Areas of Critical Environmental Concern National Geospatial Dataset

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

December 7, 2018

In Reply Refer To:
8342 (250) P

EMS TRANSMISSION 12/12/2018
Instruction Memorandum No. 2019-019
Expires: 09/30/2021

To:                   All Field Office Officials

From:              Assistant Director, Resources and Planning

Subject:           Areas of Critical Environmental Concern National Geospatial Dataset     DD: 01/03/2019 and 03/01/2019                               

Program Area: Resource Management Planning.

Purpose: This Instruction Memorandum (IM) provides guidance and direction for Bureau of Land Management (BLM) staff at state, district, and field offices to update and enhance the Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) national geospatial dataset for use in reporting national-level 2018 Public Land Statistics (PLS).

Policy/Action: This IM directs all state, district, and field offices to: 1) update the existing ACEC national geospatial dataset to include counts and acreage calculations for ACECs and Research Natural Areas (RNAs) that can be used to generate the 2018 PLS; and 2) populate the ACEC dataset with Relevant and Important (R & I) Values to allow for consistent and accurate national level reporting.

Administrative or Mission Related: Mission.

Timeframe:  For the first PLS update, all necessary ACEC edits should be within the BLM State Publication Geospatial Database for ACECs and Research Natural Areas (RNAs) by January 3, 2019, so they can be part of the BLM’s National Compilation process that happens on the first Friday of every month. The updates of R & I values should be completed by March 1, 2019.  The WO-210 will monitor and report progress to WO-100 on this effort beginning January 3, 2019.

Budget Impact:  Planning data management and maintenance is considered a base program workload and the overall impact to budgets will be minimal.

Background: 

ACEC Geospatial Data

The BLM’s ACEC geospatial database, which also includes RNAs, was developed by BLM planning subject matter experts and the National Operations Center (NOC) data management staff.  Instruction Memorandum (IM) 2010-113 Areas of Critical Environmental Concern Boundary Data Standard directed all offices to use the ACEC Boundary Data Standard when developing, amending, or maintaining digital ACEC boundary datasets.

ACEC and RNA Reporting in the Public Land Statistics

In the past, the BLM Washington Office Division of Decision Support, Planning and NEPA (WO-210) has made an annual data request to the states for ACEC information to contribute to the PLS. For the 2018 PLS, WO-210 will not issue a data call, and instead will calculate the needed metrics from the ACEC national geospatial dataset. However, the counts and acreages reported in the 2017 PLS are currently different from the information in the ACEC national geospatial dataset for most BLM states. All offices are to make any necessary updates so that the national geospatial dataset can be used for reporting at the beginning of calendar year 2019.

R & I Values

The BLM has a need to create and maintain a database of BLM’s ACECs that includes the following details: Location, BLM State and District, Resource Management Plan, and Identified Relevant and Important (R&I) Values. The ACEC national dataset is updated by the states each month, and the NOC reports that as of August 8, 2018, the ACEC dataset is 99.3 percent compliant with the established standard. However, this does not measure completeness of the dataset, which is an important metric when trying to use a dataset for reporting and analysis. Currently, only about 33 percent of ACECs in the national dataset have any R&I values entered, limiting the ability to report organizationally on this information in a consistent manner.

Manual/Handbook Sections Affected: This IM supplements the guidance contained in the BLM’s Land Use Planning Handbook (H-1610-1).

Coordination: This IM was coordinated with the Division of Decision Support, Planning, and NEPA (WO-210) and the National Operation Center, Division of Resource Support (OC-535).

Contacts: For questions regarding data standards, contact Tom Chatfield, NOC Data Standards Implementation Manager, OC-535 at 303-236-1936; Annie Ebbers, Planning and Environmental Coordinator at 202-912-7269; or Patrick Mahoney, Geospatial Program Manager, WO-210 at 202-912-7214. 

Signed by:                                                                   Authenticated by:
Kristin Bail                                                                  Robert M. Williams
Assistant Director                                                       Division of Business Resources,WO-850
Resources and Planning

4 Attachments
     1 - ACEC report from the 2017 Public Land Statistics (1 p)
     2 - Google spreadsheet for coordinating the updating of database values between Planning and Geospatial staff (13 pp)
     3 - Link to Established Standards on NOC Data Management Sharepoint (1 p)
     4 - Instruction Memorandum (IM) 2010-113 Areas of Critical Environmental Concern Boundary Data Standard (2 pp)