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Legislation a model for resolving land use issues

The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation Monday that sets the stage for other Nevada counties to resolve public land issues, such as the impasse over wilderness areas, while also bolstering the tax revenue of local governments, funding education and promoting conservation.

More than 100,000 acres of federal land in Lincoln County would be sold to private interests through the Lincoln County Conservation, Recreation and Development Act. The proceeds would be distributed to various entities, with 5 percent to the state education fund, 45 percent to Lincoln County for economic development and 50 percent to the Department of the Interior for management and protection of archaeological resources.

Similarly balanced legislation could work in Churchill County where, like much of the state, there are ample federal land holdings.

For more than 20 years, there has been no action on wilderness study areas in the county that encompass nearly 250,000 acres in the Desatoya and Clan Alpine mountain ranges. Federal lawmakers plan to deal with the wilderness issue on a county-by-county basis, and we look forward to a lands bill for Churchill County that has been a long time coming.

A public lands bill also could help shape the future of open space in Churchill County, with conveyance of federally-managed property to the county for parks, horse and off-road vehicle trails and other recreational uses.

We can think of many ways to spend dollars generated from public land sales to improve our community.

Growth will dictate the need for additional municipal water supplies that are diminishing as the agriculture base shrinks. Meeting federal arsenic standards will cost the county money as it gets into the utility business. The Bureau of Land Management needs more resources to protect and patrol areas that are seeing increased usage like Sand Mountain. Illegal dumping on public lands remains a chronic problem with few resources at the federal level dedicated to clean up sites. Churchill County needs to think about a truck bypass around Fallon at some point that also will involve public land.

Federal legislation modeled after bills crafted by lawmakers for Lincoln and Clark counties could act in the best interests of local residents while promoting conservation, recognizing growth and offering multiple use of our vast public lands.

It's time to start building a consensus in Churchill County on wilderness and public land needs for the future.

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