Tuesday, March 11, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., is pressuring the Interior Department to withdraw law enforcement regulations proposed by its Bureau of Land Management.
"These proposed regulations go way too far," Reid said. "Nevadans are rightfully concerned with the BLM expanding its control over their lives."
The BLM's proposed regulations would broaden the agency's power to punish criminal offenses. Since they were published in November, Reid said hundreds of Nevadans have contacted his office with concerns.
Reid, along with other Western senators, sent a letter to the Interior secretary Friday asking that the proposed rules be withdrawn.
"We believe that the proposed regulations go beyond their stated purpose of consolidating current law enforcement regulations on BLM lands," the senators' letter says. "In fact, the new rule appears to federalize state and local law, criminalize what were previously civil violations, and expand BLM's enforcement of criminal law on and beyond BLM lands."
Reid said vigilance is needed over the power vested in the federal government, especially since 87 percent of Nevada lands are under federal control, and much of this land is managed by the BLM.
"With as much land as Nevada has under federal jurisdiction, we cannot afford to relinquish our rights in any way," Reid said. "I am extremely concerned about the separation of powers between the state and federal government. These rules cross that line."
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