Nevada's Potential Gains from Federal Land Transfer: A Comprehensive Report
CARSON CITY — A new report analyzing the financial ramifications of a takeover of some of Nevada’s millions of acres of federal lands suggests the state would benefit from such a transfer. The report indicates that transferring 4 million acres of U.S. Bureau of Land Management land could generate between $31 million and $114 million annually, based on a review of four Western states with significant trust lands.
Background and Analysis
The preliminary draft report from the Nevada Public Land Management Task Force, prepared with a consultant's assistance, will be reviewed by the Legislative Committee on Public Lands in Tonopah. The task force, created by the 2013 Legislature, aims to evaluate the feasibility of Nevada taking control of some federally managed public lands. A final report is due by September 1.
The discussion around public lands transfer has gained interest following the cattle grazing dispute between Bunkerville rancher Cliven Bundy and the BLM. Demar Dahl, an Elko County rancher and task force chairman, stated that the analysis by Intertech Services Inc. shows the transfer is economically feasible and beneficial for Nevada.
“The way those numbers turned out it looks like we can surely afford it,” he said. “Not only afford it but the state could make a lot of revenue having the land and managing it ourselves.” Revenues would stem from the sale and lease of resources on the lands, including mining and grazing.
Support and Opposition
U.S. Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., supports the task force's work. However, not everyone agrees with the effort. David von Seggern, chairman of the Toiyabe Chapter of the Sierra Club, questioned how Nevada would replace the federal workers currently employed in the state and whether it has the financial resources for firefighting or supporting mining, grazing, and energy production.
According to the draft report, 81.1% of Nevada is under federal control. The analysis compared states like Arizona, Idaho, New Mexico, and Utah, where federal lands constitute a smaller percentage of the total area.
Historical Context and Future Prospects
State trust lands, granted upon statehood to support public schools, are minimal in Nevada compared to other states. Dahl noted that Nevada's lack of trust lands resulted from poor evaluation during statehood in 1864, influenced by out-of-state mining interests.
Jim Lawrence from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources explained that Nevada received about 4 million acres of land upon statehood, later sold to entice settlement. The task force report shows that from 2008 to 2012, net revenues from trust lands in four states ranged from $518.8 million in New Mexico to $41.9 million in Idaho.
The task force recommends a phased transfer of public lands, starting with areas in the original railroad corridor across Northern Nevada and lands identified for disposal by federal agencies. However, they do not support transferring lands managed by the U.S. Departments of Energy or Defense, wilderness areas, national conservation areas, or lands managed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs or the National Park Service.
Dahl believes congressional action is necessary for such a large-scale transfer, and Nevada is collaborating with Utah officials on the issue. “I think if we can get enough states to pass legislation saying we want our land, and we all go together to Congress, I think we can get it done,” he said.