The Department of Interior (DOI) on Feb. 23 released a revised draft map showing its proposed 13 regions under a reorganized regional structure. The move by DOI Secretary Ryan Zinke came in part as a response to criticism from the Western Governors Association (WGA).
Ryan set a plan in motion to reorganize the department soon after he was confirmed as secretary. Under the plan released earlier some states were split into multiple regions based on watershed boundaries. The new draft plan more closely follows state and ecosystem boundaries.
In an interview with the Associated Press on the reorganization, Zinke said, “At present we are mismanaging and squandering our assets through a layered bureaucracy that reflects a very old department that really has not reorganized since the turn of the last century.” He went on to say, “We will be moving assets to the front lines and moving authority to make decisions—and, I would argue, better decisions—to the front lines.”
Pressure from the WGA came when the group sent a letter to Zinke Feb. 1 expressing disappointment that the governors were not consulted regarding the impact the realignment would have on their states. The governors noted that in April 2017 they requested an opportunity to meet with DOI, and that they remain “eager and willing” to work with DOI on changes that would meet the department’s efficiency goals.
The response from DOI on Feb. 23 provided the revised regional office boundary map and additional information on the process for reorganization. Upon receiving the revised map, Jim Ogsbury, WGA executive director, said, “Western governors are gratified that the department has responded to our previously stated concerns and are moving towards a state-boundary-oriented approach in the latest draft map of its unified regional boundaries.”
In a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) provided by DOI and updated Feb. 20, the department explained, “We want to provide better management on a geographic basis to include critical components such as wildlife corridors, watersheds and trail systems. The USGS [U.S. Geological Survey] has provided draft unified regional boundaries based on watersheds as a starting point. By having unified regional boundaries based primarily on natural features like ecosystems and watersheds we can improve inter-agency coordination and citizen service, since all of our executives within a given region will have a shared frame of geographic reference.
The redefined regions would also mean the moving and consolidation of staff to more regional offices. Objectives under the plan include a reduction in administration redundancy; devoting a greater percentage of the budget to the field; improving coordination among federal, state and local agencies; and making more decisions at the regional level and fewer in Washington, D.C.
Each unified region will be led by a person titled “interior regional director.” This person will be responsible for coordinating a specified set of mission and administrative functions that are common to more than one bureau within the region. The FAQs noted, “While some functions such as NEPA [National Environmental Policy Act] compliance, permitting, and recreational management may be within the purview of all of the interior regional directors nationwide, many responsibilities will likely vary from region to region, as a function of the work of the bureaus with a given region.”
Ethan Lane, executive director of the Public Lands Council (PLC), told WLJ, “PLC is encouraged to see the Department of Interior redraw boundaries in order to keep states intact and appreciates their affirmation that critical players like state BLM directors will remain empowered.”
Lane said he sees the proposed change as an attempt to “solve the kind of mishmash of management areas for the different agencies.” He offered an example of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regions not aligned with the Bureau of Reclamation, and those agencies not having a real connection to BLM state offices. He said that under the current alignment, a person or group needing approval for a NEPA evaluation may need to talk to a state director in Phoenix, AZ, then go to someone with the Fish and Wildlife office in Albuquerque, NM, followed by contact with the Bureau of Reclamation in Southern California.
“Under the current system you are running all over the map because all of the different agencies have to consult each other; you’ve got to go to all of these different places. That’s a lot of what makes these processes take so much longer than needed,” Lane told WLJ.
“Their intention here is really good,” Lane continued. “What they are trying to do is really needed. They want to streamline and stack the process so that you’ve got a one-stop shop in your region to get all of those things done.”
Lane said the PLC is pleased with the thinking on the new map structure. “We like what they are trying to do and glad to see that they are receiving input and tweaking the concept slightly to make sure that they retain the proper respect for state authority and state boundaries, because for those of us in the West, that’s a big deal.”
In response to the revised draft map, WGA joined with 12 western state county associations in writing to Zinke expressing appreciation for the change. In that letter, the groups wrote that they continue to advocate for departmental boundaries that follow state lines and state-level decision-making, saying, “State-based regions help achieve the partnerships needed to solve our mutual and complex resource challenges.” The letter was signed by Ogsbury; Joel Bousman, president of Western Interstate Region of National Association of Counties; Paul A. Smith, vice president of governmental affairs, Rural County Representatives of California; Steve Kopleman, executive director, New Mexico Association of Counties; Bob Wilcox, executive director, South Dakota Association of County Commissioners; Eric Johnson, executive director, Washington State Association of Counties; Matthew D. Chase, executive director, National Association of Counties; Craig Sullivan, executive director, County Supervisors Association of Arizona; Dagny Stapleton, executive director, Nevada Association of Counties; Mike McArthur, executive director, Association of Oregon Counties; Adam Trupp, CEO, Utah Association of Counties; and Rob Hendry, president, Wyoming County Commissioners Association.
The DOI is a cabinet-level agency that manages America’s vast natural and cultural resources. The department employs roughly 70,000 people, including expert scientists and resource-management professionals, in nine technical bureaus:
- Bureau of Indian Affairs;
- Bureau of Land Management;
- Bureau of Ocean Energy Management;
- Bureau of Reclamation;
- Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement;
- National Park Service;
- Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement;
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and
- USGS.
The DOI said it expects the boundaries for the 13 new regions to take effect in the second half of FY 2018. The full implementation will likely take several years. — Rae Price, WLJ editor
