Final audit report for your information : "occupancy trespass resolution, Bureau of Land Management."

74 Pages·1996·11.5 MB·English

by  United States. Department of the Interior. Office of the Inspector General

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UnitedStates Department oftheInterior
OFFICEOFINSPECTORGENERAL
Washington.D,C.202^0
OCT 28 >995 \(al'S0
SUBJECTSUMMARY: FinalAuditReportforYourInformation-‘"Occupancy-
TrespassResolution,BureauofLandManagement”
(No.96-1-1265)
Attachedforyourinformationisacopyofthesubjectfinalauditreport. Theobjectiveofthe
auditwastodeterminetheeffectivenessoftheBureauofLandManagement'spoliciesand
proceduresforresolvingoccupancytrespass.
WeconcludedthatFourofthefiveBureauofLandManagementresourceareasvisitedwere
notactivelyresolvingoccupancytrespasscases,includingoccupancytrespassonunpatented
miningclaims. Duringfiscalyears1993and1994,thefourresourceareashadidentifiedonly
10andresolvedonly14occupancytrespasscasesoutofabacklogofover160suchcases
TheResourceAreaManagersstatedthatresolutionofoccupancytrespasswasassignedalow
prioritybecauseofthecumbersomeandcostlyprocessesrequiredforresolution,bothunder
theFederalLandPolicyandManagementActandBureauregulationsimplementingthe
SurfaceResourcesAct;theconcernforthesafetyofemployeesinvolvedintrespasscases;
andtheneedtoconcentrateonhigherpriorityactivities. Incontrast,theFolsomResource
Area,whichhadassignedahighprioritytoresolvingoccupancytrespass,hadidentifiedand
recorded88newcasesoftrespassandresolved107casesduringtheauditperiod. Basedon
ourreview,weattributedthesuccessoftheFolsomResourceAreatothediligenceand
commitmentoftheResourceAreaManagerandhisstaffandtheirwillingnesstopursuea
combinationofmethods,includingcooperationwithlocalofficialsandtheU.S.Attorney's
Office,inresolvingoccupancytrespasscases.
TheBureauconcurredwithourrecommendationspertainingtoregulationsfortheunlawful
useandoccupancyofunpatentedminingclaimsbypublishingafinalruleonthisissue Italso
concurred withourrecommendationtoinstructfieldpersonneltoworkwithlocallaw-
enforcementagenciesregardingthreatsofviolencetoBureauemployees However,the
Bureaudidnotconcurwithourrecommendationsrelatingtotheresolutionolexisting
trespasscasesandtheseekingofappropriatelegislativechangestoreduce,from12months
to6months,thepotentialprisonsentencesforoccupancytrespassloallowU.S.District

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CourtjudgesorU.S. Magistratejudges(withthe consentofthedefendant) to decide
occupancytrespasscases. Basedontheresponse,werevisedtworecommendationsand
requestedthattheBureauconsidertherevisedrecommendations.
Ifyouhaveanyquestionsconcerningthismatter,pleasecontactmeat(202)208-5745orMr.
RobertJ,Williams.ActingAssistantInspectorGeneralforAudits,at(202)208-4252.
Attachment

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UnitedStatesDepartment oftheInterior
OFFICEOFINSPECTORGENERAL
Washington,D.C.20240
SEP 30 ISSo
Memorandum
To: AssistantSecretary-LandandMineralsManagement
From: RobertJ.William
ActingAssistantInspectorGeiJ:ralforAudits
Subject: Audit Report on Occupancy Trespass Resolution, Bureau of Land
Management (No. 96-1-1265)
Thisreportpresentstheresultsofourauditofoccupancytrespassonlandsmanaged
bytheBureau ofLandManagement. Ourauditobjectivewastodeterminethe
effectiveness of the Bureau’s policies and procedures for resolving occupancy
trespass.
Wefoundthatofthefiveresourceareasvisited,onlytheFolsomResourceAreawas
activelyresolvingoccupancytrespasscases. Duringtheperiodofouraudit,fiscal
years1993and1994,theResourceAreahadidentifiedandrecorded88newcases
oftrespassandresolved107cases. ResourceAreastaffattributedtheirsuccessto
thecommitmentoftheAreaManager,whomadeoccupancytrespassresolutiona
highpriorityandassignedresponsibilityforresolvingtrespasscasestospecificstaff.
However,theBarstow,Ridgecrest,Ashland,andGrantsPassResourceAreasdidnot
assignahighprioritytoresolvingoccupancytrespassandwerenotsystematically
identifying,recording,andresolvingsuchcases. Forfiscalyears1993and1994,these
fourresourceareashadidentifiedonly10occupancytrespasscasesandresolvedonly
14cases.
TheAreaManagersstatedthattheyassignedalowprioritytoresolvingoccupancy
trespass,inpart,becauseofthecumbersomeandcostlyprocessesrequiredtoresolve
such trespass. UndertheFederalLand PolicyandManagementActof 1976, a
willfultrespasseronpubliclandsissubjecttoadministrativecosts,rents,andfines
andmaybeimprisonedforupto12months. Thepotential12-monthimprisonment
entitlestheaccused trespassertoajury trial,whichisexpensive andcancreate
significantdelaysbecauseofthesubstantialfelonyworkloadinU.S.DistrictCourts.
Bureau field officialstoldus,andweconfirmed,thatthepotentialimprisonment
wouldhavetobe6monthsorlesstoallowU.S.MagistratejudgesorU.S.District
Courtjudgestodecideoccupancytrespasscases,therebyshorteningtheprocessand
reducingthecoststotheGovernment.

