Policy for Placement of BLM/OIG Hotline Theft/Fraud Reporting Stickers

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240

September 25, 2009

In Reply Refer To:
3160 (310) P

EMS TRANSMISSION 09/29/2009
Instruction Memorandum No. 2009-217
Expires: 09/30/2010

To: All Field Officials

From: Assistant Director, Minerals and Realty Management
Subject: Policy for Placement of BLM/OIG “Hotline” Theft/Fraud Reporting Stickers

Program Area: Onshore Oil and Gas Program.

Purpose: This Instruction Memorandum (IM) provides guidance to Bureau of Land Management (BLM) field offices for placement of Theft/Fraud “Hotline” reporting stickers.

Policy/Action: The public is asked to report theft and vandalism to the BLM and fraud, waste, and mismanagement of any U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) program or operation to the Office of the Inspector General. This IM provides guidance on placement and distribution of stickers that furnish this information to the public.

Placement and Disposition of Stickers
Post on rear bumpers of government vehicles that are normally used in the field for the Oil and Gas Program (Inspection & Enforcement, Surface Protection, onsites, etc.).
Post on high visibility public BLM signs and facilities (office entrances, camp grounds, recreation sites, etc.).
Post at intersections of heavily used oil and gas roads by placing the sign/sticker on lands managed by the BLM. (Note: Many offices have an existing supply of “Carsonite” sign posts appropriate for the vertical stickers).
Field offices may contact local Indian Tribal offices/representatives to offer some of the stickers to place as they feel appropriate; the contacts must be documented.
At the discretion of the Field Office Manager, after items 1-4 above have been implemented, the field office may provide stickers to oil and gas operators, service companies, purchasers, or transporters who express an interest in placing them on their company vehicles or signage.

Timeframe: Effective immediately.

Budget Impact: Implementation of this IM may result in a minor and short-term increase in the time it takes to perform some field assignments as staff will place the stickers in conjunction with their regular duties.

Background: On December 17, 2007, the DOI Subcommittee on Royalty Management published a report entitled, “Mineral Revenue Collection from Federal and Indian Lands and the Outer Continental Shelf” (Royalty Management Report). This report includes over 100 recommendations to improve the way Federal and Indian mineral revenues are collected and verified. Task 4-6.1 addresses developing, implementing, and publicizing a toll-free “Hot Line” for the public to report possible theft of Federal or Indian minerals.

This IM addresses the DOI Subcommittee on Royalty Management Report Recommendations
4-6.1 and 4-6.6 and distribution of stickers asking the public to “Report theft and vandalism on Federal and Indian lands to the nearest Bureau of Land Management Office” and “Report Fraud, Waste and Mismanagement in the programs and operations of the DOI bureaus and offices to the Office of the Inspector General at www.doioig.gov/hotline or 1-800-424-5081.”

The Royalty Management Report recommendations state as follows:

4-6.1: BLM develop requirements and procedures for putting notice on facilities on Federal and Indian mineral leases;

4-6.6: BLM place notices on facilities.

Manual/Handbook Sections Affected: None.

Coordination: This IM was prepared in coordination with the National Operations Center.

Contact: If you have any questions concerning the content of this IM, please contact me at
202-208-4201, or your staff may contact Mike Wade, Oil & Gas Compliance Specialist, at
303-236-1930 or michael_wade@blm.gov.

Signed by: Authenticated by:
Timothy R. Spisak Robert M. Williams
Acting, Assistant Director Division of IRM Governance,WO-560
Minerals and Realty Management

2 Attachments
1 - StickrRevu030209 (1 p)
2 - StickrVertical030209 (1 p)