Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act - Appropriate Use of Subactivities, Program Elements (PE) and Project Code Assignment

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

October 11, 2007

In Reply Refer To:
2000 (350) P

EMS TRANSMISSION 10/11/2007
Instruction Memorandum No. 2007-205
Expires:  09/30/2008

To:                   All Field Office Officials

From:              Assistant Director, Minerals, Realty and Resource Protection

Subject:           Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act - Appropriate Use of  Subactivities, Program Elements (PE) and Project Code Assignment

Program Area:  Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act (FLTFA), P.L. 106-248.

Purpose:  This Instruction Memorandum (IM) revises guidance on the appropriate use of subactivities, PE’s, and project code assignments to be utilized for activities funded by the FLTFA.  These activities may occur at Bureau of Land Management (BLM) offices conducting FLTFA-qualified land sales, as well as BLM offices pursuing FLTFA-qualified land purchases within project areas approved by the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture.  This IM addresses FLTFA subactivities only and will be reviewed and modified, as necessary.  This IM replaces IM No. 2007-164 in its entirety.

This change to IM No. 2007-164 specifies that PE codes HN (Process Land Purchase/Donation), FM (Process Land Exchanges) and FO (Process Land Exchanges - Acquisitions) are excluded from utilizing Subactivity 5874/FLTFA Administration and Preparation of Federal Lands for Disposal (Sale) Expenses.

Policy/Action:  Activities performed by the BLM for FLTFA-funded land sales and FLTFA-funded land purchases will be assigned to one of the four subactivity accounts as follows:

Subactivity 5870/FLTFA Administration and Preparation of Federal Lands for Disposal (Sale)

Expenditures in this subactivity have been liquidated and replaced by Subactivity 5874 described below.

Subactivity 5871/FLTFA Land Acquisition (Purchase) Receipts

Expenditures by BLM in this subactivity are further defined by Subactivity 5872 and 5873 described below.

Subactivity 5872/FLTFA Land Acquisition (Purchase) Expenses

(Note:  Funds not required to be expended within the State where collected).

These funds are designated for land purchase and may be used for the actual purchase price of property, as well as costs associated with the purchase, e.g., staff workmonth costs, travel, appraisal, appraisal review, hazmat surveys, title, escrow, closing, etc.  The lands acquired and/or the costs to acquire these lands may be outside of the State in which the funds were collected and deposited.  None of these funds are available for administration of land sales.  Funds in this subactivity may be distributed to BLM State Offices and/or transferred to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, or U.S. Forest Service.  The utilization of this Bureauwide account will be at the discretion of the Assistant Secretary, Land and Minerals Management.  The Bureauwide account was established based on April 2007 balances.  Receipts received after April 2007 will be limited to new deposits as they occur.

Project Code required:  Yes, assigned by the BLM – National Business Center

Valid PE Codes:  AJ,EC,EQ,ER,HN,KD,PN,PO,XI,XJ

Subactivity 5873/FLTFA Land Acquisition (Purchase) Expenses

(Note:  Funds to be expended within the State where collected).

These funds are designated for land purchase and may be used for the actual purchase price of property, as well as costs associated with the purchase, e.g., staff workmonth costs, travel, appraisal, appraisal review, hazmat surveys, title, escrow, closing, etc.  The lands acquired and/or the costs to acquire these lands can be outside of the State in which the funds were collected and deposited.  None of these funds are available for administration of land sales.  The lands acquired and/or the costs to acquire these lands must be within the State in which the funds were collected and deposited.  Funds in this subactivity may be distributed to BLM State Offices and/or transferred to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, or U.S. Forest Service.

Project Code required:  Yes, assigned by the BLM – National Business Center

Valid PE Codes:  AJ,EC,EQ,ER,HN,KD,PN,PO,XI,XJ

Subactivity 5874/FLTFA Administration and Preparation of Federal Lands for Disposal (Sale) Expenses

(Note:  Use of this subactivity replaces use of Subactivity 5870.  Upon Secretarial discretion, these funds may be used for land acquisition through purchase).

Costs associated with administering the sales program may include staff workmonth costs, travel, appraisal, appraisal review, boundary surveys, hazmat surveys, resource (archeology, wildlife, etc.) surveys, title, closing, etc.  Funds in this subactivity are for the exclusive use of the BLM.

Project Code required:  No

Valid PE Codes:  AJ,EC,EQ,ER,ET,EU,FP,FQ,NH,NJ,KD,PN,PO,XI,XJ

States/Centers/WO valid to charge:  Yes to all

The distribution of funds described above illustrated in Attachment 1.

Timeframe:  This IM is effective upon receipt.

Budget Impact:  Compliance with this IM will improve implementation of the benefiting sub-activity policy.  No adverse impacts are anticipated.

Background:  The FLTFA was enacted in July 2000 and provides for the disposal of specific public lands on a Bureauwide basis.  Receipts from these land disposals are made available for the four land managers (BLM, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Parks Service, and U.S. Forest Service) for the purpose of acquiring inholdings and adjacent non-Federal lands with exceptional resources.  Public Law 106-248 will expire in July 2010 unless there is an extension. The BLM has recently identified priority acquisitions that would benefit the public, and is taking steps to purchase these lands as well as future acquisitions, prior to the expiration of this Act.

Manual/Handbook Sections Affected:  None.

Coordination:  Division of Budget (WO-880), Financial Programs and Investments Branch (BC-612), Business Information Systems Division (BC-640).

Contact:  Questions may be directed to:  For project assignment - Karen Rice, Financial Program and Investments Branch (BC-612), at 303-236-6326.  For program questions - David Beaver, FLTFA Program Lead, Division of Lands, Realty and Cadastral Survey (WO-350), at 202-452-7788.

1 Attachment

     1-Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act Table    (1p)