Is BLM land open? New system lets you know

When an emergency comes up, it sometimes closes public lands. It could be something unforeseen that poses a public safety risk. It might be a special event like an off-road vehicle race. On BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land, there hasn’t been a way to quickly put out the word. You might wonder, is BLM land open where I want to go, or not? Now the BLM has moved into the 21st century with a new system that gets the word out.

“Modernized” announcement system

The BLM has a new rule that modernizes the way it lets the public know about temporary closures and restrictions. It could be the last U.S. public land agency to do it. The National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service have evidently shown the BLM how to do it. BLM will now use modern and widely available communication tools instead of publishing notices in the Federal Register.

“It is important that we are able to reach the most people in our communities when we have temporary closure notices,” said Tom Heinlein, BLM Assistant Director for National Conservation Lands and Community Partnerships. “Posting this kind of notice online and on local media allows us to better coordinate with partners like the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, and state and local law enforcement and public safety agencies, who are not required to publish Federal Register notices when temporary restrictions are needed.”

Is BLM land open? No need to wait for the Federal Register

The change applies only to temporary closures and restrictions typically used for emergencies that pose unforeseen safety or health risks or special events such as off-road vehicle races. The rule requires temporary closure notices be posted online, and distributed through local media. The notices must specify start and end dates and times for the order.

Existing rules already allow Fire Prevention Orders and fire-related temporary closures and restrictions to take effect without publishing a Federal Register notice. In practice, the BLM continues to use modern communications and media tools to notify the public broadly and directly about management actions and decisions.

“Every year, more and more visitors are using America’s public lands, and our mission to ensure public health and safety and protect the resources these lands offer continues,” said BLM Director of Law Enforcement and Security Jason O’Neal. “Modernized regulations improve our ability to effectively carry out this mission in coordination with our state and local partners, especially when emergencies or other unforeseen circumstances arise. Updating this rule gives us the agility we need to better serve and protect people and the places we all value.”

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 Western states, including Alaska. With all that area, it’s important to know, is BLM land open?

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