About the Interior Board of Land Appeals

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Board issued on March 24, 2020, an Order in all pending appeals that extended for 60 days all filing deadlines established by regulation or by Board Order. Please click here to see a copy of the Order.  

The Order did not extend the appeal period for newly filed appeals and it did not extend deadlines that were not already in existence on March 24, 2020. The Board is no longer issuing blanket orders or docketing notices in newly-docketed appeals that extend all regulatory filing deadlines by 60 days. If you seek an extension of time to file a document with the Board, then you may file a motion with the Board consistent with 43 C.F.R. § 4.405.

Consistent with our March 24, 2020, Order, all parties practicing before the Board may file all documents by email (ibla@oha.doi.gov) until further notice. Documents filed by email should not exceed 20 MB per email. If you file by email, then please do not send a duplicate filing via mail delivery service. 

The Board’s regulation at 43 C.F.R. § 4.401(c) allows for service by e-mail if the party to be served consents. We encourage parties to work together to permit electronic service of all documents filed with the Board by email. 

The Board is checking the office voicemail periodically throughout the business day. We encourage communication by email to the Board’s email address at ibla@oha.doi.gov. 

For more information about the Board’s procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic, please click here. The Board will update this information as warranted, so please check often.

The Interior Board of Land Appeals (IBLA) is an appellate review body that exercises the delegated authority of the Secretary of the Interior to issue final decisions for the Department of the Interior. Its administrative judges decide appeals from bureau decisions relating to the use and disposition of public lands and their resources, mineral resources on the Outer Continental Shelf, and the conduct of surface coal mining operations under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. Located within the Department's Office of Hearings and Appeals, IBLA is separate and independent from the Bureaus and Offices whose decisions it reviews.

IBLA has the authority to consider the following types of cases:

  • Appeals from a variety 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 from decisions of the Office of Natural Resources Revenue and the Deputy Assistant Secretary - Natural Resources Revenue regarding royalty management;
  • Appeals from decisions of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement;
  • Appeals from decisions of the Bureau of Indian Affairs regarding minerals management on Indian lands;
  • Appeals from decisions of the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement regarding surface coal mining operations; and
  • Appeals from decisions of administrative law judges in OHA's Departmental Cases Hearings Division.

IBLA is headed by a Chief Administrative Judge. IBLA's decisions are final for the Department and may be reviewed by the United States district courts.

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

703-235-3750 (voice)
703-235-8349 (facsimile)
Email Us

Regular Business Hours

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

Key Personnel

See Complete IBLA Organization Chart

Resources