About the Interior Board of Land Appeals

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The Interior Board of Land Appeals (IBLA) is an appellate review body that is separate and independent from the bureaus and offices whose decisions it reviews. The IBLA’s mission is to provide an impartial forum within the Department of the Interior for the resolution of disputes involving public lands and natural resources under the Department’s jurisdiction.

Exercising authority delegated to it by the Secretary of the Interior, the IBLA decides finally for the Department appeals of decisions issued by the Department’s bureaus and offices relating to the use and disposition of public lands and resources, the use and disposition of resources of the Outer Continental Shelf, the authorization of activities on the Outer Continental Shelf, the collection of energy and mineral revenue from the Outer Continental Shelf and onshore federal and Indian lands, and the conduct of surface coal mining under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act.

More specifically, the IBLA has authority to review the following types of appeals:

  • Appeals of decisions of the Bureau of Land Management, including but not limited to decisions regarding mining, grazing, energy development, royalty management, timber harvesting, wildfire management, recreation, wild horse and burro management, cadastral surveys, Alaska land conveyances, rights of way, land exchanges, and trespass actions;
  • Appeals of decisions of the Office of Natural Resources Revenue and the Deputy Assistant Secretary - Natural Resources Revenue regarding royalty management;
  • Appeals of decisions of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement regarding activities on the Outer Continental Shelf;
  • Appeals of decisions of the Bureau of Indian Affairs regarding minerals management on Indian lands;
  • Appeals of decisions of the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement regarding surface coal mining operations; and
  • Appeals of decisions of administrative law judges in OHA’s Departmental Cases Hearings Division.

The IBLA’s decisions are final for the Department and may be reviewed by the United States district courts.

By regulation, the IBLA consists of administrative judges and a Chief Administrative Judge. The IBLA is supported by a Docket Attorney and Counselor to the Board, attorney-advisors, a paralegal specialist, and a legal assistant.

All parties practicing before the Interior Board of Land Appeals may file documents by email (ibla@oha.doi.gov). Please see the Standing Order on Electronic Transmission, which is available at https://doi.gov/oha/oha-standing-orders.

Contact Information

Interior Board of Land Appeals
Office of Hearings and Appeals
U.S. Department of the Interior
801 N. Quincy Street, Suite 300
Arlington, VA 22203

ibla@oha.doi.gov
703-235-3750 (voice)

Regular Business Hours

  • Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Eastern time

IBLA Personnel

Resources

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