By Connie Howard and Manny Becerra, Toiyabe Chapter Executive Committee
In addition to the proposed expansion of Air Force bombing activities across the Desert National Wildlife Refuge in southern Nevada, the Navy is proposing to expand bombing and other on-the-ground military activities near Fallon, Nevada. To be exact, the Fallon Range Training Complex (FRTC) has proposed to expand its operation in the Fallon Area by over 600,000 acres of public land.
Here's what's at stake
For some perspective, this proposed expansion of the three bombing ranges, B-16, B-17 and B-20, represents a quadrupling of the size of the FRTC, from 232,284 acres to 898,758 acres (1,404 sq. mi.). In other words, it will result in a loss of more than 600,000 acres of beloved public lands in and around the Fallon National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). Nevadans have seen enough of their public lands given away to military purposes. This proposed expansion will be determined in the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which is must-pass legislation by the end of 2020.
Related: Watch the Stealth Land Grab Video and see what's at stake! Produced by an advocate for Nevada Wilderness and Native Rights.
This unique landscape includes mountain ranges, expansive valleys, diverse wetlands, high desert, important wildlife areas, and precious geothermic and geologic features. It is home to abundant wildlife, including migrating birds, bighorn sheep and other large game animals that would be threatened by both the expanded bombing ranges and development as well as the increase in noise. Nearby Tribes (e.g., the Fallon Paiute Shoshone and Walker River Paiute Tribes) have resided and practiced their ways of life in the Western Great Basin for at least 10,000 years and rely on it for their subsistence and cultural practices.
An interdependent effort
The Toiyabe Chapter is not alone in this fight. Representatives from the Toiyabe Chapter of the Sierra Club attended the January 28, 2020 public meeting in Fallon; not one person spoke in favor of the expansion. Many people noted that the FEIS showed a disregard for the hundreds of careful comments and concerns raised, including those in our letter of February 11, 2020. Nevadans are speaking loud and clear in opposition to the FRTC expansion, and expressing solidarity that these public lands should not be withdrawn for military expansion, however, we need your continued help and involvement in keeping the pressure on and your voices loud-and-clear in direct opposition of this military expansion.
The Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada, the National Congress of American Indians and the Nevada State Legislature all have adopted resolutions formally opposing the proposed expansion of NAS Fallon. In addition, local Nevada counties and veterans, conservation, and wildlife organizations have joined the Fallon Paiute Shoshone Tribe in calling on Congress to reject the Navy’s flawed proposal.
Take action: things you can do today
- Send a message urging Nevada's federal legislators to stand strong in defense of your public lands, wildlife, and tribal sovereignty by rejecting the Fallon expansion. We've got you covered here!
- Write a letter to the editor (LTE). Sign-up to volunteer and we'll get you started on this!
- Share this post with your friends and family in social media land to help increase awareness on this critical issue
And, there's more we can and have planned to do at the individual and group levels, so sign-up to volunteer today, if you're not already a volunteer, and we'll keep you informed on upcoming efforts to fight back against the Navy's flawed proposal; a proposal, that Donald Trump has even threatened to veto the NDAA if the Navy doesn't get their land expansion (or if the Air Force doesn't get their expansion over the Desert Refuge).
Enough is enough
The Navy is not in the business of land management and does not have the expertise to deal with the many serious environmental issues facing our public lands, wild horse management, wildlife management, invasive species, general ecosystem health, including wildfires—just look to our neighbors to the West who are battling historic state-wide fires due to climate change—Nevadans do not want more of their public lands closed off and managed only for destruction.
National defense must be balanced with conservation where possible—and this is that opportunity. Please join us in preserving your public lands, wildlife, and tribal sovereignty by rejecting the Fallon expansion.
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