2011 Fee-Free Days Set for BLM-Administered Public Lands

WASHINGTON, DC – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), in conjunction with other agencies within the Department of the Interior, will waive recreation-related fees for visitors to the National System of Public Lands on the first day of summer, June 21; National Public Lands Day, which is scheduled for September 24; and the Veterans Day holiday weekend, November 11-13. These fee-free days also apply to areas managed within the BLM’s National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS).

The BLM manages more land - over 245 million acres - than any other Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.