Public Comment Sought on Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument Proposed Funding
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Las Vegas – Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will accept public comment on the Special Account Request (SAR) for funding from the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act (SNPLMA) for Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument from March 18 through April 2, 2015. National Park Service has requested initial funding generated from the sale of public land in the Las Vegas Valley for the newly designated monument in the northern portion of the Las Vegas Valley.
On December 19, 2014, the BLM, through legislation, transferred 22,650 acres of public land to the National Park Service. The monument is the only unit in the National Park System dedicated to the preservation of Pleistocene fossils. These fossils from the ice age tell an important story regarding climate change and the extinction of mega-fauna (mammoth, saber tooth cats, camels, sloths, etc.) Exploration of this area first occurred in 1933 by the American Museum of National History in New York City. Further exploration occurred in the 1950s and 1960s. The site is the first in the United States where scientists applied the technique of radiocarbon dating. In 1979, the area encompassing the initial dig sites was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The monument is also home to rare desert species including the Las Vegas bearpoppy, Merriam’s bearpoppy, Las Vegas buckwheat, and is habitat for the endangered desert tortoise.
Until the National Park Service is able to secure funding through the regular federal appropriations cycle, they requested $327,234 to fund signage for the monument, educational kiosks and brochures, fencing, and supplies. They also requested funding for two temporary positions to provide outreach to visitors, to protect the paleontological and natural resources, to coordinate with volunteers to lead tours of the site, to help protect resources, and to clean up areas where litter and trash permeate the landscape.
A full breakdown of the SAR request is available on the SNPLMA website at www.blm.gov/snplma. Information about the proposed expenditures is also available for review at the following BLM offices: Southern Nevada District Office, 4701 North Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas, Nevada, 89130.
The public may submit written comments directly to Karla D. Norris, SNPLMA Assistant District Manager, Southern Nevada District Office, at the above-listed address, by fax at (702) 515-5110, or by email to snplma@blm.gov.
The SNPLMA Executive Committee will review the comments, and forward its final recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior for approval. The Executive Committee includes the regional directors of the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service Regional Forester, and the BLM Nevada State Director.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.