The Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), passed in 1976, is the statutory grounding for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), giving the agency authority and direction for the management of its lands. The initiative leading to the passage of FLPMA can be traced to the BLM itself. The agency was concerned about its insecure status—it was formed by executive reorganization rather than by a congressional act, it lacked a clear mandate for land management, and it was uncertain of the federal government's plans to retain the lands it managed. This final point can be traced to the Taylor Grazing Act, which included a clause that these public lands would be managed for grazing "pending final disposal." The BLM wanted a law that would address each of these issues, so that the agency could undertake long-range, multiple...