Thursday, April 9, 1998 | 10:56 a.m.
PAULA DEL GIUDICEhas been an outdoors freelance writer, author and photographer for 13 years. Her column appears Wednesdays.
NOW IT'S NOT just Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott's proposed amendments to the Endangered Species bill, S. 1180, that are stirring the pot and threatening the bill.
Budget provisions introduced by Sen. Pete Dominici, R-NM, call for the sales of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands to support funding for the private land incentives contained in the bill.
Sen. Harry Reid D-Nev., continues to be the man of substance and integrity. His promises to remove his support from S. 1180, the Endangered Species bill that was penned during two years of negotiation and compromise among its sponsors, prove that.
Though the original bill was not supported by conservationists because it didn't go far enough to protect species, the proposed amendments and the new budget provision make the bill untenable.
I hope Sen. Reid can use the Easter break to garner support for his position and to show Nevadans how bad the new funding proposal would be to Nevada.
Reid expected the revenues from the sale of BLM lands in Nevada to go to our state. In addition, selling public lands to pay for private land incentives sets a bad precedent. The selling of public land may further add to habitat loss and fragmentation of threatened and endangered species
Reid has said he can't tolerate the funding mechanism. Without his support, S. 1180 is going nowhere.
* RESOURCE AMENDMENT SCRAPPED: According to the League of Conservation Voters, last year's balanced budget agreement contemplated decreasing spending every year until at least 2003 for natural resources and environmental programs. Recently, though, an amendment to restore funding for critical environmental and natural resources programs that was proposed in the President's budget was omitted from the Budget Resolution. Though Senators Reid and Bryan should be commended for supporting the resolution, it failed. The amendment targeted increased funding to address polluted runoff from urban, agricultural and mining areas. It also offered a continuation of funding for the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds.
* TROUT PLANTS: The Nevada Division of Wildlife's final trout plants for the season concluded last Thursday at Floyd Lamb State Park, Lorenzi Park, and Sunset Park. Lake Mead's was scheduled for Friday. According to NDOW reports, John McKay, manager of the Lake Mead Hatchery, said that Lake Mead and the urban ponds will not be stocked again until November. McKay also reported that recent rains have delayed the stocking of trout at Eagle Valley and Echo Canyon reservoirs in Lincoln County. Those stocks are scheduled to get under way this week.
* TAKE A HIKE: Got the kids home from school this week for spring break? There are some great hikes scheduled at Red Rock Canyon that might be just the ticket to burn off some of that energy. On Thursday, the whole family is welcome on a 2.5 mile easy hike to enjoy the "Wild Flora of Red Rock." Children are welcome on Friday but it's a little longer jaunt. On this five-mile roundtrip morning hike to La Madre Spring, hikers will look for bighorn sheep and other wildlife. If you like bats, the one-mile hike on Saturday is right up your alley. Hikers will explore cave ecology and the bat's habitat. For hikers in search of a more strenuous hike, a six-mile hike to learn more about plants, wildlife and geology of Red Rock is set for Saturday. Reservations are required for all programs. Call 363-1921 to reserve your spot.
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