Las Vegas Sun

March 19, 2024

GUEST COLUMN:

A plea to the Air Force: Help us care for wildlife

The U.S. Air Force proposal to expand its Nevada Test and Training Range and take primary jurisdiction of the Desert National Wildlife Refuge comes at a hefty price for Nevada’s official state animal, the desert bighorn.

The approximately 300,000-acre expansion would drastically limit habitat for wild sheep and reduce public access to nearby bighorn-rich mountain ranges.

If approved, the proposal would eliminate access to the Alamo Road, along with other trails and mountain passes. Additionally, it would affect water sources for wild sheep.

Wildlife conservation groups such as the Wild Sheep Foundation and the Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn maintain 18 wildlife water installations — known as guzzlers — or developed springs in the existing test range, and another 10 within the proposed expansion. Water captured during the winter months by these developments provide bighorn and other wildlife with water they need throughout the year.

Access to natural water sources is no longer available because of base expansions and ongoing suburban development. The continued upkeep of these guzzlers is vital to the animals’ long-term survival.

The combined number of guzzlers in Southern Nevada totals more than 125 and stores up to 850,000 gallons of water. In the proposed area of expansion alone, 21 guzzlers store 100,000-plus gallons of water per year for more than 700 bighorn sheep that inhabit this portion of the Desert National Wildlife Refuge.

Desert bighorn are not the only species dependent upon these water installations. So are 67 other species of wildlife, including mountain lions, mule deer, birds and reptiles. Cutting off access to Alamo Road would prevent proper management by wildlife professionals and conservationists.

With 2.9 million acres of land already designated for use by Nellis, the expansion would increase the Air Force’s holdings to approximately 4 percent of the entire state of Nevada land-base. Although plans do not call for testing of live ordnance in the expansion area, bighorn and other wildlife could be adversely affected without properly managed water installations.

The safety of our country is a priority, and the Air Force should have the space required to continue safe military operations. But the Wild Sheep Foundation and the Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn wish to work with the Air Force to find a solution that works for all stakeholders, including maintaining public access to the Desert National Wildlife Refuge mountain ranges for the benefit of wildlife.

We want to stress the urgency of this matter, as we are two-thirds of the way through the 90-day public commenting period with only one month left to make our sentiments known.

We deeply appreciate everything that our men and women in uniform sacrifice for us on a daily basis and support their call for maintaining safe training operations. This can and must continue — and it can and must do so with the cooperation necessary to care for wild sheep. We urge the U.S. Air Force to reconsider the lands they have proposed to withdraw from the Desert National Wildlife Refuge and work with our team to find an alternative solution.

Brett Jefferson is the chairman of the Wild Sheep Foundation.