Military Installations:

The Other Public Lands

Dale D. GobleUniversity of Idaho

BLM DOD FS USFWS NPS0

50,000,000

100,000,000

150,000,000

200,000,000

250,000,000

300,000,000

Federal Acreage

Congressional Research Service 2010

BLM DOD FS USFWS NPS0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Distribution of endangered and imperiled species on federal agency lands

ESA status species Imperiled species

Scott et al. Bioscience 2008

BLM DOD FS USWFS NPS0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

Density of endangered and imperiled species on federal agency lands

ESA status species Imperiled species

Num

ber o

f spe

cies

per

100

,000

hec

tare

s

Scott et al. Bioscience 2008

Sikes Act of 1960

Authorized DoD

• to open military installations to hunting and fishing

• to manage wildlife, fish, and game through a “cooperative” wildlife plan developed with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the state fish and game department

Sikes Act Improvement Act of 1997Required planning and implementation

• to conserve and rehabilitate natural resources

• to ensure “sustainable use” of those resources

• to provide public access

Integrated Natural Resource Management Plans (INRMP)(A) “fish and wildlife management, land management, forest management, and fish-and wildlife-oriented recreation;(B) Fish and wildlife habitat enhancement or modifications;”(D) “integration of, and consistency among the… activities to be conducted”;(F) “sustainable use by the public of natural resources…”;

The Navy shall be organized, trained, and equipped primarily for prompt and sustained combat [and] is responsible for the preparation of naval forces for the effective persecution of war. 10 U.S.C. • 5062(a)

The Navy’s job:

INRMPs must

• be “[c]onsistent with the use of military installations to ensure the preparedness of the Armed Forces”

• “provide for… no net loss in the capability of military installation land to support the military mission of the installation”

INRMPs are to be prepared

• in cooperation with [USFWS and the state fish and game agency and] shall reflect the mutual agreement of the parties

INRMPs shall provide

• "fish and wildlife management, land management, forest management, and fish- and wildlife-oriented recreation"

The Secretary of each military department shall provide an opportunity for the submission of public comments on [INRMPs].

Public participation