Rangeland Management: BLM's Range Improvement Project Data Base Is Incomplete and Inaccurate
RCED-93-92
Published: Apr 05, 1993. Publicly Released: Apr 22, 1993.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) use of range management funds, focusing on the: (1) types of range improvement projects funded; (2) cost of each project; and (3) rangeland resources that benefit from the projects.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of the Interior | The Secretary of the Interior should instruct the Director, BLM, to assess the need for the information that the RIPS database is designed to provide. For information that BLM deems useful, the Director should: (1) issue bureau-wide guidance to ensure that the data are consistently collected and entered; and (2) assign accountability for the accuracy and completeness of the data. |
BLM is in the middle of a comprehensive Rangeland Reform effort that involves sweeping changes to all aspects of its range management program. BLM is in the process of changing all manuals and handbooks to coincide with proposed new regulations. As a part of its effort, BLM--in April 1995--issued an Instruction Memorandum that ensures that (1) range improvement data are consistently collected and entered into RIPS and (2) accountability for the accuracy and completeness of the data is assigned at the state, district, and resource area levels.
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| Department of the Interior | For information deemed not useful, the Director, BLM, should ensure that these data are not entered into RIPS. In this way, BLM can avoid the inaccurate reporting that currently exists when staff at numerous locations enter data without guidance or accountability. |
BLM is in the middle of a comprehensive Rangeland Reform effort that involves sweeping changes to all aspects of its range management program. BLM is in the process of changing all manuals and handbooks to coincide with proposed new regulations. As a part of this effort, BLM--in April 1995--issued an Instruction Memorandum that removes the requirement that project cost data be included in all RIPS project records. Such data, however, will be maintained by district or area offices in BLM's financial management system where greater accuracy and completeness can be ensured.
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Administrative costsAppropriated fundsFunds managementInternal controlsManagement information systemsPublic landsRange managementLivestockRangelandWeed control