WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) introduced the Pershing County Economic Development and Conservation Act to improve the management of public lands in the County, increase protections for pristine areas, and create new conservation and recreation opportunities, while ensuring the revenue from land sales stay in Pershing County. This bill was drafted in collaboration with local officials and stakeholders in order to support long-term economic growth for Pershing County’s rural communities, while also prioritizing the protection and effective management of our public lands. The bill will also transfer land into trust for the Lovelock Paiute Tribe to support the expansion of their Tribal cemetery. This legislation has the support of county commissioners, ranchers, recreationists, conservationists, the Nevada Mining Association, and private landowners.
“As Nevada continues to grow, I’m working to support responsible economic development while also prioritizing the conservation of public lands,” said Senator Rosen. “This bill reflects years of collaboration with local communities and a variety of stakeholders in Pershing County. It strikes a balance that will allow Pershing County to prosper economically thanks to critical industries like mining, while also protecting more than 130,000 acres of public lands. I’ll keep working in the U.S. Senate to make sure this bill becomes law.”
“The Pershing County Economic Development and Conservation Act is vital for the future of Pershing County and our citizens,” said Larry Rackley, Chairman of the Pershing County Commission. “Reconciling our checkerboard lands and protecting important Federal lands will ensure we have an ability to grow our economy in the future. We thank Senator Rosen for her support of this important legislation.”
“The Pershing County Economic Development and Conservation Act is a great example of how many stakeholders with diverse priorities, such as ranching, mining, sportsmen, local governments, and environmental advocates, can work together for a successful public lands bill,” said Amanda Hilton, President of the Nevada Mining Association. “This legislation allows for economic growth in the county while protecting some of Nevada’s special landscapes in perpetuity, providing positive outcomes for all involved. The Nevada Mining Association is in support of this legislation and encourages its swift passage.”
“Friends of Nevada Wilderness is very grateful for Senator Rosen’s support for reintroducing the Pershing County bill,” said Shaaron Netherton, Executive Director of Friends of Nevada Wilderness. “We have been active partners with stakeholders and local governments working to resolve public lands issues in Pershing County for a number of years. We are excited about the seven beautiful Wilderness areas and we are also excited for the opportunity to block up public and private lands to support appropriate development including green energy along with better conservation and management in the checkerboard area along the railroad and I-80 corridor.”
The Pershing County Economic Development and Conservation Act:
- Designates over 130,000 acres of public lands as wilderness.
- Fixes the checkerboard of alternating parcels of public and private land in Pershing County to allow for more effective land management, and creates new economic development and conservation opportunities.
- Allows specific mining lands to be sold to support the mining industry in Pershing County, a key economic driver in the community, and funds new conservation and restoration activities.
- Requires revenue from the land sales to stay in Pershing County to obtain, conserve, and protect environmentally sensitive areas and support outdoor recreation.
- Transfers land into trust for the Lovelock Paiute Tribe to expand their Tribal cemetery.
Senator Rosen has been a champion for Nevada’s public lands. Earlier this year, she introduced the Truckee Meadows Public Lands Management Act to expand economic development and affordable housing opportunities in Washoe County, support local Tribal communities, increase conservation, protect public lands and outdoor recreation, and keep proceeds from land sales in Nevada for priorities like education and restoration around the Truckee River. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Rosen helped pass the modernization plan for the Fallon Range Training Complex at Naval Air Station Fallon, an effort led by Senator Cortez Masto, which was signed into law at the end of 2022. This compromise included Senator Rosen’s Lander County Land Management and Conservation Act, which transferred land to Lander County to improve airports, allow greater access to water infrastructure, increase recreation and outdoor tourism opportunities, and support economic development, while also designating over 14,000 acres of new wilderness.
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