Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA, 1976)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (43 U.S.C. § 1701 et seq.)

2) Why It Was Done
FLPMA was enacted to establish a comprehensive framework for managing U.S. public lands, primarily under the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). It ended the policy of land disposal and declared that public lands would generally remain in federal ownership.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
Before FLPMA, land management was guided by a patchwork of 19th- and early 20th-century laws focused on land disposal (Homestead Act, Mining Act, etc.). FLPMA consolidated and modernized federal land policy.

4) Overreach or Proper Role?
Supporters say it protects natural resources and ensures multiple use. Critics, especially in western states, argue it represents federal overreach and limits state and local control over land.

5) Who or What It Controls

• Bureau of Land Management (BLM) (primary agency for public lands)
• Ranchers, miners, loggers (must comply with permits and leases)
• Conservationists and recreationists (gain protections for wilderness and cultural resources)
• States and local governments (limited influence over federal lands in their boundaries)

6) Key Sections / Citations

• 43 U.S.C. § 1701: Congressional declaration of policy
• 43 U.S.C. § 1712: Land use planning requirements
• 43 U.S.C. § 1732: Management of public lands under “multiple use and sustained yield”

7) Recent Changes or Live Controversies

• Continues to shape debates over grazing rights, mining, logging, and energy development
• Conflicts like the Bundy standoff (2014) stem from disputes over FLPMA authority
• Ongoing controversies around oil/gas leasing and conservation designations

8) Official Sources

• Congress.gov – FLPMA 1976
• BLM – Federal Land Policy and Management Act
• 43 U.S.C. § 1701 et seq. – U.S. Code

• Public Lands
• Environment
• Natural Resources
• Blm
• Federal Management