Elko District Office
| Contacts: | Lesli Ellis | , 775-753-0386 | , lellis@blm.gov |
Elko District BLM seeks public input for proposed drought Environmental Assessment
ELKO, Nev. – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Elko District is seeking public input on the development of an Environmental Assessment (EA) for management of livestock and wild horses within the Elko District during drought conditions. Input is needed prior to Nov. 15, 2012.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Nevada is currently experiencing moderate to extreme drought conditions. The proposed EA will be prepared to allow the BLM to respond to current and future drought conditions. Some of the factors to be examined will be winter/spring precipitation; water availability for livestock, wild horses, and wildlife; residual forage from previous growing seasons; current year’s forage plant growth; plant vigor; soil moisture content; soil/site stability and hydrologic function; riparian health and function; plant community composition; and wildlife habitat condition. Other factors may also be incorporated as needed.
The proposed EA will analyze a wide range of temporary drought response alternatives that could be used to mitigate the effects of drought. Input can be submitted via email to BLM_NV_ELDO_DroughtEA@blm.gov, or mailed to BLM, Elko District, 3900 E. Idaho St., Elko, NV 89815 or faxed to (775) 753-0255.
Questions or comments regarding the EA can be addressed to Casey Addy, Rangeland Management Specialist, at (775) 753-0202, or Terri Dobis, Project Manager, at (775) 753-0290.
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.
Elko District Office 3900 E. Idaho St. Elko, NV 89815