Electric Power Lines Rights-of-Way
The Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) Section 512 for Rights-of-Way
The FLPMA was amended in 2018 to include Section 512 which requires the BLM (and USFS) to issue regulations to govern review and approval of operations, maintenance, and fire prevention plans and agreements for vegetation and facility management on public lands within powerline ROWs on Federal lands.
On April 12, 2024, the BLM published a final rule titled “Update of the Communications Uses Program, Cost Recovery Fee Schedules, and Section 512 of FLPMA for Rights-of-Way” (89 FR 25964). It became effective on May 13, 2024. The final rule implements FLPMA Section 512. on BLM-managed lands and directs the BLM to “enhance the reliability of the electric grid and reduce the threat of wildfire damage to, and wildfire caused by vegetation-related conditions within electrical and distribution ROWs and abutting Federal land, including hazard trees.” Additionally, the rule includes provisions pertaining to ROW administration to address fire risks on public lands, such as ensuring that operating plans and agreements provide for long-term, cost effective, efficient, and timely inspection, operation, maintenance, and vegetation management of a ROW and on abutting Federal lands, including the management of hazard trees.
Details related to the policy implementation are addressed in PIM 2025-007 entitled “Routine Operations and Maintenance to Reduce Fire Risk on Electric Utility Rights-of-Way and Required Fire Prevention and Control Stipulations” issued on November 13, 2024.
The final rule and implementing policy addresses:
Routine (Non-Emergency) Operations & Maintenance Activities
Operating Plans or Agreements
Access
Temporary Staging Areas
Vegetation Management Activities
Emergency Operation & Maintenance Activities
Prescribed Fire
Fire Communications
Standard Fire Prevention and Control Stipulations
Master Operations and Maintenance and Consolidation (MOMAC)
Operations and Maintenance Plans for Electric Facilities on Bureau of Land Management Lands
Section 512 (3) of FLMPA requires a vegetation management, facility inspection and operation and maintenance plan that
Is prepared by the owner or operator of 1 or more electric transmission or distribution facilities to cover 1 or more electric transmission and distribution rights-of-way; and
Provides for the long term, cost-effective efficient, and timely management of facilities and vegetation within the width of the right of way and abutting Federal land, including hazard trees, to enhance electric reliability, promote public safety, and avoid fire hazards.
The following fillable template may be used by operators as a guide to streamline development of an operation and maintenance plan with appropriate appendices.
Template Downloads
The templates we’ve provided have highlighted fillable fields, colored instructional text, sample graphics, comments, and sample text to assist in development of a comprehensive O&M plan specific to the infrastructure owned and operated by your Utility for submittal to BLM.
Download the applicable Appendices templates corresponding to the resources involved in your Plan:
Finalization of the plans will be coordinated with the appropriate BLM Field Office. Please make sure that all highlighting, colored instructional text and comments are removed from the final document submission of your plan to the field office.