Implementation of ePlanning for Resource Management Planning (RMP) Support and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) during Fiscal_Year (FY2009); DD: 02/13/2009

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240
http://www.blm.gov/

February 3, 2009

In Reply Refer To:
1611 (210) P

EMS TRANSMISSION 02/10/2009
Instruction Memorandum No. 2009-068
Expires: 09/30/2010

To:
All Washington Office and Field Office Officials

From:
Director

Subject:
Implementation of ePlanning for Resource Management Planning (RMP) Support and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) during Fiscal_Year (FY2009)
DD: 02/13/2009; 02/20/2009

Program Area: Renewable Resources and Planning

Purpose: This Instruction Memorandum (IM) reaffirms the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) commitment to ePlanning and transmits implementation decisions for ePlanning during FY2009. Assignments to certain offices are made. Requests for additional volunteer offices to be trained and supported during FY2009 and for ePlanning Lessons Learned Reports are made. An ePlanning Assessment Team is established.

Policy/Action: The BLM and the Department of the Interior (DOI) remain committed to fulfilling the goals of ePlanning within the next few years. Based on feedback in the ePlanning for NEPA Implementation Plans, time and effort spent to resolve application bugs, and in consideration of the recommendations of the Field Committee on November 14, 2008, as well as the decision of the Information Technology Investment Board (ITIB) Chair on December 18, 2008, ePlanning will be implemented with a reduced schedule during FY2009.
Alaska, Colorado and Idaho offices will continue using ePlanning for Resource Management Plans (RMPs) in at least one office per State. Use of ePlanning for NEPA will also be encouraged in these offices as training and support will be provided. Support could include post training support, import of legacy documents, and/or possible additional field office funding for Super User or other support purposes.
This IM modifies IM-2008-151 and the schedule for implementation of ePlanning for RMPs and NEPA. Offices desiring to request volunteer status for this year should indicate such interest by February 13, 2009, to Karla_Bird@blm.gov so that a final training schedule can be developed and additional resources can be allocated.
An additional limited number of volunteer offices may continue working on existing RMPs, new RMP starts, and NEPA using ePlanning in 2009. Offices that have been trained in the use of ePlanning, but not identified as the one office in CO, AK, or ID, may choose not to use ePlanning during FY2009. However, these offices will be required to catch up use of the application when fully implemented at a later date. Substantial training and support will be available to all ePlanning offices this year.
The Assistant Director, Renewable Resources and Planning (AD-200) in consultation with the Assistant Director, Information Resources Management (AD-500) and National Operations Center (NOC) has determined that a cross-organizational assessment would provide the most objective evaluation of the ePlanning application. A team is being organized by the Division Chief, Washington Office (WO-210). The completed assessment will seek to determine any modifications to ePlanning, including application simplification, functionality, and support needs for full implementation of ePlanning in FY2010 and beyond.
All offices that have used ePlanning V. 2.0 during FY2008 or before are required to submit a report of Lessons Learned from ePlanning to Karla_Bird@blm.gov by February 20, 2009. These reports will inform the assessment team. Reports should use the suggested format in the attachment below and should not repeat points made in the State NEPA Implementation Plans responsive to IM-WO-2008-151.
Implementation of ePlanning, while slowed during 2009, continues to be a priority for full deployment under the auspices of the Department of Interior Blueprint for Planning. Catch-up phases for implementation of BLM’s ePlanning application for all offices will occur during FY2010 and beyond. Therefore, volunteer offices are encouraged to participate during FY2009 in order to assist in the piloting and further assessment of ePlanning for land use planning and for NEPA while substantial training and support is available.
Timeframe: This IM is effective immediately. Offices are requested to volunteer for ePlanning training, support and use during FY2009 by February 13, 2009. Those offices that have been using ePlanning must provide Lessons Learned reports by February 20, 2009.

Budget Impact: This IM reduces the BLM-wide training costs of implementing ePlanning during FY2009 from what was anticipated in IM-2008-151 and redirects necessary funds for enhanced training and support to the limited number of volunteer offices. Cost savings for the implementation of ePlanning may be realized following a cross-organizational assessment of ePlanning during FY2009.

Background: The DOI has approved and is in the process of implementing the Management Planning and NEPA Blueprint http://www.myinterior.doi.net/oepc/mpnblueprint/mbt.htm for
all agencies within the DOI. One of the recommendations of the Blueprint is that ePlanning become the Interior Land Management Planning System (ILMPS). The BLM’s goal is to complete ePlanning implementation prior to implementation of ILMPS in FY2010; however this timeframe may not be met due to a reduction in the number of offices implementing ePlanning during FY2009. There remains a very aggressive implementation schedule since this affects one of the BLM’s core business processes. While helping to make the Planning and NEPA processes more consistent and efficient on an enterprise-wide level, ePlanning is complying with the BLM policy of data standardization.

Manual/Handbook Sections Affected: BLM Handbook H-1790-1 NEPA, and Land Use Planning Handbook H-1601-1.

Coordination: This IM has been coordinated between the ePlanning team at the National Operations Center and WO-210.

Contact: Questions may be directed to Karla Bird, Acting Division Chief, Decision Support, Planning and NEPA, at (202) 557-3585; or Carol-Anne Murray; Planning and Environmental Analysis (202) 557-3568.

Signed by: Authenticated by:
Michael Nedd Robert M. Williams
Acting, Director Division of IRM Governance,WO-560

1 Attachment
1 - Format for Lessons Learned Report (3 pp)