Nevada's Legislative Committee on Public Lands will travel to Winnemucca for its second meeting of the 2013-2014 Legislative Interim at the Winnemucca Convention Center (west hall) on Monday, March 24, at 10 a.m.
"The Committee is excited to be in Humboldt County to hear about issues that affect this part of the State." said Assemblyman Paul Aizley, Chairman of the Committee.
The meeting will begin with updates from the Bureau of Land Management and the United States Forest Service on agency activities and planning efforts in north-central Nevada.
Next, Don Pattalock, President of New New Resources is scheduled to give the committee a review of issues with 'checkerboard land' along the railroad corridor. Winnemucca District Manager Gene Seidlitz will also take part in that part of the agenda.
"Thousands of acres of land along the I-80 corridor are owned and managed in a checkerboard pattern. This ownership pattern creates unique land management challenges both for private and public land owners," said Aizley. To address the issue, presenters representing private and public interests will review the challenges they face in managing and developing land with limited access and, at times, conflicting land use policies.
An overview of Pershing County Water Conservation District programs and activities by Executive Director Benny Hodges will include water issues related to mining, pit lakes, and underground pumping.
The committee will review a drought environmental assessment the BLM is conducting which involves an analysis of grazing activity across northern Nevada. "The ongoing assessment may result in significant changes in grazing allotments on federal land in the year ahead," noted Aizley. "The proposals being considered will likely impact the region's cattle industry."
Also on the agenda are reports regarding fire suppression activities and planning efforts for the coming fire season. "We are very excited to hear from State Forester Pete Anderson, the Wildfire Support Group, and from BLM and USFS staff," said Aizley. "As we suffer through a third straight year of drought, the risk for large scale wild land fires is as high as ever. Firefighting agencies throughout Nevada need to collaborate and pool resources to effectively manage what is shaping up to be a very dangerous fire season."
The last agenda item is an update and review of agriculture and grazing activities on public lands. State Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Conservation Service Director Jim Barbee and State Conservationist Bruce Petersen are scheduled to present.
There are no specific times listed for discussion of items on the agenda, and no indication of how long the meeting may last.
The Public Lands Committee was created in 1983 as a permanent Committee of the Nevada Legislature. Its purposes are to review and comment on federal land management policies and practices and to provide a forum for the discussion of public lands matters. This is the committee to which the Nevada Lands Task Force will give their final report, due in September, on the study of whether Nevada should move forward to request control of more of the public lands within its boundaries.
The Committee holds meetings throughout Nevada during the interim period between sessions of the Nevada Legislature and looks to local governments and residents to provide information that may be used for future legislation or other legislative actions.
The other members of the Public Lands Committee are Senator Aaron D. Ford (D-Las Vegas); Senator Pete Goicoechea (R-Eureka); Senator Donald G. Gustavson (R-Sparks); Senator David R. Parks (D-Las Vegas); Assemblywoman Maggie Carlton (D-Las Vegas); Assemblyman John Ellison (R-Elko); Assemblyman Ira Hansen (R-Sparks); and Clark County Commissioner Tom Collins.
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