Washington/Nevada State Office
| Contacts: | Adam Fetcher, DOI | , 202-208-6416 | ||
| Doran Sanchez, BLM | , 775-722-9796 |
Salazar Announces $43 Million for Nevada and Lake Tahoe Restoration, Conservation and Recreation Projects
WASHINGTON, DC -- Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today announced that Interior will commit more than $43.1 million for a variety of conservation and recreation improvement projects throughout Nevada and Lake Tahoe.
The funding is a result of the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act (SNPLMA), which uses proceeds from sales of federal land in Clark County, Nevada, to fund environmental restoration, conservation and public recreational projects throughout the state.
“Nevada’s natural beauty and unique landscapes are economic engines for the state, and these funds will not only help restore and enhance these special areas for future generations, but the projects will create jobs and provide vital resources to hard hit communities for the benefit of all who live in and visit the state,” said Secretary Salazar.
“The BLM is committed to ensuring that the American people benefit from their public lands,” said Bureau of Land Management Director Bob Abbey, who oversees the public land sales. “The BLM remains a strategic partner with the State of Nevada and we are committed to ensuring that our public lands continue to enhance and support statewide growth and development in these tough economic times.”
Funding approved in Round 12 expenditures under the Act includes more than $7.5 million for projects throughout Nevada in the following categories:
• Parks, Trails & Natural Areas - $1,319,222
• Capital Improvements - $1,109,275
• Conservation Initiatives - $1,641,671
• Environmentally Sensitive Land Acquisitions - $877,600
• Hazardous Fuels Reduction and Wildfire Prevention - $1,496,600
• Eastern Nevada Landscape Restoration Project - $996,100
• Multi-Species Habitat Conservation (MSHCP) - $92,000
The Round 12 projects are estimated to create more than 125 jobs by the end of 2012 and more than 645 permanent full-time jobs during the next nine years.
The Round 12 package also includes the Department of the Interior’s final obligations under the SNPLMA legislation -- $34,139,397 for Lake Tahoe Restoration Projects; as well as $1.5 million in a special account reserve for emergency or unexpected project expenditures.
The Department has contributed more than $2.6 billion to key restoration projects throughout Nevada, including more than $300 million for Lake Tahoe Basin restoration since passage of the Act in 1998, which completes the Federal share of the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program. This $300 million, in conjunction with local, state and private donations, has resulted in more than $1 billion to restore Lake Tahoe’s water clarity and critical natural resources, and enhance public safety through the implementation of hazardous fuels reduction projects to protect lives and property throughout the Lake Tahoe Basin.
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.
Washington/Nevada State Office 1340 Financial Blvd. Reno, NV 89502