2: Resource Use
Manage natural resources to promote responsible use and sustain a dynamic economy. Other Information:
Managing the vast resources of America's public lands has been a core Interior responsibility since the Department was founded
in 1849. Over 150 years ago, the newly formed agency focused on development, land sale transactions, and title adjudication
as the Nation expanded. As gold and silver were discovered, the Department's role grew to include the establishment of a framework
to develop those mineral resources. A considerable body of legislation guides the management of resources on our public and
Indian trust lands, including the Mineral Leasing Act, Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, Federal Land Policy and Management
Act, Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act, Mining Law of 1872, Taylor Grazing Act, as well as the Coastal Zone Management
Act, National Environmental Policy Act, and Endangered Species Act. Managing resources has become increasingly more complex.
Today, we are often called upon to determine where, when, and to what extent renewable and non-renewable economic resources
on public lands should be made available. That task demands that we balance the economy's call for energy, minerals, forage,
and forest resources with our resource protection and recreation responsibilities. Interior conducts research on and assessments
of undiscovered non-fuel mineral and energy resources which assist the Department's land management agencies in their goal
of providing responsible management of resources on Federal lands. While some lands such as national parks have been set aside
for special protection, the Department's multiple-use lands produce resources that are critical to the Nation's economic health.
The lands and offshore areas that fall under our sphere of influence supply roughly 30 percent of the Nation's domestic energy
production, including 35 percent of the natural gas, 35 percent of the oil, 44 percent of the coal, 17 percent of the hydropower,
and 50 percent of the geothermal energy. The President's 2001 National Energy Policy Report presents recommendations to "promote
dependable, affordable and environmentally sound production and distribution of energy for the future." The report addresses
the principal energy challenges the Nation faces today: Promoting conservation Repairing and modernizing infrastructure Increasing
energy supply while protecting the environment At the Department of the Interior, each of our bureaus has a role in implementing
the President's National Energy Policy. The Department has been addressing and continues to implement more than 100 actions
based on the report's recommendations, including actions dealing with the development of renewable and alternative energy
sources such as solar, geothermal, wind, gas hydrates, and oil shale. During this past year, actions have included final approval
of the largest wind energy project on Federal land in 25 years. The 200 megawatt project in Idaho will generate enough electricity
to supply some 50,000 homes. Interior also issued proposed rules to encourage geothermal energy development on Federal lands.
Under the rules, 25 percent of geothermal royalties would be paid to counties where production occurs. BLM currently administers
55 producing geothermal leases. Half of the Nation's geothermal production occurs on Federal land. Other recent actions include
MMS publishing an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and received public comments for consideration in developing proposed
regulations for Alternative Energy-Related Uses on the Outer Continental Shelf and final guidelines for the Coastal Impact
Assistance Program. This is a grant program that provides $1 billion over four years to eligible producing states and political
subdivisions and developed a funding allocation model for determining State/Local funding distributions. The USGS is also
conducting research into renewable and alternative energy sources including gas hydrates, geothermal, and oil shale. To view
further information on implementation of the Act, visit the Interior website at http://www.doi.gov/iepa/index.html. In addition,
we manage more than 2,300 dams, reservoirs, and irrigation infrastructures that provide drinking water to over 31 million
people and supply water for agricultural and industrial use. This same water infrastructure generates 17 percent (42 billion
kilowatt hours) of the Nation's hydropower, making Interior the second largest producer of hydroelectric power in the United
States. Forest management programs within the Department enjoy the dual benefit of generating economic benefits through timber
harvests on public and Indian trust lands, and restoring forest health through the President's Healthy Forests Initiative.
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