BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

II. METHODOLOGY

• The BLM's drug control program is a proportionate share of its law enforcement activities, comprising less than one-half percent of the BLM's current Appropriation Account. The BLM's primary drug control efforts focus on specific public land drug problems, such as marijuana cultivation, drug manufacturing sites, and drug distribution and trafficking. The marijuana cultivation, drug manufacturing and smuggling activities directly increase domestically available drugs and endanger the public land resources, public land users, and Federal employees. These activities also affect BLM's legitimate abilities to effectively manage the public lands.

III. PROGRAM SUMMARY

• The BLM is responsible for the management of approximately 264 million acres of Public Land located primarily in the western United States and Alaska. Most of BLM's lands are remote and relatively uninhabited which create continuing problems with drug activities. These drug activities adversely impact resources (e.g., diversion and pollution of waters, contamination of soil with hazardous wastes, extermination of wildlife, and destruction of timber and vegetation, etc.) and are continuing safety hazards to visitors who utilize the recreational and wilderness opportunities available on the public lands. Illicit drug activities also present continuing hazards to BLM employees who work and manage the public lands.



• All of BLM's activities support Goal 5 of the National Drug Control Strategy.



• The focus of the reinvigorated drug enforcement program for the BLM is to eliminate marijuana cultivation, drug manufacturing and distribution/trafficking which either directly impact the public land resources or public safety of those who utilize the public lands. BLM's drug enforcement efforts concentrate on reducing the domestic production of marijuana, drug manufacturing and distribution/trafficking which occur on or impact the public lands.



• BLM's program focuses on field patrol, detection and investigative activities, and cooperative support to state and local law enforcement agencies affecting public lands. The BLM's activities focus on eliminating marijuana cultivation and other drug activities on public lands.



• The BLM's anti-drug priorities are to counter illegal drug activities on public lands by:



• Enforcing all applicable laws and regulations relating to the cultivation, manufacturing, distribution and possession of controlled substances on public lands, including the protection of persons and property from harm resulting from illegal drug activity;



• Seeking aggressively the prosecution of manufacturers, growers, traffickers, and drug users on the public lands;



• Coordinating drug law enforcement detection and suppression activities with other Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to maximize available resources to protect the public lands;



• Obtaining and coordinating drug-related intelligence to assist in investigation, interdiction and prosecution efforts;



• Increasing air and ground patrols to detect and eradicate drugs cultivated on the public lands; and



• Continuing the eradication of cultivated marijuana or any other illegal substance on the public lands.

IV. BUDGET SUMMARY

1997 Base Program

• BLM's FY 1997 drug program provides $5.0 million in funding and 33 FTEs.



• BLM will provide support to drug interdiction efforts on public lands adjacent to the U.S.- Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders when requested. Information indicating drug smuggling activities on public lands will be referred by BLM law enforcement officers to Federal Agencies having primary interdiction responsibilities. However, when such smuggling activities immediately threaten public lands resources or their users, BLM law enforcement officers will initiate action to protect those resources or users.



• BLM will concentrate its drug enforcement funds on specific drug problems occurring on public lands such as marijuana cultivation and drug manufacturing which directly endanger natural resources, public land users, and BLM employees.

• The FY 1998 drug program will continue at the same funding level as FY 1997 at $5 million. These resources will allow BLM to continue its drug control activities at their current level.



• Investigations, Prevention, Detection, and Eradication: In FY 1998 the Drug Control Coordinators located in the 12 BLM State Offices, along with special agents, law enforcement rangers, and support personnel, will continue to detect, investigate, and eradicate drug activity on public lands. Interagency cooperation will be encouraged to maximize existing resources from all agencies, including the participation in multi-agency rural crime and drug enforcement task forces.



• Intelligence: The BLM will continue to provide intelligence information, to support intelligence communications center and incident tracking network, and to expand data sharing among all law enforcement agencies. BLM will continue its Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with U.S. Customs to access their Treasury Enforcement Communication System (TECS/IBIS) which provides BLM access to criminal investigative information.



• State/Local Assistance: In FY 1998 the BLM will continue utilizing funded and unfunded law enforcement agreements with state and local law enforcement agencies. These cooperative agreements are designed to assist the BLM in identifying, investigating, and prosecuting drug law violations that occur on or affect public lands. Specific agreements may also provide assistance and backup to field law enforcement officers. Coordination activities will be focused on reducing drug production on the public lands through continued cooperative efforts. Liaison efforts with county sheriffs, the National Guard, and state enforcement agencies will continue to ensure coordination of special operations.

V. PROGRAM STATISTICS

	1996 Estimate	1997 Estimate	1998 Projected
Drug Investigations	200	350	350

VI. PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• BLM law enforcement officers in California and Oregon have successfully prosecuted a number of marijuana cultivation cases in Federal and state courts. Also, BLM law enforcement officers in Arizona have participated in numerous multi-agency drug interdiction operations with Customs and the Border Patrol.