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Amodei Introduces Bill to Spur Economic Growth in Pershing County

WASHINGTON, D.C – Congressman Mark Amodei (NV-02) today released the following statement after introducing the Pershing County Economic Development and Conservation Act (H.R. 1107), a bipartisan initiative to jump-start economic development throughout Pershing County while promoting conservation. This bill is the first in a series of public lands legislation to be introduced in the coming weeks.

“I’m excited to be starting out with the Pershing County Economic Development and Conservation Act with support from Senator Heller in the U.S. Senate,” said Congressman Amodei. “This legislation represents a decade of grassroots efforts by the people of Pershing County – including residents, ranchers, miners, conservationists, and Commissioners – to resolve areas designated as suitable for transfer, checkerboard lands along I-80, and areas with wilderness characteristics within Pershing County.

“My office plans to continue conducting public outreach in Pershing County over the course of the 115^th Congress. This legislation follows suit with Nevada’s long historical succession of county lands bills, which in the past, have also enjoyed bipartisan support. I look forward to seeing this effort through the legislative process and what that brings.”

Background:

For more than a decade, Pershing County and its citizens have worked to resolve land issues within the county. Seventy-five percent of Pershing County is owned by the federal government, with much of this ownership being a checkerboard pattern of lands – hamstringing the community’s ability to expand opportunities for growth.

The Pershing County Economic Development and Conservation Act (H.R. 1107) was developed through an exhaustive public process that included input from local stakeholders, industries, and support from Pershing County officials and residents. Proceeds from the sale of these federal lands will be shared between the State, Pershing County, and the BLM for the benefit of the State of Nevada’s general public education, wildfire pre-suppression and restoration, habitat conservation and restoration for greater sage-hen, and projects to address drought and other needs.

The bill includes several important measures such as:

·Disposing and conveying BLM lands in the county for economic and public purposes;

·Designating certain wilderness areas on BLM land in the County; and

·Releasing selected wilderness study areas back into multiple-use.

Congresswoman Dina Titus (NV-01) is an original cosponsor of this bill and companion legislation has been introduced by Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) in the U.S. Senate.

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