Congressional Technical Assistance Response for Fiscal Year 2021 Land and Water Conservation Fund Core Project Submissions and Fiscal Year 2020 Land and Water Conservation Fund Recreational Access Submissions

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

July 12, 2019

In Reply Refer To:
2100 (350) P

EMS TRANSMISSION 07/22/2019
Instruction Memorandum No. 2019-040
Expires: 09/30/2022

To:                   All State Directors

From:               Assistant Director, Energy, Minerals and Realty Management

Subject:           Congressional Technical Assistance Response for Fiscal Year 2021 Land and Water Conservation Fund Core Project Submissions and Fiscal Year 2020 Land and Water Conservation Fund Recreational Access Submissions                                                           DD: 08/2/2019   

Program Area:  Land Acquisition.

Purpose:  The purpose of this Instruction Memorandum (IM) is to request submission of Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Core projects and FY 2020 Recreational Access land acquisition funding proposals to the Washington Office Division of Lands, Realty, and Cadastral Survey (WO-350). 

Administrative or Mission Related:  Mission.

Policy/Action:  This IM is a call for LWCF land acquisition funding proposals for FY2021.  Only those projects that enhance or expand recreation and public access opportunities or other eligible priorities (Attachment 1) will be considered.  The program guidance and submission formats are included in Attachments 1 through 6 of this IM.  A completed project data sheet (narrative), fact sheet, Land Acquisition Request Information (LARI), representative maps, GIS shape files of the parcel(s) to be acquired, and digital photographs must be included in the proposal submission.  Please submit your State package(s) with a cover letter designating the State Director’s priorities.

Timeframe:  Submissions are due to WO-350 by August 2, 2019, without exception.

Budget Impact:  Submission of annual proposals is expected to have minimal impact on the budget.

Background:  This request complies with Congressional Direction contained in the explanatory statement for the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019, Div. E of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 (P.L. 116-9), which states:

Agencies are directed to continue their longstanding process of identifying and prioritizing potential Federal land acquisition projects in anticipation of program appropriations as consistent with previous years.  Within 30 days of the submission of fiscal year 2020 budget or by March 1, 2019, whichever comes first, each agency is directed to submit to the Committees a prioritized list of projects for fiscal year 2020 consideration.

Funding proposals requested in this IM will initiate a selection process followed by funding recommendations presented to BLM leadership.  The FY 2021 funding level to be provided will be for the Core line project list.  Project submissions above that level will be considered for FY 2020 Recreational Access project submissions.

Submission information must not be released to external sources, as submission of the proposals does not guarantee funding or inclusion on the list to be submitted for Congressional Technical Assistance.

Manual/Handbook Sections Affected:  This IM transmits interim policy.  During the next revision, this policy will be incorporated into Chapter 4, Section 4A of H-2100-1, Acquisitions.

Coordination:  The WO-350 manages the development of the BLM’s annual LWCF land acquisition funding request.  This IM has been coordinated with the Resources and Planning Directorate and the National Landscape Conservation System and Community Partnerships Directorate.

Contact:  If you have questions concerning the content of this IM, please contact Nicholas Douglas at 202-912-7113, or your staff may contact Kathy Lawson, National LWCF Program Lead via email at klawson@blm.gov or by phone at (202) 912-7333.

Signed by:                                                                               Authenticated by:
Nicholas E. Douglas                                                               Robert M. Williams
Assistant Director                                                                   Division of Business Resources,WO-850
Energy, Minerals, and Realty Management

6 Attachments
     1 – LWCF Proposal Submission Process (2 pp)
     2 – Instructions for Project Data Sheets (2 pp)
     3 – Project Data Sheet (Narrative)-Blank Format (1 p)
     4 – Fact Sheet (1 p)
     5 – Land Acquisition Request Information (LARI) (2pp)
     6 – Instructions for Mapping Products and GIS Files (5 pp)