Elko County reinforces Nye
By Robt. kowes
ELKO - Commissioners in this northeastern Nevada
County have reinforced their opposition to any plans the
federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) may have to
increase its police power authority on public lands in the
Silver State.
The commission voted unanimously in favor of a resolu-
tion that says any such action by the governmental agency
would violate the U.S. Constitution and would be consid-
ered illegal in Elko County.
Their recent action had a familiar ring in south central
Nye County, where a similar local action triggered a lengthy
lawsuit with the federal government in what became known
nationally as the "Sagebrush Rebellion."
The Nye County Commission, who was to become the
national spokesman for that movement, Dick Carver, now
sits as chairman of the five-member Nye County Commis-
stand against fed powers
sion. which historically shares the position taken by the
northern county concerning any expanded federal police
powers within their geographic jurisdiction.
The Elko resolution also was made part of Elko County's
policy in a move calculated to tbrce the federal govern-
ment calculated to force the federal government to acqui-
esce to county policy through regulations in the Federal
Land Management and Policy Act.
Elko-based public lands advocate, Ed Presley, formerly
a key principal consultant to the Nye County Commis-
sioners, who helped write the Elko resolution, said the con-
stitution only gives the federal government authority over
lands it purchases with the consent of the states and those
lands can only be used needed federal facilities.
Presley interprets that clause to limit the government's
powers and authority. Do we accurately perceive an emerg-
ing feeling of de ja vu?
:00Ft. Irwin expansion cont.
United States. The General told of the training cadre main- faded.
tained of Ft. Irwin and how armored troops are rotated to
the NTC on a regular basis for training and mock combat
with the resident force.
He went on to explain how modern weapons have in-
creased in speed and range and that the large troop maneu-
vers on the fort require more and more room for training
with their modern equipment. General Wallace continued
by saying that this is the only training facility of this type
and increased land use is needed to train for th6 battles of
modern wars.
Tim Reid of the BLM addressed the assembly and ex-
plained about the lands involved and what steps would be
taken to protect the environment. He outlined the area and
boundaries of the proposed expansion and spoke about what
steps will be taken to remove 330,000 acres from public
use. The purpose of the meeting in Baker was to, "provide
interested citizens an opportunity to receive information
and ask questions about the proposal, and to provide oral
comments for the record," according to BLM District Man-
ager Henri Bisson. Interested citizens at the meeting in
Baker did indeed provide oral comment.
The attendance at the meeting read like a Desert Roll of
Honor. The people of the desert rose to be heard. Those
people attending included, George Gilbert of Tecopa, Marta
Beckett of Death Valley Junction, Harry Godshall of Rest-
ing Springs. Brian Brown of China Ranch, Martha Watkins
of Pahrump, Rob Fulton of Zzyx, Lavon Selbach of the
Amargosa Valley, Len Smith of Barstow, Clark Bryner of
Baker, Jim Marsh and daughter Stacey Kinard of Amar-
gosa Valley; Dr. Lovern Carlson of Baker, Norbert Riedy
of San Francisco, Bernie Forrest of Rasor, Mary Martin of
Barstow; Marcia Cook and Hank Schroder from CBS
News.
Robert Lucas of Apple Valley, a self-described Barstow
businessman whose trade depends on Fort Irwin, spoke
for the expansion. He said that those citizens of Baker and
the surrounding desert who opposed the expansion were
merely "selfish and unpatriotic." He went on to say that
the U.S. Army could take better care of the land than the
Army representatives assured the crowd that they were
no longer considering closing 127, but that they would build
multiple underpasses so that armor could cross the road
without impacting traffic. No mention was made of how
such construction might impact and interrupt traffic.
Dr. Carlson, Baker school superintendent expressed fears
that the huge clouds of dust generated by military maneu-
vers churning up the dry desert would cause severe health
problems for the students of the Baker school located 7
miles south of the proposed militarized zone. Brian Brown,
of China Ranch, expressed concern for the viability of the
communities north of the proposed expansion and spoke
of tourist reluctance to drive through military compounds.
Norbert Reidy, Conservation Director of the National
Wilderness Society asked for an extension of the comment
period so his organization would have time to adequately
review, understand and comment on all aspects of the Draft
Environmental Statement.
Jim Marsh, owner of the Longstreet Inn and Casino in
Amargosa Valley suggested that the Government consider in-
demnifying the citizens and businesses of the desert for their
losses under the proposed expansion.
Lavon Selbach, a second-generation rancher in the Amar-
gosa Valley, spoke of her fears that transport of crops and
livestock into California would be curtailed and the markets
of the agri-business of the Amargosa would be lost.
