The long-awaited acquisition of the Unionville Cemetery by Pershing County is nearly complete according to BLM Winnemucca District Manager Ester McCullough. The final step is publication in the Federal Register of the sale and transfer of the 10.4 acres of public land to the county.
“The notice of the realty action, meaning our process, is in the Washington office being approved to be published in the Federal Register,” McCullough told county leaders. “It got up there July 2 and we are waiting with baited breath to hear that it’s going to the Federal Register.”
Thirty days after publication in the Federal Register, the deal should be completed at last.
“There’s a 30 day period and then it’s done,” McCullough said. “We are getting closer.”
In September 2016, BLM archaeologist Matt Yacubic said an underground forensic investigation was completed with mapping of human remains dating back to the 1800’s.
“We’re moving forward to get this done so you can get back to the good folks in Unionville and let them know their cemetery can be used by families who have family out there already,” Yacubic told county leaders. Known burials were mapped with GPS for the county, he said.
DONATED FIRE TRUCK
County Commission Chairman Larry Rackley inquired about a surplus wildland fire engine, no longer needed by the BLM Winnemucca District, that was promised to the Rye Patch Volunteer Fire Department. There will be no cost to Pershing County for the used vehicle but the delivery has been delayed due to delayed delivery of the BLM’s replacement vehicle, BLM officials said.
“It’s going to be a big asset to the Rye Patch Fire Department,” Rackley told BLM officials.
A BLM website explains the program behind the surplus 2415 wildland fire truck donation.
“The BLM’s Rural Fire Readiness Program is dedicated to enhancing the firefighting capabilities of our wildland firefighting partners. The program allows the BLM to provide training and equipment to our partners - at no cost to them - so we can safely and efficiently suppress wildland fires together.”
BURROS REMOVED
Too many wild burros in the Seven Troughs Herd Management Area were consuming too much water and forage and were threatening public road safety according to the Winnemucca BLM.
“We did do a burro gather that concluded on July 3,” McCullough told county leaders. “We trapped 188 burros out of the Porter Springs, Seven Troughs area.”
The burros were transported to the BLM Palomino Valley Wild Horse and Burro Facility north of Sparks. Approximately 52 burros are left in the Porter Spring area. Due to their unusual coat colors, some of the “pinto” or paint burros have already been adopted or sold. Others could be trained by Carson City prison inmates and auctioned off to the highest bidder by the BLM.
“Some of the burros will go to Carson City to be trained for adoption,” McCullough said. “As for some of those animals, especially the big, paint burros, we believe we may have someone in Wyoming that is very interested in adopting those burros.”
Burros are adopted at a higher rate than wild horses according to BLM officials.
ROAD PROJECT
Bureau of Land Management officials said they have not considered a county proposal to share the costs of county road improvements for an alternative route to Burning Man. The project could help reduce traffic congestion on State Route 447 during the Burning Man festival.
Normally a quiet two-lane highway, SR 447 becomes crowded and treacherous during the festival as it is the only paved road from the I-80 freeway to Gerlach and the Burning Man site. Up to 80,000 ticket-holders, contractors, vendors, staff and volunteers are expected this year.
County Commissioner Rob McDougal explained that Mark Hall of the BLM Winnemucca District told him there may be funds available for road improvements to reduce the congestion. Ragged Top Road and Porter Springs Road are the most viable routes but, either way, improvements would be needed such as a more tire-friendly gravel surface and visitor-friendly road signs.
“That was a conversation with Mark Hall about a year and a half ago. He indicated that some of the money that BLM receives from the Burning Man Project could potentially help fund improvements to one or two routes from this area up toward the playa,” McDougal told BLM officials last week. “We’ve got two routes that might be possible. It sounds like the exit at Toulon and over Ragged Top Road is the better route, shorter I think and more direct.”
Sheriff Jerry Allen said he and his deputies have less flat tires due to sharp rocks on Ragged Top Road than on Porter Springs Road but, either way, drivers need to carry spares and emergency supplies and Burning Man participants may not be prepared for unpaved roads.
McDougal asked what the BLM would require from the county to consider the project.
“We’d like to get back on the radar and, if there is some assistance like that, what do we need to do?” he said. “Do we need an estimate of the cost and what the improvements might look like. A two-lane (paved road) would be awesome but we suspect it would be an improved gravel road.”
McCullough said it was the first time she had heard about the idea but she will follow up.
“I will have to check on that because I have not been privy to those conversations,” she said.
Meanwhile, Commissioner Carol Shank suggested that more signs are needed for visitors driving to the BLM’s Porter Springs Recreation Area that opened last year north of Lovelock.
“I know when you come to different forks in the Porter Springs Road, you don’t know which one to take,” she told BLM officials. “People unfamiliar with the roads end up going in the wrong direction and getting lost. Has there been any decision about that?”
Vandalism has interfered with Porter Springs and other road signs, BLM officials.
MINING
The BLM’s Environmental Impact Statement on the Coeur Rochester/Packard Mine should be ready by the end of August, 2019 for the public comment period according to McCullough.
Americas Silver is “collecting baseline studies right” now to complete the application for the Environmental Impact Statement to permit Phase II of mining at the Relief Canyon Mine.
EP Mining is in the process of compiling baseline studies for modifications to their plan of operation and the draft EIS for Hycroft was published on May 17, McCullough said.
“The comment period closed July 1 so we’re in the process of pulling together the final EIS by September 6,” she said. “We’re hoping to have the Record of Decision signed on October 11 and that will have a Fish & Wildlife Service Eagle Take Permit to be signed on October 18.”
PUBLIC LAND ACCESS
District Attorney Bryce Shields was notified of Senate Bill 316 that allows landowners to be cited by the county if they block public access to county roads that are the only access to public land.
“It makes blocking a major, minor or general county road a misdemeanor public nuisance offense,” he said. “Finally, counties have the teeth to deal with the issue of private landowners denying access through their property to access public domain. There are three roads I am aware of in the Humboldt Range that are blocked right now...The people of Pershing County are being denied access because there’s no roadway. I was really happy to see that amendment.”
Landowners will be notified in writing before any citations are issued for non-compliance.
“That’s probably an issue the commission ought to revisit so we can figure out how to get those roads open so that people can have access to those canyons,” Shields said.
