A.K.A. The Douglas County Economic and Conservation Act
Douglas County Lands Bill is an important step toward strengthening our community’s resilience to stormwater and flood events. The Bill includes the conveyance of 7,777 acres of BLM land to Douglas County for flood control and detention project construction in the Pine Nut Mountains. It gives the County the ability to implement locally-driven, federally-facilitated solutions that protect lives, improve watershed health, and reduce disaster recovery and mitigation costs in Douglas County. In addition, the Bill includes 1,084 acres for open space, recreation uses, and public purposes such as trails, trailheads, and other appropriate enhancements for public access, as well as approximately 2,600 acres to be held in trust for the Washoe Tribe.
Process
In 2009 Douglas County began a comprehensive process to develop a Federal Lands Bill with the goals of:
- Advance Flood Control and Stormwater Management
- Preserve and Expand Open Space
- Enhance Recreation and Public Access
- Protect Community Character and Quality of Life
- Protect the Carson River Floodplain
- Transfer federally owned land to the Washoe Tribe for economic development and cultural resource protection
- Leverage Land Sale Revenues for Strategic Investment
This bill, introduced in both the House and Senate, is the culmination of many years of County effort. It further implements the most important goals and policies embodied in the Douglas County Master Plan and the Stormwater Master Plan.
The Douglas County Lands Bill, also known as the Douglas County Economic and Conservation Act, has been the product of an all-inclusive effort between Douglas County, the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, numerous federal, state, and local agencies, towns, general improvement districts, and more than 100 stakeholder groups. Douglas County has held 5 community open houses to share information and take public comment. The Douglas County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the concepts and framework that were forwarded to our Congressional representatives.
Additional Information
For more information, questions, or comments, please contact the Douglas County Manager’s Office at 775-782-9821 or [email protected].