FAQ

Q: Would NCA take away private property rights?

A: The proposed Ash Meadows National Conservation Area (NCA) would apply only to existing public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

Private property ownership would remain unchanged. Landowners would continue to own, use, sell, inherit, and improve their property just as they do today.

BLM does not have eminent domain or condemnation authority for the acquisition of private property and the creation of an NCA does not change that. It would not add any land to the federal estate.

Q: Would the NCA expand Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge?

A: No. The refuge would remain exactly where it is today. The proposed NCA would be managed separately by the Bureau of Land Management.

Q: Would the NCA transfer land to environmental groups or outside organizations?

A: No. Public lands would remain public lands under BLM management.

Q: Aren’t groundwater levels stable? Are there risks to local water supplies?

A: Studies have documented groundwater declines in portions of the basin, and hydrologists have warned that large-scale groundwater extraction associated with industrial development could affect groundwater levels and spring flows.

Q: We already have Ash Meadows. Why do we need an NCA?

A: Ash Meadows protects the springs themselves. Supporters believe the surrounding public lands also play an important role in protecting the groundwater system relied upon by both wildlife and local communities.

Q: Will the NCA close public lands?

A: No. The goal is not to “lock up” or close public lands. The goal is to conserve the resources that make these lands special while maintaining public access.