Ely District Office
| Contacts: | Chris Hanefeld | , 775-289-1842 | , chanefel@blm.gov |
Federal and State Agencies Seek Public Input on Overland Pass/Big Wash Habitat Improvement Project
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Ely District, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Ruby Mountain Ranger District; and Nevada Department of Wildlife are seeking public input on the proposed Overland Pass/Big Wash Habitat Improvement Project to be implemented in the Overland Pass area of the Ruby Mountains, about 55 miles south of Elko and 80 miles northwest of Ely, Nev. The deadline to provide input is close of business, Thursday, March 15, 2012.
The proposed project would provide for vegetative diversity and improve habitat for the greater sage-grouse, mule deer, elk and pronghorn antelope, as well as reduce the risk of catastrophic wildland fire by selectively thinning pinion-pine and juniper from sagebrush communities. Approximately 17,000 acres of the 40,000-acre project area would be treated using manual and mechanical treatment methods, and prescribed fire.
The proposed project is consistent with the BLM Ely District Resource Management Plan and Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan, as amended.
Interested individuals should address all written comments to the BLM Ely District Office, HC 33 Box 33500, Ely, NV 89301-9408, Attn: Cody Coombs or email them to Coombs at ccoombs@blm.gov. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment – including your personal identifying information – may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
For more information, contact Cody Coombs, BLM Ely District fuels program manager, at (775) 289-1854 or ccoombs@blm.gov.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
Ely District Office 702 N. Industrial Way Ely, NV 89301