Proposed Land and Mineral Withdrawal
Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada
Introduction
The Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge), located in the Amargosa Valley
northwest of Pahrump, was established in 1984. The primary purpose of the Refuge is to
provide for the protection and recovery of endangered fish and plants. The most striking
feature of the Refuge is the more than 30 spring-fed pools and streams that contrast
sharply with the arid desert that surround them. Habitats at the refuge support at least
24 plants and animals that occur nowhere else in the world, including the Devil's Hole
pupfish which may have the most restricted habitat of any vertebrate on our planet.
The Service proposes to withdraw 5,360 acres of Federal minerals from mining and 9,460
acres of public lands from surface entry and mining for 20 years. All of these lands and
minerals lie within the existing Refuge boundary. No private lands or minerals will be
affected by the proposed withdrawals.
Open House Schedule
The Service will host public open houses to gather ideas and comments from the public
and other agencies about the proposed withdrawals. Following a brief orientation,
participants will be able to meet with key refuge management, planning and environmental
compliance staff. Comments received will be noted so that they can be addressed in future
planning documents. The open house schedule is:
Las Vegas, Nevada: Wednesday, February 17, 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Las Vegas Field Office of
the Bureau of Land Management, 4765 Vegas Drive.
Pahrump, Nevada: Thursday, February 18, 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., Bob Ruud Community Center,
150 East Basin Road.
Amargosa Valley, Nevada: Thursday, February 18, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., Amargosa Valley
Community Center, 821 East Farm Road.
Comment Period
Please note that the initial comment period on the proposed withdrawal is open. The
comment period closes on March 12, 1999, so please make sure that we receive your comments
before that date. You may write a letter or send an e-mail message.
Mailed Comments: Send to Charles Houghten, Division of Refuge Planning (ARW/RPL), U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, 911 NE 11th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97232-4181
E-mail Comments: Send to r1planning_guest@r1.fws.gov
Publications
Planning Update 1, January 1999-Adobe Portable Document Format (to read this file, you must have the free Adobe Acrobat Reader)