Washington, D.C.--The White Pine County Lands bill was approved as part of a broad tax package last night, thanks to the efforts of Senators John Ensign and Harry Reid, who were able to get the bill inserted. The Senators say the legislation will provide an economic boost and preserve pristine wilderness areas in Nevada, while also protecting Northern Nevada’s valuable outdoor areas such as Lake Tahoe, the eastern Sierra, and the Ballardini Ranch.

“This legislation is the result of countless meetings, hearings, and public discussions,” said Ensign. “We brought everyone to the table and created a bill that balances economic opportunity while preserving the pristine beauty and wilderness areas in our state.”

“The White Pine County land bill represents the great art of compromise. I’m proud that so many Nevadans came together to both protect our precious public lands and serve the needs of our growing communities,” said Reid.

The bill provides benefits for Northern Nevada through a 10-year comprehensive hazardous fuels reduction plan at Lake Tahoe and the eastern Sierra, by providing funds to acquire and protect portions of the Ballardini Ranch in Washoe County, and by reducing the risk of fire through restoration projects and the improvement of critical watersheds. The threat of a catastrophic fire at Lake Tahoe could irreparably harm its famous clarity. The bill designates more than 550,000 acres of wilderness in White Pine County and transfers 3,526 acres to the Ely Shoshone Tribe for traditional, ceremonial, commercial and residential purposes.

Currently more than 94 percent of White Pine County land is managed by federal agencies. The bill expands economic opportunity in the county by allowing up to 45,000 acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands to be privatized. Each year a portion of land will be released with 5 percent of land sales proceeds going to the state education fund; 10 percent to White Pine County law enforcement, fire protection, transportation, and natural resource planning; and 85 percent to fund the protection of wilderness areas in White Pine County.

The bill is modeled after the successful Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act (SNPLMA), the Clark County Lands bill and the Lincoln County Lands bill.

Provided below is additional information on some of the accomplishments within this legislation:

Land Disposal – White Pine County

This title expands economic opportunity in White Pine County by allowing up to 45,000 acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands to be made available for disposal through a joint selection process between the county and the BLM. A small portion of this total acreage will be available for sale each year, providing a long term opportunity for managed growth. Currently more than 94% of the land in White Pine County is managed by federal agencies, including more than 4,300,000 acres managed by the BLM.

The bill distributes 5% of land sales proceeds to the state education fund; 10% to White Pine County law enforcement, fire protection, transportation and natural resource planning; and 85% to fund protection of wilderness areas in White Pine County, to support a three-year study for a potential extension of the Silver State OHV trail, to inventory and protect unique archeological resources, and to carry out other provisions of the bill.

Wilderness – White Pine County

The bill resolves wilderness study areas throughout White Pine County by designating roughly 558,000 acres of wilderness in 13 new areas. Additionally, more than 54,000 acres of Bureau of Land Management are released from wilderness study designation. Important adjustments are also made to the Mt. Moriah and Currant Mountain wilderness areas originally designated in 1989.

Land Transfers and Great Basin National Park – White Pine County

This title makes two important transfers of land between federal agencies that will improve public land management in White Pine County. It transfers about 658 acres from the Bureau of Land Management to the Fish and Wildlife Service in the Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge and about 117,000 acres of land surrounding the Great Basin National Park from the Forest Service to the Bureau of Land Management, of which approximately 70,000 will be designated wilderness and roughly 55,000 will be withdrawn from land disposal and mineral laws to further protect the area and ensure popular hunting areas remain open and accessible.

Land Transfers for Nevada State Parks – White Pine County

The bill conveys land for two existing state parks and one state wildlife management area to expand and improve the management of these areas. The Charcoal Ovens State Park will receive about 658 acres of Bureau of Land Management land they currently manage as part of the park; Cave Lake State Park will receive a conveyance of land totaling 2,960 acres; and Steptoe Valley Wildlife Management area will receive approximately 6,281 acres to expand this popular waterfowl and wetlands area. The bill also conveys two small parcels of land for the expansion of the airport and industrial park to support future economic development in White Pine County.

Off Highway Vehicle Trail – White Pine County

This title authorizes a 3-year study for the possible extension of the Silver State Off-Highway Vehicle Trail into White Pine County. It authorizes a route designation only if the Secretary determines that such a trail would not significantly impact wildlife habitat, natural or cultural resources.

Eastern Nevada Landscape Coalition

The threat of catastrophic fire and the loss of habitat for key species is a critical issue in eastern Nevada and the larger Great Basin area. This bill provides funding through the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act for federal agencies, in cooperation with the Eastern Nevada Landscape Coalition and the Great Basin Institute, to carryout landscape-scale restoration projects that reduce the risk of fire and improve critical watersheds.

 

###