BLM Land Exchanges

Having spent literally hundreds of hours of staff time working with reporter Warren Olney, we are surprised and disappointed with his poor understanding of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) land exchange program in California (“Psst, Wanna Buy 5 Acres for $100?” Commentary, Jan. 7).

The BLM exchanges land for fair market value. Qualified BLM appraisers are required under laws set by Congress to find current and comparable private land sales and to utilize those sales in determining the value of public lands. Olney’s example of a piece of burned-over public land, located on an isolated hillside under a 500-KV power line, with no legal access, no water rights and no mineralization is not worth his $75,000 to $100,000 figure.

Since 1982, the BLM has exchanged 112,000 acres of public lands in California for 186,000 acres of private lands to protect threatened and endangered species, conserve unique habitats, preserve invaluable cultural sites, provide recreational opportunities and develop energy and mineral resources. These exchanges are the result of cooperative work among the BLM, nonprofit organizations, private landowners, local governments, environmental organizations, industry and individuals. Despite Olney’s negative comments, the public receives private lands at least equal to, or of greater value than, the public lands exchanged.

With respect to the charge of undervaluing recoverable minerals in land exchanges, the BLM transferred potentially multimillions of dollars in hazardous materials liability to industry rather than to taxpayers. In Olney’s example, clean up and liability would have cost the public far more than dollars obtained by retaining the mineral estate.

Finally, Olney’s conspiracy theory regarding “spy networks” and “Hush-Puppy” armies of thousands of “lower-level” employees reflects cynicism and unsubstantiated bias toward public servants. The BLM specialists are some of the most highly qualified and well-respected people in the scientific and technical community. Our employees, under intense public scrutiny, follow laws and regulations to ensure proper management of a fair exchange program in California.

CY JAMISON

Director

Bureau of Land Management

Washington