106-248) (PDF)
• The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971, as amended through 1/2006 (PDF)
• National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) (PDF)
• Cultural/Historic Protection and Preservation Acts
• Fee System for Commercial Filming Activities on Federal land (PDF)
• O&C Lands Act of 1937

BLM Related Regulations

• To see regulations topically organized and recent changes, click here
• To comment on proposed BLM regulations, click here
• Other BLM Regulatory Actions (including history of changes, etc.)

Federal Register Related

• Federal Register Notices 
• The manuals and handbooks that describe how BLM does its work
• Administrative court decisions concerning BLM-managed lands and actions: Interior Board of Land Appeals
• Search the Departmental library for Secretarial Orders and other documents
• See a list of Public Land Orders (PLO). To see a specific PLO (from 1995 to present, obtain the Federal Register citation and search here.

OR/WA Instruction Memoranda and Information Bulletins

• OR/WA Instruction Memorandums
• OR/WA Instruction Bulletins
• Search OR/WA IM/IBs