NEVADA – Navy Continues Development of the Fallon Modernization EIS
Notices Published for Navy’s Amended Withdrawal Application and the BLM’s EA for Proposed Land Management Evaluation Withdrawal – 90-Day Comment Opportunity Announced

Dear BRC Action Alert Subscriber,

On Friday, May 4, 2018, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published two notices in the Federal Register regarding the Navy’s proposed modernization of the Fallon Range Training Complex. The purposes of the notices are to: 1) notify the public of the Navy’s submission of an amended land withdrawal application to the BLM, and 2) notify the public that the BLM has prepared an Environmental Assessment for the proposed withdrawal of federal land in Churchill, Lyon, Mineral, Nye, and Pershing counties, Nevada, for land management evaluation purposes.

A public meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 19, 2018, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at the Fallon Convention Center to help the public understand the Navy’s amended withdrawal application and provide information on the proposed land management evaluation withdrawal.

While the decision whether to expand the footprint of the Fallon Ranges would be made by Congress, public comments will help the BLM and the Navy evaluate how the withdrawal would affect other uses of public land – such as grazing, recreation, and mining – and assist these agencies in informing Congress of the implications. The public has 90 days to provide comments to the BLM on the amended application and the BLM’s withdrawal Environmental Assessment. The comment period ends on August 2, 2018.

Federal Register Notice 2018-09665 notifies the public that the Navy submitted an amended withdrawal application to the BLM. With the publication of the notice, the BLM has segregated 92,482.45 acres of federal land for two years from all forms of appropriation under the public land laws, including mining, mineral leasing, and geothermal leasing laws.

Federal Register Notice 2018-09670 announces an opportunity for the public to comment on the BLM-proposed withdrawal of 769,724 acres of federal land from all forms of appropriation under the public land laws, including mining, mineral leasing, and geothermal leasing laws, subject to valid existing rights, for up to four years for land management evaluation purposes and to maintain the current environmental baseline. Documents, including the Environmental Assessment, associated with the BLM withdrawal are available on the Land Management Evaluation project site.

BRC is concerned about the project’s potential impact to both permitted OHV events such as the current Vegas to Reno Off-Road Race and casual motorized recreation. We encourage Nevada OHV groups to attend the June 19, 2018, public meeting in Fallon to review potential impacts to either casual OHV use or permitted motorized events.

For more information about the proposed modernization of the Fallon Ranges and the Navy’s amended land withdrawal application, please visit the project website.

Thanks in advance and, as always, if you have any questions or concerns, please contact BRC.

Ric Foster
Public Lands Department Manager
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext. 2

The NOHVCC has completed their final report based on the feedback and participation at the public meetings held in November of 2017. This report was created to gather information about the enhancements for public land managed by the BLM in Nevada. From here, the BLM DC Office and Nevada State Office will work cooperatively to create a strategy to implement some of the suggestions that have been made. This process will begin in summer of 2018 and they will share the strategy upon completion.

Final Draft NOHVCC-BLM NV REPORT

A comprehensive federal lands bill is being proposed for Washoe County, which also goes by the name of Washoe County Economic Development and Conservation Act. The bill includes three distinct components:

1. Economic Development for the Greater Reno/Sparks area
2. Names, acreages and maps of federal lands in the northern portion of Washoe County that will be proposed for conservation and the release of the remaining wilderness study areas
3. The draft language that accompanies these maps.

For more information or to view the updated proposed maps and bill draft language, please visit their website: www.washoecounty.us/csd/planning_and_development/conservation-act.php

Washoe County is asking for input on the updated proposal based on the input received up to now on the bill.

Please plan to attend the meetings listed below for information and discussion of the two components of the bill.

For the economic development portion: Tuesday, April 24. 2018 from 5:30-7:30pm at the Convention Center.

For the conservation portion: Thursday, April 26, 2018 from 5:30-7:30pm at the Convention Center.

For additional information, please contact:

Jamie Rodriguez
Management Analyst- Government Affairs
Washoe County Manager’s Office
(775) 328-2010 (office)
JARodriguez@washoecounty.us
1001 E. Ninth Street Reno, NV 89512

BOISE, ID (August 31, 2015)–The BlueRibbon Coalition (BRC), a national trail-based recreation group, is again urging federal agencies to avoid “exit-based” final land-use decisions. BRC has weathered numerous litigatory storms at the Presidential administration such as occurred over winter use in Yellowstone Park, or various incantations of a “roadless” rule on our National Forest System lands.

BRC believes the Forest Service and BLM are headed down a similar pathway that will lead to intractable litigation over numerous Greater Sage Grouse (GRSG) planning efforts in Western States.

BRC highlighted these concerns in a letter Friday, punctuated by the apparent trajectory of the Bi State Grouse decision process on the Humboldt-Toiyabe Forest. Under the Bi State decision new restrictions would be for off-highway vehicle events through an apparent agreement with environmental groups under the guise of the objection resolution process. The lek buffer distance would be nearly doubled from 3 miles to 4 miles, the 10 a.m. event restriction amended to an all-day closure, and the seasonal restriction expanded by 45 days to include the time from May 15 to June 30.

Don Amador, BRC’s Western Representative, stated, “I think these new restrictions are unwarranted and were never day-lighted during the public process. OHV recreation has been identified as nothing more than a secondary threat to GRSG, but is an important land-use activity in the West.  We are concerned that the GRSG is becoming a convenient excuse to issue parting gifts to various special interests during the Administration’s final year.”

