256 



Now I would like to go and do S. 59, National Forests and Public 

 Lands of Nevada Enhancement Act of 1987. S. 59 is also important 

 to the citizens of Clark County and Nevada. 



This bill and its companion bill, H.R. 267, are the result of a pro- 

 posal by the Federal government in 1985 to transfer control of all 

 public lands in Nevada, including those located in the Toiyabe and 

 Humboldt National Forests to the BLM. 



Opposition to the transfer of Forest Service land to the BLM re- 

 sulted in a controversial multistate bill and a separate 1986 bill for 

 Nevada, which subsequently died in committee. 



S. 59 addresses and rectifies many of the concerns expressed by 

 the citizens and elected officials of Nevada under earlier legisla- 

 tion. The Clark County Board of County Commissioners has not 

 taken formal action on the proposed bill, but it has a resolution of 

 support on its July 7, 1987 board meeting agenda. 



This we will submit to the board, should it be approved, and I 

 have every feeling to believe that it will. 



Staff comments to the proposed legislation are the following. 

 S. 59 proposes to transfer some 511,000 acres of land currently ad- 

 ministered by BLM in northern Nevada and in the Spring Moun- 

 tain Range, to the Humboldt and Toiyabe National Forests. 



Map 2, which is attached to the rear of my testimony, illustrates 

 the lands to be transferred in southern Nevada. The lands to be 

 transferred to the Forest Service are coterminous with the existing 

 national forest lands, are of scenic beauty, and should be included 

 within the administration of the Forest Service. 



In many cases, the lands included in the transfer are, as an ex- 

 ample, part of the same watersheds. It is, therefore, logical and 

 would be more efficient if they are managed by the same agency. 



The public lands transferred by the act contain valuable natural 

 resources, which will be afforded the opportunity of management 

 by the professional expertise of the Forest Service. 



Tourism is, of course, a major sector of Nevada's economy. Much 

 of Nevada's tax revenues are derived from tourist dollars. In addi- 

 tion to Nevada's casinos, visitors also flock to Nevada to take ad- 

 vantage of the camping, boating, wilderness opportunities avail- 

 able. 



The change in designation of the forest lands to BLM may, in 

 fact, eliminate the public's consideration of these lands as vacation 

 opportunities and subsequently reduce the revenues from this 

 source. 



These revenues are especially important to rural communities 

 that often have little other source of income. Expanding the bound- 

 aries of the national forest land, as well as maintaining its control 

 under the auspices of the National Forest Service will assist in 

 maintaining this important tourist function for the State of 

 Nevada. 



To summarize, staff urges the subcommittee to support S. 59, as 

 well as S. 854 described earlier. Both bills are extremely important 

 to the citizens of Nevada. Thank you. 



[The prepared statement of Mr. Bechtel follows:] 



