Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act (SNPLMA) Land Acquisition Nomination

On May 6, the Clark County Board of County Commissioners voted 6-0 with one abstention to request federal SNPLMA funds to purchase the private holdings on Blue Diamond Hill in Red Rock Canyon.  These funds are generated from the sale of BLM holdings in the Las Vegas valley and are earmarked for purchasing private land that needs protection and for making improvements to existing BLM holdings.  Sens. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and John Ensign (R-Nev.) made a proposal suggesting this strategy, as reported here.  But the purchase of the land on Blue Diamond Hill requires a willing seller and, so far, developer Jim Rhodes has plans of his own.  Find out more about the SNPLMA program here.

Previous efforts to acquire Blue Diamond Hill via SNPLMA from the previous land owner were organized on two primary fronts:

• A SNPLMA nomination was forwarded to James Hardie Corporation (seller) and the Bureau of Land Management (buyer) proposing to purchase approximately 500 acres, including parcels of the endangered Blue Diamond Cholla and the Margo Claim. These were the same parcels that James Hardie previously offered to BLM in exchange for nearly 1000 acres of BLM holdings on Blue Diamond Hill. These parcels are of particular interest to BLM because they are "inholdings", privately-owned land within the legal boundaries of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. James Hardie Corporation is not a willing seller and so the nomination cannot go forward.
• John Schlegel, the Comprehensive Planning Director for Clark County, stated that the County proposed the federal government buy the entire 2,000 acre property from James Hardie Corporation and include it in the National Conservation Area. According to an article in the Las Vegas SUN, Senator John Ensign also suggested the county request the Hardie Mine be purchased. However, as stated in the Las Vegas Review Journal, BLM spokesman Phil Guerrero said that the BLM was very hesitant to purchase the mine. The Conservation Fund, a non-profit organization specializing in resolving issues like this, stepped in the try to broker a deal between James Hardie and BLM as reported in the Las Vegas Sun. But James Hardie responded that they were not interested.

What can I do to assist?

• Write to your Congressional Delegates - tell them that you support the federal effort to purchase and reclaim all the private holdings on Blue Diamond Hill in Red Rock Canyon. Be sure to send a copy to BLM.