BRC’s letter outlines significant new information and changes that were not available for public comment. BRC formally requested that the agencies conduct a supplemental analysis, and seek an extension from a deadline which would force the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to decide on or before September 30, 2015, whether the GRSG must receive protection under the Endangered Species Act. “The purported urgency of meeting this deadline is improperly driving this process,” Amador noted.  In fact, the deadlines in the settlement agreement have been extended on multiple other occasions for other species. “We intend to test the agencies’ willingness to conduct a proper process that incorporates best available science and allows for full public involvement,” Amador concluded.

NEVADA – Federal Plan Threatens OHV Access In Nevada Desert

March 03, 2015 11:27 PM

Join and Support The Fight To Protect OHV Use Today!

Off-road Champion, Jimmy Lewis, Riding on NV BLM Trail.

Popular Dry Wash Trail at Risk in Draft RMP.

Elise McAllister, from Partners in Conservation, talks with OHVers about Potential Sand Wash Closures at Logandale OHV Area.

Important Sand Wash Trail at Risk for Closure.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in the Las Vegas area is currently fronting a draft plan that could eliminate or greatly restrict both casual and event-based OHV recreation on approximately 3 million areas in Southern Nevada.   The draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) creates an unjustified risk that might preclude “dry washes” from being designated as OHV routes.

The elimination of dry or sand washes from subsequent project level travel management plans could functionally close the desert if they are not capable of being designated as routes,  because motorized travel would be “limited to designated roads and trails.”

As OHVers know, washes are often the historic backbone of any desert-based route network.  Washes can either function as a trail or trails traverse them.

BRC’s Don Amador spent February 17-21 touring popular OHV recreation sites with representatives from the Southern Nevada Off-road Enthusiasts (SNORE), Motorcycle Racing Association of Nevada (MRAN), American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), and Partners in Conservation (PIC).  BRC and partners also attended a meeting convened by Clark County Commissioner Tim Collins’ office, where the BLM was an invitee as well.

BRC and OHV groups are not the only users concerned about the clear and present danger that is casting a dark shadow over the future of motorized access in Southern Nevada. Off-road champions and business leaders are also weighing on this important issue.

Adam M. Bosch, President of MGI/Mid America Underground, LLC, states,”The high risk currently threatening motorized recreation in Southern Nevada should be a clarion call to action for all of us who enjoy OHV recreation on public lands.  We all remember the thousands of miles of roads and trails that were closed by the U.S. Forest Service during their travel management process.”

“We can’t let the same thing happen to desert-based OHV use as the BLM starts its sister version of FS travel management.  Now is the time for powersports enthusiasts to gird for the fight by joining BRC’s effort to preserve and protect managed OHV recreation in the deserts of Nevada,” Bosch concludes.

JOIN BRC TODAY
YOUR MEMBERSHIP GIVES US A STRONGER VOICE

Jimmy Lewis, ISDE Gold Medalist and Dakar Champion states, “I moved from California to Nevada to get away from land closures and now the BLM is looking to shut us out of most if not all of my favorite riding trails. It’s time to stand up and fight back. Please send in a comment letter today!”

BRC has prepared an easy to use action alert where you can select issues that are important to you and then send those comments to the BLM at the Las Vegas Field Office before the March 9, 2015 public comment period deadline.

DONATE $25, $50,$100, $500, or $1,000
TO THE  “SOUTHERN NEVADA OHV DEFENSE FUND”

GO TO THE
BRC LETTER GENERATOR

MOTHER-LODE GARBAGE CLEAN-UP 

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February 19, 2015   10:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.

RSVP  for this event by February 17, 2015

Follow the signs at the junction of Flint Road (Carson City Landfill) & Eastgate

Siding Road off of Hwy 50 near Mound House in East Carson City.

We will need a point of contact for all volunteers so that you can be notified if there is a weather cancellation.

Contacts:   Melanie    775-885-6024    mhornsby@blm.gov

Cory          775-885-6020    cgardner@blm.gov

Duff           775-885-6179    adcallan@blm.gov

Mother-lode clean ups:

March 14 from 10:00-3:00

March 15  from 10:00-3:00

Adopt-a-Space workshops:

February 6 in Reno  5-6:30 pm

February 27 in Carson City  6-7:30 pm

Sens. Michael Crapo (R-Idaho), James Risch (R-Idaho) and David Vitter (R-La.) have introduced S. 228, the National Monument Designation Transparency and Accountability Act of 2015. The legislation would amend the American Antiquities Act of 1906 to require congressional approval and National Environmental Policy Act compliance for the designation of new national monuments. Please click the “Take Action” button, fill out the form at the bottom of the page and click the red “Submit” button to ask your Senators to support S. 228 today. Take Action The AMA believes this would be an important step toward ensuring all affected stakeholders have an opportunity to be heard before these important designations are made. It would also require public input before management changes are made to designated areas. The designation of a National Monument is significant for recreational opportunities and local economies. While there are cultural and historical landmarks that deserve the designation of National Monument, the AMA believes Congress and the public must be consulted before any action is taken. The American Motorcyclist Association opposes unilateral executive declarations that do not allow full public debate about the disposition of public lands. Indeed, every designation deserves to be considered individually to allow time for thoughtful deliberation and input from all affected user groups, local and state elected officials and Congress. Without this careful local consultation, a new land use designation can create negative economic and social effects, such as reduced tourism and fewer open areas on which to recreate. If you are not yet an AMA member, please join the AMA to help us fight efforts to restrict responsible motorized recreation.  More members means more clout against our opponents, and your support will help us fight for your riding rights – on the road, trail, racetrack, and in the halls of government. To join, go to AmericanMotorcyclist.com/membership/join.