Burning Man organizers criticize Black Rock Desert plan

Supporters of the Nevada Democrats' proposal to designate more than 1 million acres of the desert a National Conservation Area said the festival takes place south of the proposed area and would not be affected.

But Marian Goodell, the festival's manager of communications, said the event site has been moved in the past and that any restriction of access would be unfair.

"Bryan and Reid are making assumptions about boundaries and are asking for too large of an area," Goodell told the Daily Sparks Tribune. "They want to put the whole Black Rock Desert under a glass dome."

Goodell said her group will fight the plan. The festival has supporters in all 50 states who will pressure their congressional representatives to vote against the legislation, she said.

More than 10,000 free spirits attend the gathering each Labor Day weekend near Gerlach, 110 miles north of Reno. Branded by organizers as the ultimate celebration of free expression, it features art, concerts, dancing, drugs and nudity.

Tom Myers, conservation director of the Friends of Nevada Wilderness, said Burning Man organizers' concerns are unfounded and his group backs the plan.

He said its primary objective is to protect the Applegate-Lassen Trail and vistas along the historic route from development.

The trail was used by thousands of covered-wagon pioneers last century and is considered one of the best preserved segments of either the California or Oregon trails.

Although mining and geothermal development would be banned, off-road vehicle use and large-scale recreation events would not as long as they stay away from the trail.

The Bureau of Land Management has been working on an environmental impact statement for a Black Rock Desert land-use plan since 1997.

Reid and Bryan said they're tired of waiting for the study to end and want Congress to pass legislation creating the conservation area after the August recess.

They said the desert is facing increasing pressure from a variety of users and protections need to be in place now.

The desert is frequented by people setting off rockets, off-road vehicle enthusiasts, miners, ranchers, land-speed racers, rockhounds and Emigrant Trail buffs.

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