About the Interior Board of Land Appeals
The Interior Board of Land Appeals (IBLA) is an appellate review body. Its administrative judges decide appeals from bureau decisions relating to the use and disposition of public lands and their resources, mineral resources in the Outer Continental Shelf, and the conduct of surface coal mining operations under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act.
The bulk of IBLA appeals involve decisions of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) relating to a host of public lands issues, including mining, grazing, energy development, royalty management, timber harvesting, wildfire management, recreation, wild horse and burro management, cadastral surveys, Alaska land conveyances, rights of way, land exchanges, and trespass actions. Other appeals involve decisions of the Minerals Management Service (MMS) regarding royalty management and offshore operations, the Bureau of Indian Affairs regarding minerals management on Indian lands, and the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement regarding surface coal mining operations. IBLA also decides appeals from decisions of administrative law judges in OHA's Departmental Cases Hearings Division.
IBLA is headed by a Chief Administrative Judge. Its decisions are final for the Department and may be appealed to the United States district courts.
Contact Information
Interior Board of Land Appeals
Office of Hearings and Appeals
U.S. Department of the Interior
801 N. Quincy Street, Suite 300
Arlington, VA 22203
703-235-3750 (voice)
703-235-8349 (facsimile)
Key Personnel
H. Barry Holt, Chief Administrative Judge
Bruce R. Harris, Deputy Chief Administrative Judge
Sara B. Greenberg, Administrative Judge
Geoffrey Heath, Administrative Judge
Lisa K. Hemmer, Administrative Judge
James K. Jackson, Administrative Judge
Christina S. Kalavritinos, Administrative Judge
R. Bryan McDaniel, Administrative Judge
T. Britt Price, Administrative Judge
James F. Roberts, Administrative Judge
Margaret E. Walsh, Docket Attorney
Resources
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Data Sheet
Procedural Regulations for Cases before the Interior Board of Land Appeals
