Act Now! Nevada's roadless Forest Service lands under grave threat
The US Forest Service is trying to rescind the 2001 Roadless Rule that has protected wilderness quality, wildlife and water quality for a quarter century. This action could forever destroy some of our most cherished landscapes in Nevada and across the west. We're asking you to submit your comments NOW to stop this disastrous plan in its tracks. Read more below.
The Copper Mountain inventoried Roadless Area in Elko Co., one of several threatened by the rule rescision.
Photo by Jose Witt
Save the Esmeralda/Fish Lake ACEC
Monte Cristo Range by Kurt Kuznicki
This amazing place being bulldozed now by NV Energy to construct the Greenlink West powerline.
After years of exploring the amazingly intact volcanic wonderland of Esmeralda County, mapping it and conducting an intensive field inventory of the landscape, Friends of Nevada Wilderness decided that this intact landscape was worthy of special protection. We formally identified the Esmeralda/Fish Lake Area of Environmental Concern (ACEC) and in August, 2023, submitted it to the BLM for consideration. Unfortunately after two years of providing comments to the BLM on the importance of protecting these landscapes during both the Greenlink West transmission line EIS and the giant Esmeralda 7 solar facility EIS we have gotten no closer to protecting the ACEC. We have taken the extraordinary step for Friends of Nevada Wilderness and filed a lawsuit on May 28, 2025 against the BLM on the Greenlink West transmission line with its associated solar developments. These Esmeralda landscapes and resources need a champion and we will be that champion.
The wildness of this amazing region is being lost now as NV Energy and their bulldozers plow through the heart of our ACEC. In what appears to be a deliberate move, NV Energy jumped way north on their powerline construction directly into the Esmeralda/Fish Lake ACEC. FNW staffer Julien Pellegrini, who extensively inventoried and roamed this region for the last 15 years witnessed the destruction first hand on the last day of June. Julien reported seeing multiple housing units and campers, giant bulldozers, tractors and earth movers, a fleet of steamrollers and dump trucks, water and fuel tankers, and a huge bulldozed parking lot full of vehicles and an office building. Julien says “I am desperately heartbroken, it feels like I have lost on old friend.” This portion of Esmeralda County was completely surrounded by lands with wilderness character and the undeveloped valley was the core that held the wildness together.
Pershing County Lands Bill
Amodei fails in bid to sell Nevada's Public Lands
Earlier this month, Nevada Congressman Mark Amodei learned the hard way that Americans love their public lands and politicians better not mess with them. He faced the fury of outdoor recreationists from across the country after he made a clandestine move to amend a must-pass bill to mandate selling off public lands to help raise money for tax cuts in the federal budget process. The bi-partisan backlash ended with the egregious amendment being stripped from the bill.
With the move, Amodei tried to eviscerate the decades-old process in Nevada that relies on cooperation among stakeholders to craft balanced public lands legislation that meets a variety of conservation and community needs. He actually tried to mandate selling off about 450,000 acres of public land with NO additional conservation designations. Friends Executive Director Shaaron Netherton said Amodei “betrayed all Nevadans” with the move.
There’s nothing like the threat of losing access by selling off public lands to rile up conservationists, hunters, anglers, off-roaders, hikers, wildlife watchers and the entire spectrum of folks who treasure their public spaces. Thanks to them this catastrophic amendment was stripped. For now. We must remain vigilant. The attack on our public lands is not over.
Amodei says because he agreed to have the amendment stripped from the bill, House Leadership promised his Northern Nevada Public Lands bill that DOES call for new conservation designations in Pershing and Douglas Counties would get priority treatment. We’ll be paying careful attention.
Support Wild Washoe
Senator Rosen reintroduces the Truckee Meadows Public Lands Management Act!
We are very grateful to Senator Jacky Rosen for reintroducing the Truckee Meadows Public Lands Management Act on February 6, 2025. While the bill was voted out of a key Senate Committee in the last Congress, it failed to get final approval. We truly appreciate Senator Rosen's tenacity and commitment to this legislation. Read Senator Rosen's announcement here.
The Act would protect nearly a million acres of public lands in northern Washoe County; lands valued for their dispersed recreation, wildlife habitat, dark skies and cultural values.
We are so grateful to the Senator and her hard-working staff for the many hours they spent conferring with a variety of stakeholders to craft a well-balanced public lands bill. Friends' staff worked tirelessly with Senator Rosen's staff to resolve on-the-ground issues, create and re-create detailed maps and generate public support for the conservation component.
Burbank Canyons
Burbank Canyons is a beautiful little 13,395-acre area in Douglas County with perennial streams, aspen groves, great hiking, and excellent solitude. Raptors, mule deer, bear, mountain lion, sage grouse, and various bird species live here. Wilderness designation will give it permanent protection and is included in the Northern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act, as reintroduced by Congressman Mark Amodei in March, 2025.
Burbank Canyons is the largest remaining undeveloped area in the entire Pine Nut Mountains in Douglas County. A designated Burbank Canyons Wilderness would ensure that Douglas County offers sheer beauty and recreational opportunities that translate into increased property values and quality of life, which appeal not only to tourists, but also to skilled workers and retirees, who want to enjoy the “lifestyle amenities” of this region. A designated Burbank Canyons Wilderness would be the ultimate open space, a little, but mighty, crown jewel of Douglas County’s outdoor offerings.
Learn more about the beautiful Burbank Canyons here.
Nye Country - the Heart of the Great Basin
Once again, our tried-and-true strategy to listen to stakeholders’ concerns, negotiate in good faith, assist in seeking out common-sense solutions and just plain hang in there, has resulted in a local agreement to designate almost 427,000 acres of new Wilderness Area in Nye County. We’re also very excited that local officials have agreed to what we’re calling the 216,000 acre Lunar Starlight National Conservation Area, a historic effort to preserve a truly unique Western landscape.
We will look to Senator Rosen and Congressman Horsford and their staff to condense all of this hard work into federal legislation that we fervently hope will come to pass. Nye County is home to some of the crown jewels of wild lands and we are cautiously optimistic that Nye could become the wild heart of the Great Basin.
