Mineral Management on Public Lands and the National Energy Policy

The National Energy Policy was submitted by the President earlier this year with several recommendations for improved management of energy resources on public lands. Energy production, transmission and conveyance on and across America's public lands are a key part of the policy. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), as the Nation's steward of the public lands, has been tasked with putting together and carrying out an implementation plan to address those recommendations consistent with its multiple use mandate, balancing the need to develop renewable and non-renewable resources with a responsibility for protecting other natural, cultural, and economic resources. In implementing these tasks the BLM must also work closely with other federal agencies, state and tribal governments, local communities, industry and the citizens of the United States. Several of the recommendations are aimed at giving greater access to energy mineral development, providing incentives to increase production of energy minerals and ensuring dependable, affordable and environmentally-sound energy from the public lands. This presentation will detail the recommendations of the National Energy Policy as they apply to public lands and the steps that the BLM is taking to put those recommendations into action.