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Occupancytrespassonunpatentedminingclaimsinvolvesadditionaldeterminations
thatcantakeupto8yearsandcostanaverageofSi1,000perinstance,notincluding
cleanupcostsoftheland. UndertheSurfaceResourcesActof1955,theuseofland
onunpatenledclaimsislimitedto"prospecting,mining,orprocessingoperationsand
usesreasonablyincidentthereto." However,Bureauregulationsimplementingthe
SurfaceResourcesActdonotdefine"reasonablyincident."Inaddition,theBureau’s
surface management regulations implementing the Federal Land Policy and
ManagementAct allow claimants to disturb up to 5acres ofland (notice-level
mining)withoutBureau approval andwithoutdisclosinganyplannedstructures.
Accordingly, the Interior Board of Land Appeals has noted that the Bureaus
regulationscannotbeusedtopreventoccupancytrespassonnotice-levelmining
claims. Incontrast, we notedthatthe U.S.DepartmentofAgriculturesForest
Serviceregulations(36CFR261)prohibitstructuresonForestServicelandswithout
approval.
In addition to the cumbersome processes. Bureau officials at three ofthe five
resourceareasvisitedtoldusthattheywerereluctanttoenforceoccupancytrespass
becauseoftheirconcernsforemployeesafety. Forexample,oneFederalemployee
whohadbeenactivelyinvolvedinoccupancytrespassresolutionwastoldthatthere
waamsinai"ncgonctlraaicmta"notnwhaissvliifoel.enItnaanndotrheeqrueisntsteadntchea,tatRheeslooucarlceSWArAeTaM(SapneacigaelrWbeealipeovnesd
andTactics)teamaccompanyBureaupersonnelvisitingthatclaimant.
Although the informationwas not available for us to establish the amount of
revenuesthattheGovernmenthaslostbecauseofoccupancytrespass,wefoundthat
suchtrespasscreatedpublichealthandsafetyhazards,restrictedpublicaccess,and
resultedinanegativeimagetotheminingindustryandincleanupcostsofupto
$27,000perinstance. Bureauofficialstoldus,andweverifiedthroughsitevisits,of
thehaeltehx,isatnedncseanoiftastiigoninfciocdanets.amWouentalssoofnottreasdhthaantdfveinocleastiaonndsoNfoloTcraelsbpuaislsdiinngg,sfiigrne,s
restricted public access torivers and other recreation areas andthat significant
cleanupneeded to beperformed. Under currentBureau regulations, claimants
disturbingupto5acresarenotrequiredtopostbondstocoverthecostsofcleanup.
Conversely, the Forest Service can require that occupantspost bonds to cover
cleanupcostsforanysurfacedisturbances,whichcanbelessthan5acres.
Tocorrecttheproblemsnoted,werecommendedthattheBureau:(1)developan
action plan to resolve existing cases, including litigating high profile cases;
(o2c)cuppraonmcuylgtartesepaisnsathnedirfinfainnaclialfogruamratnhteeepsr;o(p3o)sceodnsriedgeurlasteieoknisngcloengciselrantiivnegcmhiannigensg
tRoesporuorvciedeAareraanMgaenaofgepresnalttoiewsofrokr woictchupalonccayltlraeswpaessnfocarsceesm;enatndag(e4n)ciienss,truacst
appropriate, to reduce the threatofviolence to Bureau employees investigating
occupancytrespass.
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IntheMay 15, 1996,response(Appendix3) fromtheDirector,Bureau ofLand
Management,tothedraftreport,theBureauconcurredwithourrecommendation
(No.2) topromulgateregulationsconcerningtheunlawfuluseandoccupancyof
unpatentedminingclaimsandfinancialguarantees. SubsequenttotheBureau’s
response, thefinalruleregardingtheunlawfuluseandoccupancyofunpatented
miningclaimswaspublishedintheJuly16, 1996,issueoftheFederalRegister.The
Bureau alsoconcurredwithourrecommendation (No. 4) toworkwithlocallaw
enforcementagenciestoreducethethreatofviolencetoBureauemployees. Based
on the response, we considered Recommendations 2 and 4 resolved but not
implemented andwill refer the recommendationsto theAssistantSecretary for
Policy,ManagementandBudgetfortrackingofimplementation.
TheBureaudidnotconcurwiththetworecommendations(Nos.1and3)regarding
theactionplanforresolutionofoccupancytrespasscasesandthelengthofprison
sentencesforoccupancytrespass. Basedontheresponseandonpublicationofthe
finalrule,werevisedRecommendation 1 torequestthattheBureau developan
action plan based on criteria established by Bureau management and
Recommendation3torequestthattheBureauconsiderseekinglegislativechanges
toestablisharangeofpenaltiesforoccupancytrespassuptoandincludinga12-
monthprisonsentence. Therefore,theBureauisrequestedtorespondtotherevised
recommendations, both of which are unresolved. (The status of all the
recommendationsisinAppendix5.)
Initsresponse,theBureauincludedadditionalcomments,whichweincorporated
intothisreportasappropriate. Also,wereceivedanApril24,1996,memorandum
from the AssistantSolicitor, Branch of Onshore Minerals, Division of Mineral
Resources,statingthatshe"didnothaveobjections"totherecommendationsmade
in the report. While we did not include a copy ofher comments, they were
incorporatedintoourreportasappropriate.
InaccordancewiththeDepartmentalManual(360DM5.3),wearerequestingyour
writtenresponsetothisreportbyDecember6,1996. Yourresponseshouldprovide
theinformationrequestedinAppendix5.
The legislation, as amended, creating the Office of Inspector General requires
semiannualreportingtotheCongressonallauditreportsissued,actionstakento
implement audit recommendations, and identification of each significant
recommendationonwhichcorrectiveactionhasnotbeentaken.
WeappreciatetheassistanceoftheBureauintheconductofthisaudit