Requirement for Use of the Rangeland Administration System (RAS) Compliance Module
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240
http://www.blm.gov
December 27, 2007
In Reply Refer To:
4150 (220) P
EMS TRANSMISSION 01/23/2008
Instruction Memorandum No. 2008-054
Expires: 9/30/2009
To: AFO’s (except Eastern States and Alaska)
From: Assistant Director, Renewable Resources and Planning
Subject: Requirement for Use of the Rangeland Administration System (RAS) Compliance Module
Program Area: Grazing Administration.
Purpose: This Instruction Memorandum (IM) transmits policy that requires field offices to document all grazing authorization compliance inspections in RAS to ensure accurate and consistent reporting of inspections.
Policy/Action: The results of each grazing authorization compliance inspection (regardless of whether it prompts an investigation of unauthorized grazing use) must be recorded in RAS. The RAS is the official BLM grazing compliance recordation system and all compliance reports are derived from the RAS data. No other record systems (electronic or paper) may be developed or used to record and track compliance inspection results.
The RAS does not house unauthorized grazing use case records. If the results of a compliance inspection prompts an investigation of unauthorized grazing use, then separate forms (e.g. form 4150-1 Grazing Trespass Report) are completed as part of documenting the investigation and resolution of the unauthorized use case. Any additional information collected during a compliance inspection such as, but not restricted to: 1) condition of range improvement projects, 2) invasive species infestations, or 3) drought conditions, should be documented and stored in the allotment file or other files or systems as appropriate.
Compliance inspection results recorded in RAS will be used to populate the BLM Management Information System (MIS) in order to ensure accurate and consistent reporting. The headquarters office will not issue data calls for this information.
Timeframe: This policy is effective immediately.
Budget Impact: None. Compliance inspections are part of existing workloads.
Background: In response to an audit performed by the General Accounting Office (“BLM Efforts to Prevent Unauthorized Livestock Grazing Need Strengthening†GAO/RCED-91-17) the BLM developed and deployed a compliance scheduling and recordation module as a part of the Grazing Authorization and Billing System (GABS) in 1997. Instruction Memorandum 98-138 established policy that all grazing authorization compliance checks must be recorded in this system. This system’s functionality was carried forward into the RAS when GABS was rehosted and is now located in the RAS real-time transaction environment.
Field managers set compliance schedule parameters within RAS that determine the number of compliance checks that are to be performed. Permits and leases with cases of unauthorized use within the previous three years are automatically scheduled for compliance checks. Authorizations without cases of unauthorized use or non-compliance, during the same time period, are selected randomly based on the parameters set by the field manager. Instructions for generating compliance check lists and entering compliance check results are located in Chapter 6 of the RAS Users Guide.
Manual/Handbook Sections Affected: Upon revision, Handbook H-4150-1 will reflect this policy.
Coordination: This policy was coordinated between the National Operations Center, Division of Resources Services and Headquarters, Division of Rangeland Resources.
Contact: If you have questions regarding these matters, please contact Ken Visser (WO-220) at (775) 861-6492, kvisser@blm.gov), Leon Pack (ST-170) at (303) 236-0156, lpack@blm.gov or Philip Cooley (ST-170) at (303) 236-3693, pcooley@blm.gov.
Signed by:
Authenticated by:
Donald L. Glenn
Robert M. Williams
Acting, Assistant
Division of IRM Governance,WO-560
Renewable Resources and Planning