BLM lists land it wants to protect

Monday, Oct. 23, 2000 | 11:12 a.m.

The Bureau of Land Management proposed 20 parcels of private land considered environmentally sensitive in its second "wish list" released on Friday.

The private properties were nominated by federal, state, and local governments and interested members of the public after the BLM called for nominations early in July, said Bob Abbey, BLM's Nevada state director.

The list includes thousands of acres on the Virgin and Muddy rivers and around Lake Mead that would protect wildlife such as the Southwest willow flycatcher and the Virgin River chub. Also on the list is a 160-acre ranch in Searchlight for desert tortoise habitat.

"We are interested in hearing from the people of Nevada regarding these nominations," Abbey said. "We want to know what is most important to the public."

The properties would be purchased on behalf of the public with funds received from a land sale in the Las Vegas Valley by the BLM. The land sale was crafted in the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act of 1998.

The act allows the funds raised from a land sale to purchase environmentally sensitive land within the state. In each case there must be a willing seller. Land auctions are scheduled twice a year, usually in November and June.

Land purchases are in progress from the first list of properties, including some private parcels in the Las Vegas Wash, announced in July by Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt.

The BLM will accept written comments on the second nomination list until Dec. 1.

Those interested in making verbal comments may attend the statewide Resource Advisory Council meeting at 2 p.m. on Thursday at the CasaBlanca hotel in Mesquite.

For further information, visit the BLM website at nv.blm.gov.