WINNEMUCCA FIELD OFFICE NO. 2006-33
FOR RELEASE: June 8, 2006
CONTACT: Jamie Thompson at (775) 623-1500

BURNING MAN RECEIVES FIVE-YEAR PERMIT

The Bureau of Land Management’s Winnemucca Field Office has issued a Special Recreation Permit to Black Rock City, LLC authorizing the annual Burning Man event on public lands for the years 2006 through 2010 contingent upon annual review of permittee compliance with the terms and stipulations of the permit. In successive years, the permit alternates the event site among three adjacent locations, all of which are approximately ten miles north of Gerlach, Nevada and partly inside the boundaries of the Black Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area (NCA).

Burning Man has taken place on public lands on the Black Rock Desert Playa every year but one since 1990. Last year over 35,000 persons paid for entrance tickets and traveled to the remote desert location to participate. The Burning Man event is a combination social gathering, art festival, and experiment in community living. Approximately 38,000 people from around the world are expected to attend this year. The Black Rock Desert playa is one of the largest dry lakebeds in North America and is surrounded by rugged mountains. Many of these mountains are in wilderness areas designated by Congress in 2000 at the same time the NCA was established.

BLM is requiring the permittee, Black Rock City, LLC, to comply with 16 permit conditions and 80 stipulations. Stipulations relate to things such as event set-up, signing, traffic control, security, public safety, resource management, fire management, dust abatement, aircraft and runway requirements, fee calculation and payment, and event take-down and clean-up. These stipulations are attached to and made part of the permit.

As in past years, during the event and in the period immediately before and after it, public use closures to protect the environment, assure public safety, address the concerns of adjacent communities, and facilitate administration will be implemented. Access to the playa by the general public remains readily available even when closures are in effect and solitude is still available in the vastness of the Black Rock NCA, including much of the playa. Public closures include restrictions on use of firearms, fireworks, camping and vehicle travel, aircraft landing, and all public uses in areas within and immediately adjacent to the permit area.

The permit was issued based on an Environmental Assessment that included consideration of public comments received. The decision record incorporates elements of two alternatives that were presented for public comment in a preliminary EA in April and May of 2006. Copies of the Decision and related documents are available for viewing and upon request from the BLM Winnemucca Field Office, 5100 East Winnemucca Boulevard, Winnemucca, Nevada 89445-2921; (775) 623-1500, and are posted online at http://www.nv.blm.gov/Winnemucca/NEPA/burningman/burningman.htm. 

For more information, please contact Dave Cooper, National Conservation Area Manager, at the number above.