Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act Restrictions and ...

een revised or have been proposed for revision since FLTFA’s enactment,
and additional lands have been identified for disposal. For example, BLM
reported the Boise District Office in Idaho is currently planning a sale of
35 parcels. Five of the 35 parcels, with a total estimated value of $10.7
million, are not FLTFA eligible. Because of the land use plan restriction,
revenue from these five sales would not benefit the FLTFA account when
sold. While this restriction reduces the potential revenue that could be
dedicated to purchasing inholdings and adjacent land containing
exceptional resources under FLTFA, it does benefit the U.S. Treasury’s
general account.
According to 17 of the 28 BLM state and field realty staff we interviewed,
their office has land available for disposal that is not designated in an
FLTFA-eligible land use plan. For example, New Mexico state office
officials said that a number of land use plan amendments completed or
under development since FLTFA’s enactment have identified land for
disposal. They noted that the Las Cruces area land use plan is being
amended to adjust to the new direction of the city’s growth that has
occurred since the last plan was prepared in 1993. According to BLM New
Mexico staff, different or additional lands are expected to be designated
for disposal in the amended plan. Figure 6 shows land on the west side of
Las Cruces, New Mexico, that is expected to be designated for disposal in
the forthcoming revision to accommodate the community’s growth. Field
office officials said that input from local governments and other interests
have focused land sales growth in Las Cruces on the west side of the city
in order to create a buffer for the Organ Mountains on the east side.
Page 25 GAO-08-196 Federal Land Management