Bryan introduces bill to protect Black Rock Desert

Scott Sonner

Wednesday, March 22, 2000 | 11:48 a.m.

RENO, Nev. - Sen. Richard Bryan proposed protecting 600,000 acres of northern Nevada's historic trails and rugged canyons today against a booming population and growing visitation to the Black Rock Desert.

The retiring Nevada Democrat introduced the bill in the Senate to establish a National Conservation Area where bighorn sheep and pronghorn antelope roam the lands that have changed little since pioneers made their way across the Applegate-Lassen Emigrant Trail to the California Gold Rush 150 years ago.

"It is clear that we have to come up with a plan to properly protect this area for future generations," Bryan said in a statement from Washington.

He's also taking public comment as he considers how much wilderness to establish across an additional 1 million acres spread across 11 wilderness study areas in northwest Nevada under the Bureau of Land Management.

Bryan was greeted by a number of ranchers and other opponents of the proposal at a news conference in Reno last week.

"People need to remember that this is only the first step in a long process and that everyone who wants to be heard on this issue will certainly have an opportunity to comment on this proposal," Bryan said today.

The bill would prohibit any new mining that adversely affects the desert viewshed and prohibit any destruction of the desert stretching across northwest Nevada from about 120 miles north of Reno.

Bryan last week tried to assure his critics his proposal would not restrict hunting or fishing, that livestock grazing would continue where it is now and that off-road vehicles would be allowed in most areas where they don't threaten historic trails.

"My goal is to solve the problem of protecting the Black Rock Desert with a Nevada solution," Bryan said today.

"If my legislation precluded activities such as livestock grazing, hunting, off-road vehicle use and other permitted events such as the Burning Man Festival, I would not take the time to give this effort a second thought," he said.

"However, my bill to create a NCA would, in fact, legislatively protect all of these activities," he said.

Larie Trippet of Incline Village, Nev., head of the Public Lands Access Network High Desert Coalition, presented Bryan with hundreds of signatures on a petition opposing the measure last week.

The coalition fears the measure would limit access to the area.

Nevada Bighorns Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited and the Waterfowl Coalition also oppose the bill, along with the Washoe County Commission.

"The opposition does not just come from a few ranchers," Washoe County Commission Chairman Jim Galloway said.

"All the county commissions in the state except Clark County (in Las Vegas) are against it," he said.

Galloway said he's optimistic Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., will make an effort to block Bryan's bill. Gibbons has concerns about the bill but hasn't decided whether to oppose it. He was on the House floor and not immediately available for comment today.