Rosen Public Lands Bills Advance

Two public lands bills sponsored by U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen have cleared an early hurdle in Congress after receiving a hearing before the Senate Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining.

The panel reviewed Rosen’s Truckee Meadows Public Lands Management Act, often referred to as the Washoe County Lands Bill, and the Carson City Public Land Correction Act.

Nevada has the highest percentage of federally managed public land in the nation, requiring congressional approval for many land transfers and land-use changes. Supporters stated the measures would balance conservation activities with housing, infrastructure, and economic development.

The Truckee Meadows Public Lands Management Act would permanently protect more than 1 million acres of public land while making more than 15,200 acres eligible for sale to support growth and development. The bill would also set aside 33 acres specifically for affordable housing to for sale below fair market value, direct land sale proceeds to remain in local communities, convey more than 3,700 acres to local governments for public purposes such as parks and schools, and expand lands held in trust for Tribal communities, including the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe and the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California.

The Carson City Public Land Correction Act would transfer nearly 1,300 acres of Bureau of Land Management land to Carson City for flood mitigation, recreation, water system improvements, and development of a rifle range, and make 360 acres available for economic development, with revenue from land sales required to stay in Carson City for wildfire prevention, conservation, and education initiatives. The bill would update provisions from a 2009 Carson City lands measure to reflect current priorities.