Most Activities on BLM Oregon & Washington Managed lands to be Suspended due to Federal Government Shutdown

As a result of the Federal government shutdown, essentially all services provided by
the Bureau of Land Management will be suspended, with the exception of law enforcement and
emergency response functions. Approximately 4,000 recreation facilities, including visitor centers,
facilities, campgrounds, boat ramps and other recreation sites will be closed.

The BLM manages 245 million acres – more than any of the nation’s major natural resource agencies.

The BLM will maintain the minimum staffing levels required to ensure continued safe management of the nation’s energy resources,but issuing new oil and gas leases and permits will cease.
Limited work will continue to ensure safe operations of domestic energy supplies, including inspection
and enforcement activities for more than 190 oil and gas leases in Oregon and Washington, covering
over 320,000 acres.

Recreation activities on BLM-managed lands will be similarly impacted. Public lands receive more
than 57 million visitors every year, contributing more than $7 billion to local economies. In Fiscal Year
2012, Oregon and Washington received more than 8.4 million visitors every year contributing more
than $713 million to local economies.
The BLM in Oregon and Washington will furlough 1,967 of its approximate 1,994 employees during
the funding lapse. After the initial shutdown procedures are completed, the BLM will maintain a total
of 27 excepted employees with an additional 142 employees on call.
Suspended activities and services will include:
 non-emergency Abandoned Mine Land and hazardous-materials mitigation;
 processing of oil and gas drilling permits;
 processing of lease sales, permits and other non-emergency authorizations of onshore oil and
gas, coal and other minerals;
 permits and approvals for renewable energy and other rights-of -way issuances;
 Endangered Species Act and cultural clearances;
 range management restoration;
 wild horse and burro adoptions;
 sand and gravel permits;
 timber sales; and
 work on resource management plans, including those driven by court deadlines.
Suspended activities will resume once Congressional approves a budget for Fiscal Year 2014.
Because the BLM website will not be maintained for the duration of the shutdown, the BLM will be redirecting
to Interior’s site, where additional information will be available at:
www.doi.gov/shutdown
or
www.opm.gov