All who spoke at the Baker meeting were not the well-to-
do and well-connected of the desert. A woman from Baker,
Coco Ragsdale, spoke of how the lower-income families in
Baker used Highway 127 to visit the clinic in Shoshone. Kevin
Moldenhauer, a clerk in a local store told simply of how he
enjoyed the surrounding desert and the freedom of open pub-
lic ' lands. Gary Armstrong told of the pleasure he and his
family found driving on the back country roads of the desert.
Conservationists spoke for the preservation of the environ-
ment. Recreationalists spoke
for the fine family recreation
to be found on the open desert.
The people of the desert stood
Pahrump Valley Gazette, Thursday, February 27, 1997 3
Final Enviromnental hnpact
Statement and a 30-day Re-
view Public Period. and BLM
will identify Lead Agency
Preferred Alternative.
The portly princess has yet
to yodel. Next will be a
Record of Decision, both by
BLM and the U.S. Army. It
will be a consolidated ROD
if the recommendations are
the same. Otherwise, both
RODs would be forwarded to
the Military Programs Coor-
dinator/Legislative Team
BLM Director Forwards De-
partment. From there it trav-
els through the Departments
of Defense and Interior. And
then... Department of Jus-
tice, E.P.A., Army, and back
to Interior.
Then, the Assistant Sec-
retary of the Interior for
Land and Minerals Manage-
ment sends the proposed
legislation to congress. (All
public land withdrawals in
excess of 5,000 acres must
have congressional ap-
proval). At which time a bill
will be introduced for mili-
tary withdrawal of the desert
lands.
The Baker Community
meeting was attended and
the crowd was tightly fo-
cused on the proceedings.
The intricacies of the bu-
reaucratic maze that must be
traveled to accomplish the
huge land withdrawal are
both awesome and confus-
ing. The citizens of the
desert who attended the
meeting were well aware
that a loss of public land of
this size could very well
change the lives they have
worked so long to build for
themselves and their fami-
lies.
One quiet soft-spoken
man from Death Valley rose
and addressed the as-
sembled officials and mili-
tary officers. "I want my
grandson," he said, "to be
able to walk the land I love."
r
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Gazette
successor to:
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Est. 1981
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h
"citizens. His comments were echOed by another Barstow
businessman, (Barstow is the closest town that serves Ft.
Irwin) who stressed the unpatriotic attitudes of those who
would oppose the expansion and explained that the only
reason for opposition to the expansion is greed.
In the audience of more than 80- people, all other speak-
ers were against the proposed expansion. Fears were ex-
pressed that highway 127 would be eventually closed, shut-
ting off the main road to Death Valley National park. Pahr-
ump also would lose it's main route for visiting Califor-
nians and the delivering of modular homes. The towns of
Shoshone and Tecopa would slowly die as tourist traffic
I III III
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PAHRUMP VALLEY
Call Joy Morrissey
727-4144
and spoke for the desert. The
meeting in Baker was ex-
pressly to review the Draft En-
vironmental Impact State-
ment. In typical government
fashion, the buck does not stop
here. Next in the process of
the Ft. Irwin proposal is; Lead
and cooperating agencies will
analyze the public comments.
They will be an issuing of a
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Weekend Weather
>,ZYVnti,,,ud
)/t,a,,/,,,
for Nevada
Nortbel and Central Nevada
.Thursday...A chance of rain or snow.
brisk Snds. Lows in the teens and
20s. Highs in the mid 30s and
40s..Friday and Saturday... a chance of
rain or sno ndy at limes. Lows in
the teens and 20s east with mostly 2Os
west. Highs in the mid 3Os to mid 4Os.
Southern Nevada
.Thursday..,. a chanceof showers. Lows
upper 30s to near 50, Highs in the mid
508 in mid 6Os,
.Friday'. A chance of morning show-
ers, Lows mostly in the 4Os, Highs in
the mid 508 to mid 6Os.
.Saturday... Dry, Lows mostly in the
4Os. lligh in Ihe mid 5Os to mid 60s,
Death Valley
.Thursday.,. PmXly cloudy. Bree to lo-
caltywindy Low from the upper 208
Owens Valley to the 408 southern
deserts. High from the mid 50s Owens
Valley to the mid 708 southern
deserts.. Friday... Partly Cloudy. Locally
breezy. Lows from the upper 208
Owens Valley to the 408 southern
deserts. Highs from the mid 5Os Owens
Valley to the upper 6Os to mid 7Os
southern deserts.
.Saturday... Increasing douds north.
mostly clear. Lows from the upper 208
Owens Valley 1o the 40s southern
desert. Highs from the mid 5Os Owens
Valley to the mid 70s southern deserts.
II IIIIIIII I
