County looks to take dunes

Area near Nellis Air Force Base is popular with off-road enthusiasts

VIEW file photoCars and trucks run the circuit of the off-road course at the Nellis Dunes during a Make-A-Wish Foundation event held in 2006. Clark County might take control of the land from the Bureau of Land Management. Advertisement

The off-highway vehicle community wants land at the Nellis Dunes to be congressionally protected, but riders do not want Clark County to be in charge, they agreed at Bureau of Land Management-sponsored community meetings.

The BLM is currently in charge of Nellis Dunes, 10,000 acres near the Las Vegas Speedway and Nellis Air Force Base currently used for off-road recreation.

The BLM says it can keep the land open for OHV riders and will do so. But Clark County officials believe differently.

"This land here is not protected," said Michael Papp, an OHV rider speaking for Clark County. He said that with the BLM in charge, the land can be legally reassigned and built on at any time.

Clark County has appealed to Congress to have the Nellis Dunes reassigned to county control. A request has been sent to Washington, D.C., and the county has spent the past six months collecting community opinions, both for and against, the transfer of the land. The community meeting held Jan. 31 in Henderson was the most recent of that set.

Clark County is not opposed to the land being used for off-highway vehicles; in fact, it supports that use. County officials say that the bill that transfers the land would mandate that it be used for recreation purposes only. But Papp said more needs to be done to keep that land free.

"Go to Congress and say, 'Enough is enough.' Take this boundary and say, 'By congressional act, by the President of the United States, make it officially an OHV site that cannot be developed,' " Papp said.

Papp said the county would be able to get the land protected and make improvements.

Improvements listed on the county's Web site include the addition of ATV trails, a motorcross track, natural dunes play area, areas for BMX bike riding and truck racing.

Papp said the county would be able to do a better job of managing the land than a federally operated office, partially because of its proximity.

"Bring it closer and local. We can do recreation better, period, and meet your needs immediately," Papp said.

Riders who commented at the Jan. 31 meeting, while agreeing that the land needs to be protected, did not seem to agree with Papp.

"I agree with the ideas proposed in these comprehensive planning proceedings. There is no cut-and-dry solution to anything. But I do agree with the ideas," said Don Wall of Southern Nevada Off-Road Enthusiasts. "The management staff, the one that is proposed, is the one thing that I'm having the problem with.

"The truth is that I've watched them manage, and I'm not really impressed from either our school district right up to UMC issues. We have a big failure in our budget. For them to be managing this, my confidence is shaken."

"I think that what should happen is it (Nellis Dunes) should remain with BLM. I don't think the county has the capability, nor does anybody trust them, from their track record, that they can maintain the facility and do what we want," said George Richardson of Vegas Valley 4-Wheelers.

While many of the riders said they did not want the county managing the land, some of them had thought that was the only way they could keep it.

"Somehow or another, it needs to be protected," said Pat Owens, a local OHV rider. "They've already taken away everywhere else we can ride around here."

A third solution was proposed at the Jan. 31 community meeting. The BLM has said that it would be willing to help the public get the land protected by Congress. As a federal agency, the BLM is not able to apply to or lobby Congress, but it can help the public find out how to do it for themselves.

"The public drives how we manage lands. They have a lot of input into our projects, and what's best for them, that's how it works," BLM representative Robert Wandel said.

Many riders seemed more enthusiastic about that idea and talked about getting together to accomplish it.

"And I think that's where we're heading now. I've met people I didn't know existed, but we have a common goal," Richardson said.

The BLM and the county members at the meeting asked for comments about the proposed land transfer. Those comments would be given to Congress to consider when it looks at the land transfer resolution. Anyone who would like to comment can submit comments on the Clark County Web site, www.accessclarkcounty.com/comprehensive_planning/Nellis/NellisDunes.htm, e-mail comments to nellisdunes@jw-associates.org, or mail them to Robert Wandel, Bureau of Land Management, Las Vegas Field Office, 4701 Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas, 89130.