Fact Check: The Bureau of Land Management manages 245 million acres of land, while the U.S. Forest Service manages 193 million acres.

Fact Check: "The Bureau of Land Management manages 245 million acres of land, while the U.S. Forest Service manages 193 million acres."

What We Know

The claim states that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages 245 million acres of land, while the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) manages 193 million acres. According to the Bureau of Land Management, the BLM indeed administers approximately 245 million acres of surface land, which constitutes about one-tenth of the total land area in the United States. Additionally, a report from the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee confirms that the USFS manages around 193 million acres of land (source).

Analysis

The figures provided in the claim are supported by multiple credible sources. The BLM's official website outlines its responsibility for managing 245 million acres, emphasizing its role in balancing multiple land uses and conservation efforts (source). Furthermore, the Senate report corroborates the acreage managed by the USFS, providing a reliable reference point for the claim (source).

Both the BLM and USFS are federal agencies with established missions and responsibilities, making their data reliable. The BLM's figures are not only consistent across various official documents (source, source) but also align with the broader understanding of federal land management in the U.S.

The claim's accuracy is further supported by the context of federal land ownership, where the federal government controls approximately 640 million acres, with the BLM and USFS managing significant portions of this land (source).

Conclusion

The claim that "The Bureau of Land Management manages 245 million acres of land, while the U.S. Forest Service manages 193 million acres" is True. The data from multiple credible sources confirms the accuracy of these figures, reflecting the current responsibilities of both agencies in managing public lands in the United States.

Sources

1. National - What We Manage - Bureau of Land Management
2. Mandatory Disposal of Bureau of Land Management Land and National ...
3. BLM Oversight - U.S. Department of the Interior
4. Home | Bureau of Land Management
5. MANDATORY DISPOSAL OF BUREAU OF LAND ...
6. Agency - United States Government Manual
7. About - Bureau of Land Management
8. PDF Bureau of Land Management - U.S. Department of the Interior