Final Environmental Impact Statement/Wilderness Management Plan, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada/Bureau of Land Management, Southern Nevada District

The National Park Service (NPS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announce the availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) for the Wilderness Management Plan for the Jimbilnan, Pinto Valley, Black Canyon, Eldorado, Ireteba Peaks, Nellis Wash, Spirit Mountain, and Bridge Canyon Wilderness Areas at Lake Mead National Recreation Area and adjacent public lands. The jointly prepared Wilderness Management Plan describes three alternatives for consideration. Alternative A (no-action alternative) continues the current management of the wilderness areas and serves as a baseline for comparison with the other action alternatives. Alternative B (preferred alternative) generally focuses on protecting the character of the wilderness areas while providing a few more opportunities for access into several areas. Alternative C provides a higher level of access and visitor use management while still protecting the overall character of the wilderness areas. The Final EIS also analyzes the potential environmental consequences of each of the alternatives, including potential impacts to soils, vegetation, terrestrial wildlife, threatened, endangered, and special status species, natural soundscape, wilderness character, archeological resources, ethnographic resources, visitor use and experience, and public safety.