Dear Senator Rosen, Senator Cortez-Masto, Congressman Amodei, Congresswoman Titus, Congressman Horsford, and Congresswoman Lee,
I am very concerned about the Fallon Range Training Complex proposed expansion and the closure of 427,000 acres of public lands in Nevada. The Navy’s preferred alternative would eliminate portions of three of our wilderness study areas and portions of the Fallon National Wildlife Refuge and threaten important cultural, historic and scenic values. In addition, the tremendous reach of the military would fence off vast expanses of popular public outdoor recreation lands and turn them into bombing ranges.
While I understand the Navy’s need to modernize its training facility, the preferred plan is a tremendous overreach and must be scaled back.
Together, the landscapes targeted by the military’s expansion make up an ecologically rich and vast complex of public lands for wildlife, outdoor recreation and are important for rural economies. The expansion would permanently preclude wilderness designations, shut off public access, and significantly harm wildlife habitat. I urge you to reject the military’s current plan. The military needs to come back with a measured proposal that protects national defense while preserving the resources we value in Nevada.
Thank you,