Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is a U.S. DOI agency. It administers the Native American reserves held in trust for tribes, and works with trival governments for law enforcement and governmental services.
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Composition
The agency is overseen by the assistant secretary for Land and Minerals Management.
The agency is led by a director.
History
Congress provided for surveys of territories ceded to the federal government from the 13 colonies in the Land Ordinance of 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787.
In 1812, the General Land Office was established under the Treasury. When the DOI was established in 1849, the GLO was transferred to it. The GLO was overseen by a commissioner requiring presidential appointment with Senate approval.
Cleveland set aside forest reserves from GLO lands. In 1905, Roosevelt established the Forest Service to take over administration of these reserves.
In 1946, the GLO and Grazing Service were merged to establish the Bureau of Land Management.
Clinton established a practice of establishing national monuments on BLM lands; the agency remains responsible for administration of any monuments on its lands.
Trump relocated BLM to Grand Junction in 2020, prompting the vast majority of staff to depart. The headquarters returned to D.C. the next year.