A legislative study committee headed by state Sen. Dean Rhoads, R-Tuscarora, will meet Dec. 18 in Winnemucca to begin developing recommendations on what Congress should do with Nevada's 20-year-old Wilderness Study Areas.
More than 5 million acres of Nevada was set aside for study as potential wilderness more than 20 years ago. While 2 million acres of that have been set aside as wilderness, Rhoads said the various groups interested in the land have been unable to reach consensus on what to do with the remaining 3.86 million acres.
He said those areas remain in limbo, administered by the Bureau of Land Management as though they are wilderness areas.
He said his Public Lands legislative subcommittee was established to review the status of the remaining areas and draft recommendations, which will be forwarded to Nevada's congressional delegation.
He said input is critical from the counties that include the lands.
"Although the Nevada Legislature does not have the authority to make decisions regarding WSAs, it can make recommendations to Nevada's congressional delegation based on information provided at these meetings," Rhoads said. "All Nevadans deserve to have a voice in this issue."
