BLM Publishes Notice of Intent for the Initiation of an Environmental Impact Statement

Public feedback needed for proposed activities for 10-year Special Recreation Permit for Burning Man event

Re-posted on behalf of the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of the Interior

WINNEMUCCA, Nev. – The Bureau of Land Management is asking for public comment on the proposed activities related to a 10-year Special Recreation Permit (SRP) for the Burning Man Event. The BLM Winnemucca District, Black Rock Field Office, published a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) analyzing the potential environmental effects of approving the 10-year SRP in the Federal Register on June, 20 2018.

Project information including maps may be accessed on the BLM’s e-planning system at https://go.usa.gov/xnBTu. The webpage will be updated at each phase of the EIS development.

The BLM will hold two public open-house meetings to solicit feedback regarding potential impacts of the Burning Man Event EIS:

• Fernley Burning Man SRP EIS Public Scoping Meeting
• Date: Monday, July 9th, 2018, 5:30-8pm
• Place: Council Chambers in Fernley City Hall 595 Silverlace Blvd. Fernley, NV 89408

• Lovelock Burning Man SRP EIS Public Scoping Meeting
• Date: Tuesday, July 10th, 2018, 5:30-8pm
• Place: Pershing County Community Center 820 6th St Lovelock, NV 89419

Written comments are encouraged and may be submitted for 45 days following the publication of the Notice of Intent. Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:

• ePlanning Project Website under the Documents Tab: https://go.usa.gov/xnBTu
• Email: blm_nv_burningmaneis@blm.gov
• Mail: Chelsea McKinney, Attn: Burning Man EIS – Permit Renewal 5100 East Winnemucca Boulevard Winnemucca, Nevada 89445

The Burning Man Event is currently authorized up to 70,000 paid participants. Black Rock City LLC (BRC) proposes a population increase of up to 100,000 total persons. Additionally, BRC proposes the following:

• Expansion of the BLM Closure Order boundary by 561 acres totaling 14, 714 acres
• Creation of an infrastructure staging area on or near the Playa (60 x 300 ft)
• Expansion of alternative transportation (Burner Express Bus/Burner Express Air)
• Expansion of the perimeter fence to 10.4 miles total length
• Arrival of 30,000 staff and builders one week prior to opening
• Expansion of Black Rock City to 1,250 acres
• Installation of additional interactive camps
• Installation of additional large scale art pieces
• BRC DMV licensing of art cars and ADA compliant vehicles to drive on the Playa during event week
• Use of approximately 16.5 million gallons of water per year would be obtained from private groundwater wells, located at Fly Ranch owned by BRC, for dust abatement and in support of event activities.
• BRC management of vendor and compliance monitoring programs

Resources to be addressed in the analysis include: public health and safety, air quality, environmental justice, social and economic values, Native American religious concerns, recreation, cultural, National Historic Trails, wildlife, migratory birds, threatened/endangered and sensitive status species, soils/playa resources, invasive species and paleontology. A reasonable range of alternatives will be developed to take a hard look at the issues identified during public scoping. Mitigation measures will be evaluated to address environmental impacts and to assure the proposed action does not result in unnecessary or undue degradation of public lands. Federal, state and local agencies and other individuals or organizations that may be interested in or affected by BLM’s decision on the Burning Man 10-year SRP are invited to participate in the scoping process.

For further information, please contact, Kyle Hendrix, Public Affairs Specialist, 775.635.4054.

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