LCR
On May 22, U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt announced the commitment of more than $106.8 million to support 47 public lands projects throughout Nevada, including Lincoln County.
The projects include $1.45 million in Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act (SNPLMA) funding for the construction of between 40 and 65 miles of multi-use trails in Lincoln County.
This funding will provide additional trailheads, parking and ancillary facilities, new dispersed campgrounds/camping areas recreational trails and support facilities in the Highland Range area of the county.
The project is a collaborative effort among the Bureau of Land Management and the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners, the City of Caliente, the Nevada Division of State Parks, the American Conservation Experience, the Back Country Horsemen of America, the Wilderness Society, the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development and regional and local proprietors.
The announcement marked a change in tune from the Trump Administration, as funding had been held up politically for several years, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
These projects, which encompass a broad range of recreation improvements, wildlife habitat conservation, hazardous fuel reduction and wildfire prevention projects will be funded through the sale of public lands under SNPLMA.
“Since 1998, sales of public land within the Las Vegas Valley have been funding projects that benefit communities and improve the overall quality of life for residents and visitors in the area,” said Bernhardt. “This program is a concrete example of the Department’s continued commitment to being a good neighbor through increased recreation opportunities and access, modernizing our infrastructure and creating a legacy of conservation stewardship.”
The entities receiving funds in Round 17 include: the City of North Las Vegas, White Pine County, City of Las Vegas, Clark County, Lincoln County, City of Henderson, National Park Service, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management and Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District.
Since the enactment of SNPLMA in 1998 the program has generated almost $3.6 billion for projects that benefit public places in Nevada, the California side of the Lake Tahoe Basin and the portion of Lake Mead National Recreation Area in Arizona, the release stated.
