Senate could pass lands bill soon

Supporters of a bill that would more than triple Carson City's land for parks and open space hope it will pass the U.S. Senate by next week, according to advisers for Sen. Harry Reid.

The city would get more than 5,000 acres from the Bureau of Land Management on the east side of the city and about 1,000 acres from the U.S. Forest Service on the west side of the city under the Carson City Vital Community Act.

The act would permanently set aside 20,000 acres of BLM land on the east side of the city as open space.

It is one of 165 bills in a federal lands bill that would prevent development on 2 million access of wilderness in nine states.

It is in line with Carson City's vision to keep much of the city open and undeveloped, advisers for Reid, D-Nev., said Tuesday. Advisers hosting a media conference call asked not to be named.

One of the biggest sections of land the bill would give Carson City is 3,500 acres of the Silver Saddle Ranch and areas around the Carson River in southeast Carson. The land will be transferred on the condition that it cannot be developed.

The city would give up about 2,200 acres of high mountains in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest under the bill. This land is closer to Forest Service land.

Juan Guzman, city open space manager, said public access to the lands would not change if the city took it over.

The city might add trails or other things to make it easier to hike and bike, he said.

BLM is holding onto 40 acres on which it is considering building a seasonal fire station, said Parks Director Roger Moellendorf.

The city might try to get some of that site through the lands bill, he said. The city doesn't want BLM to expand the site beyond the suggested five to seven acres.

Other provisions in the bill would set aside about 150 acres along Highway 50 East for economic development. The city would bid off the land.

Also, close to 300 acres of land next to the Carson and Stewart Indian Colonies would be transferred from federal government to the Washoe Tribe.

- Contact Dave Frank at dfrank@

nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.