Date: September 24, 2004

CONTACT: Jamie Thompson, Public Affairs Officer, (775) 623-1500

BLM RECEIVES APPLICATIONS FOR FALL/WINTER 2004-2005 DESERT MOTORCYCLE RACES AND A SPORTS CAR ROAD RALLY

A road rally club and several area motorcycle racing organizations applied recently to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Winnemucca Field Office for permits to conduct desert off-highway vehicle events on public lands. These five events would occur from mid-November 2004 through mid-February 2005.

The public is invited to comment on the applications and is asked to submit written comments to the BLM’s Winnemucca office by Wednesday, October 20. Previous similar events have used all the routes proposed, thus the routes were analyzed in previous National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents. BLM monitored during and after the previous events. The agency found in those cases that there were no adverse affects to the environment that could not be adequately mitigated.

The first scheduled race is the Sports Car Road Rally. It would begin on the north side of Winnemucca Lake and travel around the Nightingale Mountains/Sage Hen Valley areas before looping back to the start. Approximately 30 cars would travel individually through an existing timed course. It is proposed for November 13 and 14, 2004.

There would be three long-distance desert motorcycle races in the Nightingale Mountains and surrounding areas, and one motorcycle race northwest of Lovelock. The proposed motorcycle races would use existing routes that include washes, two-track roads and portions of previously used courses. Approximately 200 racers are expected to participate in each event. The youth events would be held on the Saturday dates, with the main events on the Sunday dates.

The first motorcycle race would be sponsored by the Lovelock Motocross Association. It would use an existing motorcycle course that travels through the Trinity Range, north of Nevada Highway 399 and east of Seven Troughs Road. This event is proposed for November 20 and 21, 2004.
The second motorcycle race is proposed to begin northeast of Nixon and travel through the Nightingale Mountains on another existing course. The proposed race dates are December 4 and 5, 2004.

The first motorcycle race of 2005 is proposed for February 5 and 6. It will begin on the north end of Winnemucca Lake and travel through the northern end of the Nightingale Mountains on an existing course.

The last motorcycle race of the winter season would be held February 19 and 20, 2005. It would begin and end in Sage Hen Wash, which is located north of the Interstate 80, Nightingale exit. This race would also use an existing course and travel mainly through the Shawave Range.
Written comments on these proposals should be submitted to Barbara Keleher, outdoor recreation planner, at the Winnemucca BLM Field Office, 5100 E Winnemucca Blvd, Winnemucca NV 89445-2921. Ms. Keleher may be reached at 775-623-1500.

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