ELKO, Nev. - Today, the Biden-Harris administration announced steps to protect Nevada's Ruby Mountains, one of the state's most unique landscapes. In response to requests from Tribes, conservationists, sportsman and the local community, the Department of the Interior is initiating consideration of a 20-year withdrawal of the Ruby Mountain area from operation of the public land laws, mining laws, and mineral and geothermal leasing laws, subject to valid existing rights. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service submitted a withdrawal petition and application to Secretary Haaland. The approval of the petition and publication in the Federal Register initiates a two-year segregation that will prohibit new mining claims and the issuance of new federal mineral leases on approximately 264,000 acres in the Ruby Mountains area.
The area in Elko County, Nevada, referred to as "Nevada's Swiss Alps" are the ancestral homelands of the Te-Moak Tribe of the Western Shoshone Indians of Nevada and provide abundant recreational opportunities for hunters, anglers, birdwatchers, and other recreationists. Additionally, the Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge includes a wetland oasis for migratory waterfowl in the Pacific Flyway and fisheries that include trout and largemouth bass.
"The Ruby Mountains are cherished by local communities for their scenic value, cultural heritage, numerous wildlife and benefit to the local economy through a thriving outdoor recreation industry," said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. "Today, we are taking an important and sensible step to pause new mining claims to ensure that we have the science and public input necessary to inform proposed protections of the Ruby Mountains area for future generations."
"The Ruby Mountains are an iconic landscape with exceptional recreation opportunities and valuable fish and wildlife habitat worth preserving for the future," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "Today's action honors the voices of Tribal communities and conservation and sportsmen's groups and marks another important step to protect a treasured landscape."
The Federal Register notice initiates a 90-day public comment period on the proposed withdrawal. The Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service will prepare an environmental analysis to inform whether the lands should be withdrawn for a period of up to 20 years. This process will include Tribal consultation and participation by the public, environmental groups, industry, state and local government, as well as other stakeholders. By law, the Secretary of the Interior can withdraw these lands for a maximum of 20 years. Only Congress can legislate a permanent withdrawal.
The lands would remain open to location and entry under the U.S. mining laws, and subject to mineral material disposal under the Materials Act of 1947. The withdrawal will not impact other allowed uses of the landscape, including hiking, hunting, off-highway vehicle recreation, and camping.
Responsible development of domestic mineral supplies is important to transitioning to a clean energy economy. The study and two-year segregation from the location of new mining claims and the issuance of new mineral leases will give the Interior and Agriculture Departments the opportunity to fully support science-based decision-making in the Ruby Mountains area.
