BLM Updates County Commission FRTC, Grazing, Sage Grouse, Land Exchanges, and More

Bureau of Land Management Assistant Field Manager for the Stillwater Field Office Jim Mazza updated Churchill County Commissioners on several fronts on Dec. 17, including the planned Sand Canyon Road realignment, part of the Navy’s Federal Range Training Complex (FRTC) expansion southwest of Fallon. Technical baseline studies are currently being collected for future environmental review. Mazza noted the expansion extends onto permitted BLM grazing lands currently in use. 

On grazing, Mazza said the bureau’s current major project is a prescribed grazing project at Eastgate Ranch. The project includes a three-year pilot plan to reduce the annual cheatgrass fire load. “It’s working really well right now,” he said. “It requires some pretty regular work on our field office folks to make sure that it’s being administered well. And the permittee is being very helpful, and there’s a lot of good projects coming out of that as well.”

Regarding the Churchill County Checkerboard Resolution Implementation Strategy Plan, which was shared with commissioners on Dec. 3, a memorandum of understanding is being drafted for Section 2908 related to Gabs Highway, State Route 361. “Right now, BLM is reviewing the baseline reports and the draft environmental assessment associated with that road realignment for the Great Basin Pipeline Relocation, which goes around the B-17 range,” Mazza said, noting a contractor is finishing baseline surveys.

Mazza also addressed Section 2907, which covers interagency agreements for land exchange responsibilities. An agreement between BLM and the Bureau of Reclamation has been sent to BLM’s headquarters office for approval. In October, BLM outlined Section 2907 land exchanges and public purpose conveyances in Churchill County, including a fire station, wastewater expansion, gravel pits and rock quarries, recreation, and the broader checkerboard resolution effort to consolidate mixed ownership patterns.

Other renewal priorities include vacant grazing allotments in Mineral County, for which the Bureau of Land Management sent an early engagement letter last month, as well as National Defense Authorization Act allotments.

Mazza said he was informed Nov. 23 that the bureau expects to issue a record of decision for the sage-grouse amendment. “There is quite a bit of sage-grouse habitat in Churchill County, and so after that record of decision is out there, there will be some periods to pay attention to if there’s any feedback that the county wanted to give on that plan.”

Planning is underway for spring wild horse and burro census flights. The bureau was asked to identify either one complex or one herd based on expected fiscal year 2026 funding and selected the Desatoya herd, which has the least amount or oldest available data. “It does have sage-grouse habitat and a wilderness area, which makes it a high priority for the district,” Mazza said.

Two mineral projects are underway in Churchill County. The Bell Mountain project is currently in final design and preconstruction. “That one sat for a very long time because the record of decision was issued in 2020, but just recently there has been movement on it,” Mazza said, adding the bureau is waiting for the next phase to proceed. The second project, the Cosmo exploration project in Dixie Valley, is a lithium project. The initial plan was sent back for correction due to deficiencies. “Right now, they’re operating under five acres, which is the notice level they can work under according to minerals regulations,” he said. If approved, the plan will require environmental review.

Mazza also reported on geotechnical boring activity, with 29 additional sites approved for the Greenlink North Project. Greenlink North is a high voltage transmission line project proposed by NV Energy to move renewable energy from northern and eastern Nevada to population centers. The project crosses multiple counties, including Churchill County, and involves extensive federal permitting and environmental review because it crosses public land.

Regarding other projects, Mazza said there are no updates on the right of way application for War Canyon, Star Canyon, and Cherry Creek. The interdisciplinary team is waiting on additional baseline data before moving forward.