Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 21–Assemblymen Giunchigliani, Geddes, Anderson, Andonov, Angle, Arberry, Atkinson, Beers, Brown, Buckley, Carpenter, Chowning, Christensen, Claborn, Collins, Conklin, Gibbons, Goicoechea, Goldwater, Griffin, Gustavson, Hardy, Hettrick, Horne, Knecht, Koivisto, Leslie, Mabey, Manendo, Marvel, McClain, McCleary, Mortenson, Oceguera, Ohrenschall, Parks, Perkins, Pierce, Sherer, Weber and Williams

 

May 6, 2003

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Joint Sponsors: Senators McGinness, Amodei, Care, Carlton, Cegavske, Coffin, Hardy, Mathews, Neal, Nolan, O’Connell, Raggio, Rawson, Rhoads, Schneider, Shaffer, Tiffany, Titus, Townsend, Washington and Wiener

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Referred to Committee on Elections, Procedures, and Ethics

 

SUMMARY—Declares that preservation of Walker Lake’s freshwater ecosystem is in public interest. (BDR R‑1302)

 

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

Assembly Concurrent RESOLUTION—Declaring that preservation of Walker Lake’s freshwater ecosystem is in the public interest.

 

1-1  Whereas, Walker Lake is a freshwater lake located in west-

1-2  central Nevada fed by snowmelt from the Sierra Nevada in

1-3  California and other mountain ranges in Nevada; and

1-4  Whereas, Walker Lake draws a considerable number of

1-5  tourists and functions as an economic mainstay for the Mineral

1-6  County economy; and

1-7  Whereas, Walker Lake has cultural, historical and spiritual

1-8  importance to the Walker River Paiute Tribe; and

2-1  Whereas, Functioning as the terminus of the Walker River

2-2  System, Walker Lake is one of the few saline lakes that is capable of

2-3  supporting a freshwater trout fishery; and

2-4  Whereas, Walker Lake is a major migratory stopover for the

2-5  largest single inland congregation of common loons west of the

2-6  Mississippi River as well as other birds such as grebes, cormorants,

2-7  pelicans and other waterfowl that rely on the Lake for survival; and

2-8  Whereas, Walker Lake provides habitat for the Lahontan

2-9  cutthroat trout that has been listed as threatened by the United States

2-10  Fish and Wildlife Service; and

2-11      Whereas, The fishery and recreational activities at Walker

2-12  Lake have been recognized as beneficial uses of water in the Lake;

2-13  and

2-14      Whereas, The volume of Walker Lake has diminished by 75

2-15  percent since the late 1800s, and this continuing decrease is creating

2-16  high concentrations of dissolved solids that are extremely

2-17  detrimental and ultimately toxic to fish; and

2-18      Whereas, Without an immediate influx of fresh water, the food

2-19  chain and ecosystem of Walker Lake could be lost in the very near

2-20  future; and

2-21      Whereas, Without such an influx of fresh water, Walker Lake

2-22  will be converted into a saltwater lake, requiring either years to

2-23  stabilize a new ecosystem or extensive scientific research and huge

2-24  sums of money to restore a freshwater ecosystem supporting

2-25  Lahontan cutthroat trout; and

2-26      Whereas, The United States Bureau of Land Management is

2-27  preparing an environmental impact statement to assess the

2-28  feasibility of acquiring additional fresh water for Walker Lake and

2-29  appropriate actions to be taken to preserve the desired ecosystem;

2-30  and

2-31      Whereas, Through section 2507 of Public Law 107-171, the

2-32  Farm Bill, 2002, and the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2003, the

2-33  Federal Government has allocated $200 million to provide water

2-34  and assistance for Walker Lake, Pyramid Lake and Summit Lake in

2-35  the State of Nevada; now, therefore, be it

2-36      Resolved by the Assembly of the State of Nevada, the

2-37  Senate Concurring, That the Nevada Legislature hereby

2-38  declares that preservation of Walker Lake’s freshwater ecosystem

2-39  which supports Lahontan cutthroat trout is in the public interest and

2-40  that all reasonable actions to sustain this ecosystem should be taken;

2-41  and be it further

2-42      Resolved, That the Nevada Legislature finds and declares that

2-43  conservation is a reasonable means of acquiring water for Walker

2-44  Lake and that any acquisition of water or water rights for transfer to

3-1  Walker Lake should be implemented through an agreement between

3-2  a willing buyer and a willing seller; and be it further

3-3  Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly prepare and

3-4  transmit a copy of this resolution to Governor Kenny C. Guinn, the

3-5  Director of the State Department of Conservation and Natural

3-6  Resources, the Boards of County Commissioners of Douglas, Lyon

3-7  and Mineral Counties, and the Chairman of the Walker River Paiute

3-8  Tribal Council.

 

3-9  H