Program Plan
Department of the Interior - Interior Recovery Act - BLM, Construction - Recovery Act Recovery Plan
Updated 05/14/2009
Objectives
Program Purpose
The Recovery Act provides $180M for BLM construction, reconstruction, decommissioning and repair of roads, bridges, trails, property, and facilities and for energy efficient retrofits of existing facilities.
Public Benefits
**The Bureau of Land Management has developed a comprehensive program plan that describes how Recovery Act programs will be managed and executed. The BLM Program Plan can be found at: http://recovery.doi.gov/plans.php
Additional information about BLM’s Recovery Act program and projects is available at:
http://recovery.doi.gov/blm
**
The Recovery Act will stimulate the economy by investing in public land assets managed by BLM. The Act provides BLM with an opportunity to address critical infrastructure needs while assisting America by creating jobs of lasting value.
Visitor and employee health and safety will be better protected by committing the Recovery Act funds to deferred maintenance, construction and capital improvements. The construction funding will improve BLM buildings and structures by addressing critical health and safety improvements and creating future cost avoidance through energy efficiency. The BLM will improve recently identified health and safety needs in the BLM’s building and structures. This funding will allow for the installation of energy efficient retrofits and, in many cases, energy generating technologies such as photovoltaic panels and wind turbines, reducing the energy cost of operating BLM facilities. The projects funded in this category include the addition of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) buildings and improve the sustainable features of all structures as called for under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. A LEED certification standard for buildings is used to achieve the required sustainability and energy efficient standards for the Federal Government.
Road and Bridge projects, accomplished with Recovery Act funding, will improve BLM infrastructure and help provide safe transportation routes for the public and BLM personnel. All projects will address roads and bridges managed, maintained, and under the jurisdiction of BLM. This transportation network directly supports recreation opportunities, protects natural resources and provides access to resources for public use. Projects will address the BLM’s deferred maintenance responsibilities and improve the current condition of the bureau’s most deteriorated roads and bridges through the mitigation of outstanding health and safety issues.
In early 2008, the BLM prepared a Strategic Plan to address and prioritize the Legacy Well work for over the next few years. The Strategic Plan identified Drew Point as the highest priority of the remaining legacy wells yet to be plugged and the site remediated. The BLM will fund the plugging and remediation of this well with Recovery Act funds. The public benefits are the elimination of the threat of release of contaminants to the environment.
Funding will be used to maintain, improve and enhance trails across BLM-managed public lands. It is BLM’s long-term goal to establish a sustainable, multi-modal network of roads, primitive roads and trails that improve public access to BLM-managed lands for a wide range of recreation opportunities. Projects will also help ensure that trails are integrated with a transportation system that supports BLM’s administrative and resource management access needs and that trails are managed to meet resource conservation and protection objectives. Funds will be used for trail planning, design, maintenance, management, and monitoring. Trail projects will support the Agency’s mission, land use planning goals and objectives to provide for resource management, public and administrative access, and transportation needs.
Measures
The measures have been revised to enrich the performance metrics for Recovery targets. In some instances, targets will not be available until additional baseline data has been collected.
| Measure | Target/Actual |
|---|
| 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
|---|
[-]
Improvement in the condition of assets that receive Recovery Act funds. | - | - | - | - |
Measure Information
| Frequency : Annual | | Direction : No Data Available | | Type : Output | | Explanation : The current condition of assets (as listed in the Federal Real Property Profile) is measured by the Facility Condition Index (FCI), which tracks the ratio of deferred maintenance to overall asset value. The measure reflects on the FCI before and after the Recovery Act investments. The agency is still consulting with field offices on the FCI baseline and projected targets, so it will report the cumulative FCI improvement (as shown by a declining number) for the set of assets receiving Recovery Act investments in the June update in Recovery.gov. | | Unit : No Data Available |
|
[-]
Improvement in the condition of all agency assets in specified categories. | - | - | - | - |
Measure Information
| Frequency : Annual | | Direction : No Data Available | | Type : Output | | Explanation : The current condition of assets (as listed in the Federal Real Property Profile) is measured by the Facility Condition Index (FCI). The agency is still consulting with field offices on the FCI baseline and projected targets, so it will report the cumulative FCI improvement (as shown by a declining number) for all assets in categories to be specified in the June update in Recovery.gov. | | Unit : No Data Available |
|
[-]
Number of contracts awarded and cooperative agreements signed. | - | - | - | - |
Measure Information
| Frequency : Quarterly | | Direction : No Data Available | | Type : Output | | Explanation : Initial progress in completing projects can be monitored by comparing the estimated number of contracts to be awarded and cooperative agreements to be signed with the actual number awarded and signed. Although this is not an output measure, it is a leading indicator of progress in completing projects. The agency is still consulting with field offices on estimates, so it will report the projected milestones by the June update in Recovery.gov. | | Unit : No Data Available |
|
[-]
Improve Energy Efficiency | - | - | - | - |
Measure Information
| Frequency : Annual | | Direction : No Data Available | | Type : Efficiency | | Explanation : This measure will capture the energy savings resulting from ARRA energy efficiency investments. DOI will develop more specific measures to capture energy savings and include baseline data and performance targets for energy savings by the June update in Recovery.gov. | | Unit : No Data Available |
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Schedule and Milestones
**The Bureau of Land Management has developed a comprehensive program plan that describes how Recovery Act programs will be managed and executed. The BLM Program Plan can be found at: http://recovery.doi.gov/plans.php
Additional information about BLM’s Recovery Act program and projects is available at:
http://recovery.doi.gov/blm
**
Milestones
No Data Available
Projects and Activities
Funding for BLM was authorized under title VII of the Recovery Act. Funding under the Construction appropriation will be spent on:
1) Construction $41.5 million (Const): Funds will be used to accelerate planned renovations, health and safety improvements, repair and rehabilitation, energy retrofits and other projects to provide needed upgrades at BLM sites and facilities, such as buildings, in an effort to address health and safety deficiencies and address deferred maintenance projects. Funds will also be used on BLM facilities to incorporate renewable energy generating technologies such as solar and wind that will decrease dependence on fossil fuels and increase efficiencies by offsetting the use of utility-based energy.
