This Memorandum of Understanding between the Western States Land Commissioners Association (WSLCA) and the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is to facilitate an ongoing, cooperative relationship between these organizations related to the management of public lands and resources in the western United States,
WHEREAS, the WSLCA consists of 23 states which together manage more than 370 million acres of state land throughout the west, including minerals and submerged and submersible areas; and
WHEREAS, the BLM is the primary multiple use land management agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior and manages approximately 270 million acres of federal land and another 300 million acres of federal mineral estate under other surface ownership throughout the west; and
WHEREAS, the WSLCA member states and the BLM are often adjoining or intermingled landowners and regularly interface on a wide variety of public land and resource issues affecting public lands and resources in the west; and
WHEREAS, the WSLCA and the BLM recognize the need to better define, formalize and maintain a continuing and cooperative relationship between their respective organizations on matters of mutual interest, concern and responsibility.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the WSLCA and the BLM hereby agree to facilitate and strengthen their cooperative relationship in the following manner:
1. The WSLCA President and the BLM Director will meet at least annually to identify and discuss issues of mutual concern and interest, facilitate interagency cooperation, and explore their mutual objectives. It is the intent of the President and Director that these meetings provide the basis for an ongoing, cooperative relationship between the organizations,
2. The WSLCA invites the BLM Director and other high level BLM representatives to all future WSLCA meetings and will to the extent practicable involve the BLM in future WSLCA meetings.
3. Whenever possible, the WSLCA will consult with the BLM prior to adoption of any WSLCA resolutions which might directly impact the BLM or its responsibilities. Copies of all adopted WSLCA resolutions will be forwarded to the BLM Director.
4. The WSLCA and the BLM agree to work cooperatively to identify and promote further consistency and compatibility between state and federal public land management standards and techniques, including computer systems, electronic mail, mapping, satellite imagery, geographic information systems, land records, surveys, appraisals, library reference material and related systems.
5. The WSLCA and the BLM agree to work cooperatively to fulfill outstanding state in-lieu land selections and other state land entitlements as well as to consider land exchanges which will consolidate ownership patterns and otherwise address mutual benefits.
6. The WSLCA and the BLM agree to identify and explore additional opportunities for cooperation and beneficial relationships, including training, educational programs, environmental statements, wildfire management, trespass enforcement, land use planning, cooperative land and resource management, access management, and interagency staff assignments/exchanges.
7. The WSLCA and the BLM agree that the future health, diversity and productivity of public land in the west is dependent upon the application of ecosystem management. The parties agree to work cooperatively on ecosystem management programs which encompass both state and federal land.
8. The WSLCA and the BLM agree to attempt to use, where appropriate, alternative conflict resolution techniques.
9. This Memorandum of Understanding shall not be construed to obligate the financial resources of either party. The parties agree to review the MOU for possible revisions at least annually. This MOU shall continue in effect, unless terminated by either party after 60 days prior written notice to the other party.
Agreed to this 2 day of December 1994 by Gary Gustafson, President Western States Land Commissioners Association and Michael Dombeck, Acting Director of the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of the Interior.