Nevada Planning and NEPA

Resource management planning is essential to guide and communicate how BLM manages public lands.  As required under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, BLM develops Resource Management Plans (RMPs) to balance resource values on public lands for present and future generations, based on the principles of multiple use and sustained yield, ensuring the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands. 

RMPs require several years to complete and involve continuous opportunities for public involvement during their development and implementation.  

RMP decisions are designed to guide and evaluate the management of resources and resource uses on public lands over a 10-to-20 year period.  RMPs are kept current through maintenance, amendments, and revisions, as needed. 

Under federal law, BLM Nevada prepares land use plans that serve as the basis for all activities occurring on BLM-managed lands.  The BLM prepares implementation plans to carry out completed RMPs. 

Throughout the planning process, the BLM Nevada uses a collaborative approach to planning that involves tribal nations, State of Nevada, local governments, other federal agencies, key stakeholders, and the general public to address common interests and goals.  

BLM Nevada manages approximately 48 million surface acres of public land (63% of Nevada) and has 12 RMPs in effect (see map above). In the time since the older RMPs were approved, there have been many changes, such as in industry (energy, minerals, and recreation), in land uses due to urban and  industrial development, in land tenure, in resources (national monuments designated, visual resource management, lands with wilderness characteristics, etc.), and new or renewed emphasis and policy on recreation, energy generation, fluid mineral leasing, public access, hunting/fishing access, fire management, and tribal relationships, to name a few. The resource and resource use changes that were not analyzed in the current RMPs should be addressed with management direction and planning level decisions. 

BLM Nevada’s RMP Modernization Project is our approach for addressing the myriad changes that have occurred over the last several years. More information is available on the Project’s webpage via the link on the left.