2) Abandoned Wells: $23.6 million (Const): Funds will be used to remediate and plug the Drew Point Well in northern Alaska. This abandoned well, drilled by the Federal Government, is at extremely high-risk of eroding into the Beaufort Sea, potentially creating serious environmental degradation.
3) Road and Bridges $25.9 million (Const): Funds will be used to provide needed repairs and upgrades to BLM roads, bridges, and culverts, including paving, grading, and other repairs.
4) Trails $15.0 million (Const): Funds will be used to maintain, improve and enhance trails across BLM-managed public lands through trail planning, design, maintenance, management, and monitoring. Trail projects will support the Agency’s mission, land use planning goals and objectives in order to provide for resource management, public and administrative access, and transportation needs.
Review Process
**The Bureau of Land Management has developed a comprehensive program plan that describes how Recovery Act programs will be managed and executed. The BLM Program Plan can be found at: http://recovery.doi.gov/plans.php
Additional information about BLM’s Recovery Act program and projects is available at:
http://recovery.doi.gov/blm
**
The establishment of meaningful and measurable outcomes is an important component of Interior’s Recovery Act reporting. Performance monitoring and oversight efforts are designed to ensure that the Department meets the accountability objectives of the Recovery Act.
These efforts include tracking the progress of key goals. The Department is defining a suite of performance measurements to monitor progress made in accomplishing stated work goals and to ensure financial and procurement practices are executed responsibly. In addition, the Department’s Recovery Act Coordinator is collaborating with senior Departmental officials, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Office of Inspector General to ensure oversight of the program from the first phase of project selection, through implementation and execution. The Coordinator, with the assistance of the Recovery Act Board, will be evaluating processes to ensure that adequate mechanisms are in place and identify and share best practices to promote:
o Maximized use of competitive awards
o Timely and transparent award of dollars
o Timely and appropriate expenditure of dollars
o Verification and timely completion of planned work
o Minimized cost overruns
o Minimized improper payments
Measurement and reporting is a crucial component of Interior’s oversight strategy. The information received will serve as an indicator of progress enabling the Department’s governance entities to manage risk and ensure successful implementation of the Recovery Act. Department-wide, consistent guidance will guide efforts in this regard, including for example, development of a risk management program.
Cost and Performance Plan
**The Bureau of Land Management has developed a comprehensive program plan that describes how Recovery Act programs will be managed and executed. The BLM Program Plan can be found at: http://recovery.doi.gov/plans.php
Additional information about BLM’s Recovery Act program and projects is available at:
http://recovery.doi.gov/blm
**
Reporting requirements related to major contract actions and financial status, including obligations and outlays, are being instituted. Periodic reviews of implementation progress at both the Bureau and Departmental levels will identify the need to realign resources to expedite projects, to modify project plans, or to select contingency projects to ensure funds are obligated within the time limitation. The selection of contingency projects will be included as part of regular reporting through recovery.gov.
The Recovery Coordinator will oversee Bureau implementation to ensure projects address the Department’s high priority goals and objectives, while also working to ensure that department-wide performance objectives, including timeliness and cost and risk management are met throughout the process.
The Office of Inspector General will be working closely with the Department from the
start to review and propose effective processes to manage risks, monitor progress, and to improve overall performance and accountability.
As part of routine reporting, the Department is also carefully tracking all projects subject to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). During the project selection phase the Department identified which projects had already completed NEPA planning, which are in progress, and which ones still need to begin the NEPA process. The Department will track the status of all NEPA compliance activities associated with projects or activities and report quarterly to the Council on Environmental Quality.
Energy Efficiency Spending Plans
Recovery Act deferred maintenance projects will include installation of energy efficient technologies at BLM facilities and structures, which will reduce the energy cost of operating BLM facilities. The projects funded in this category include the addition of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) buildings and improve the sustainable features of all structures as called for under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. A LEED certification standard for buildings is used to achieve the required sustainability and energy efficient standards for the Federal Government. Recovery Act construction projects will include the installation of energy efficient retrofits and, in many cases, energy generating technologies such as photovoltaic panels and wind turbines.
Program Plan Award Types
No Data Available