U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT NEWS RELEASE
Winnemucca District Office | Black Rock Field Office
Winnemucca District Office | Black Rock Field Office
| Contacts: | Cory Roegner, Assistant Field Manager | , 775-623-1500 | , croegner@blm.gov |
BLM Opens Black Rock Station Near Gerlach
Winnemucca, Nev. — The Black Rock Station visitor contact center will open on May 16, for the 2012 season. The Station is just west of Gerlach, Nev., in the Bureau of Land Management Winnemucca District. Visitors may obtain information about the Black Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area (NCA) at the visitor contact center, which will be open over the weekends from Thursdays through Mondays, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and will be closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
“The Black Rock Desert is a remote and primitive area,” said Cory Roegner, assistant field manager. “The Station is an important stopping off place for visitors to get information that will help them understand and enjoy the area, as well as to become aware of important safety and survival tips.”
The facility will be open through November and will be staffed by BLM personnel. The Station also houses a fire engine bay, barracks, warehouse/shop, and small administrative office. A BLM fire crew will operate out of the facility from July to September.
The Black Rock Station was constructed with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. Non-ARRA funds were obtained for interpretive panels, maps, and safety information, as well as information on many of the cultural and natural resources in the area such as wildlife, plants, wilderness, and recreational opportunities.
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.
Winnemucca District Office | Black Rock Field Office 5100 E. Winnemucca Blvd. Winnemucca, NV 89445