Land Survey Services Request (LSSR) Form, Per Departmental Manual "Standards for Federal Lands Boundary Evidence" (600 DM 5)

United States Department of the Interior
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Wyoming State Office
P.O. Box 1828
Cheyenne, WY  82003-1828
www.blm.gov/wy

In Reply Refer To:
9672 (957) P

                            March 6, 2018
                            
EMS TRANSMISSION:  3/6/2018
Instruction Memorandum No. WY-P-IM-2018-002

To:           Wyoming Leadership Team

From:       Associate State Director

Subject:    Land Survey Services Request (LSSR) Form, Per Departmental Manual “Standards for Federal Lands Boundary Evidence” (600 DM 5)

Program Area:  Management of Land Boundaries

Purpose:  The purpose of this Instruction Memorandum (IM) is to distribute the updated LSSR form.  This form supersedes the previously distributed Land Description Review Worksheet form and Request for Survey form.  This combined form includes a checklist that provides guidance to Wyoming Bureau of Land Management (BLM) employees in the types of transactions that require consultation with the Branch of Cadastral Survey.

Policy/ Background:
Standards for boundary evidence assessments should be conducted when high-risk lands adjoin a high-risk boundary (i.e., a boundary not clearly marked on the ground by an official survey). These assessments are a low-cost, quick process to minimize unintended encroachments. The final decision to proceed with transactions and commercial projects will still remain with the authorized officer.

The 600 DM 5 is Department of Interior’s (DOI) policy on the technical subjects contained therein, effective November 21, 2014. The DM is issued for the guidance of the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), National Parks Service (NPS), and the BLM. The DM supersedes the BLM IM No. 2011-122, when in conflict. 303 DM 7 remains the guidance applicable to Indian and BIA lands. Commercially available title insurance insures against many defects but not against boundary defects.  Assets have been based on errors or misrepresentations in the records, i.e., the land description may not describe the boundaries accurately or sufficiently. This is in fulfillment of Recommendations 5 and 8 of the DOI Inspector General Audit Report "Departments of the Interior Management of Land Boundaries," to develop and implement a plan to ensure that project managers coordinate with Cadastral Survey to evaluate boundary risks and to expand the procedures for boundary evidence models found in 303 DM 7.9 and to include conducting less costly boundary resolutions or assurances to a bureaus department-wide.  
The DM was prepared by the DOI Standards for Federal Lands Boundary Evidence Working Group, with membership from BOR, BLM, FWS, NPS, and SOL agencies and office.
 
Action:  Discontinue use of the Land Description Review Worksheet form (H-9600-1 – Cadastral Survey Handbook, Chapter I) and Request for Survey forms previously distributed.  The combined form will act as a single request for Cadastral Services.  This form does not replace the Cadastral Survey Service Needs Inventory, required by the Office of Management and Budget.

Timeframe:  This IM is effective upon approval.

Budget Impact:  Management of land boundaries does impact future budgets.

Manual/Handbook Sections Affected:  None

Attachment:  Cadastral Survey Services Checklist
                       Land Survey Services Request (LSSR) form, 600 DM 5

Contact:  If you have questions, contact Sonja (Suzie) Sparks, Acting Chief Cadastral Surveyor, WY (957), at (307) 775-6225 or s75spark@blm.gov.

Signed by:                           
Larry Claypool                       
Associate State Director                    

Authenticated by:
Jessica Camargo
State Director’s Office

2 Attachments
1-    Cadastral Survey Services Checklist (1 p)
2-    Land Survey Services Request (LSSR) form, 600 DM 5 (3 pp)

Distribution
Director, (350), 20 M Street S.E. 1        1
CF                                                          1