For Additional Information:  Crystal Cowan, 405-826-3057

BLM & BIA sign Records of Decision for Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas Final Joint Environmental Impact Statement, BLM Resource Management Plan, and BIA Integrated Resource Management Plan

NORMAN, Okla. – On March 11, 2020, the Bureau of Land Management New Mexico State Director signed the Record of Decision for the Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas Final Joint Environmental Impact Statement associated with the Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas Bureau of Land Management Resource Management Plan. In addition, the Bureau of Indian Affairs Regional Directors for the Southern Plains and Eastern Oklahoma Regions signed RODs for their respective Bureau of Indian Affairs Integrated Resource Management Plans. These signify a revised framework for the management of public lands and minerals across Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas. The revised land use plan implements land use and resource management decisions for public lands managed under both BLM and BIA jurisdiction.

Together, the proposed BLM and BIA land use plans enable each agency to manage lands under its administrative authority across the planning area. Within the planning area, the BLM administers 15,100 acres of public land and 4,810,900 acres of Federal mineral estate; the BIA Eastern Oklahoma Regional Office manages 394,200 surface acres and 2,033,500 acres of mineral estate; and the BIA Southern Plains Regional Office manages 457,500 surface acres and 632,000 acres of mineral estate acres. The BIA-administered trust lands include multiple tribal jurisdictional boundaries.

The BLM RMP and BIA IRMP update land use management decisions for resource values, such as vegetation, fish and wildlife, energy and minerals, lands and realty, recreation and others. The document also facilitates future environmental analysis and permitting of Indian minerals.

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BLM land use plans and planning decisions provide the basis for every on-the-ground action the BLM undertakes. The BLM RMP serves as a broad resource management tool directing land allocations, authorized uses, and science-based protections for BLM-administered Public lands, including federally-managed surface estate and mineral estate. Land use plans ensure public lands are managed in accordance with the intent of Congress as stated in the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA, 43 U.S.C. 1711-1712), under the principles of multiple-use and sustained-yield. Sections 201 and 202 of the FLPMA and the regulations in 43 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1600 establish requirements for BLM land use planning. The RMP revision process updates resource uses and protections as BLM acquires new information and knowledge of new circumstances relevant to land and resource values, uses, and environmental concerns. The Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas RMP Revision project is an effort to revise the three existing RMPs  under the BLM Oklahoma Field Office's authority. The revised, consolidated OKT RMP will replace the following RMPs: the 1994 Oklahoma RMP, as amended; the 1991 Kansas RMP; and the 1996 Texas RMP, as amended.  A BLM RMP typically provides resource management direction for approximately 15-20 years. The BLM issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) in the Federal Register on July 26, 2013 announcing the Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas RMP Revision and associated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) development.