229 



Testimony to the Senate Subcommittee on Public Lands. National Parks 



and Forests 



Lenard Smith. Lincoln County, Nevada Commissioner 



Page 2 



The Federal lands Policy Management Act of 1976 (EUm) changed that, and the land vas 

 placed under the lock and key of the Federal Goverratient. It is a rare opportunity for 

 Nevada to r^ain some of it's land to te used by Nevadans for the good of Nevada. 



THE 'OOTBACK' 



As Nevada in general may be the outback of the contigous states Lincoln Ocunty 

 is the OOTBACK of NEVADA. I would lite to draw your attention to the map of Nevada 

 vrtnch shows Lincoln County in v*iite, and the ccstparison of States SMALLER than Lincoln 

 County. Next I draw your attention to the reap of Lincoln County, showing private 

 lani, vtoich is shown by the vAiite areas. Only slightly over 1% is private. As the 

 parable of the Good Sh^jherd in St. Mathew explains. He has the ninty and nine and 



goes to find the cm vfloich is lost. Vfe have the one and are searching for the ninety- 

 nine . 

 ISLANDS OF THE SEA 



■Qiese private lands of Lincoln County are like scattered islands in a great 



sea of public land. On islands of the sea the people can use the resources of the sea 



for their needs aind susteneinoe. Mare and more, hcwever, our people aire stifled by the 



encroaching restricticns of the burocracy arcund us or on the whim of the local 



burocracy. Sudi laws and restrictions are placed on us by big city papulations v*o 



are enamoured by the 'wildwast' and manipulate us with their legislations. We knew 



cxir conditions and plic^. Vfe need and deserve to have more voice in our life, 



livelihood and future. 



BAREFOOT AND PREGNANT 



Some backwoodsy ways of life have been described by the man of 

 the family in those circumstances, bragging that they keep their women- 

 folk 'Barefoot and pregnant'. 



More and more, our most rural counties feel they are kept in this con- 

 dition. Perhaps it isn't aimed that way, but it certainly has worked 

 out that way. We have searched long and hard for economic survival. 

 Everytime we find an industry or way to alleviate our problems we are 

 knocked out of it. 



