The Fallon Range Training Complex (FRTC) Intergovernmental Executive Committee met Dec. 9 in a hybrid session at the Fallon Convention Center, receiving updates from Churchill County, the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Navy on projects tied to the multi-year FRTC modernization effort.
Chris Spross, Churchill County manager, reported progress on the Lone Tree Road project, saying the county received two design engineer applications and selected Lumos Engineering. County staff have been working with the Navy and the Nevada Department of Transportation to incorporate agency comments into a draft scope of services, with a goal of approving the scope in mid-December and holding a kickoff meeting in early January.
The county’s preliminary schedule anticipates 100 percent final design and completion of a drainage report by the end of September. Staff said they will explore whether portions of the schedule can run concurrently.
A significant portion of the meeting focused on BLM implementation updates under the National Defense Authorization Act, including changes affecting livestock permittees. Kat McCray, a BLM range management specialist, said decisions were issued Sept. 3, 2025, reducing authorized animal unit months in two grazing allotments based on a recreated desktop analysis of a prior allotment study, followed by on-the-ground verification.
McCray said the Lahontan Area grazing allotment was reduced from 1,151 AUMs to 637 AUMs, while the Horse Mountain allotment was reduced from 3,000 AUMs to 2,884 AUMs. Monitoring has begun on both allotments toward land health assessments and fully processed permits, a process BLM expects to complete in fiscal year 2029 due to the need for multiple years of data. She added that B-17 monitoring for land health assessments is expected to begin in the spring of fiscal year 2026.
BLM’s cadastral survey update, provided by state chief cadastral surveyor Mike Strickland, detailed progress on multiple township and range survey efforts tied to the Bravo ranges and related conveyances and exchanges. Strickland said survey work is ongoing or complete in several areas, with additional surveys anticipated as projects advance, including work related to public purpose conveyances and land exchanges involving Churchill County and the City of Fallon.
One of the more consequential land discussions centered on what BLM described as the “checkerboard resolution area,” a planned land exchange intended to consolidate mixed ownership patterns along the railroad corridor in Churchill County to support economic development opportunities. BLM staff said the effort will follow a similar “prepare the lands” approach used in other exchanges because many of the parcels involved fall under Bureau of Reclamation jurisdiction.
Officials said a plan and timeline were discussed during a Dec. 3 meeting among BLM, BOR and Churchill County, and that a draft memorandum of understanding is being developed between the U.S. Department of the Interior and Churchill County. The next step will be a working meeting to finalize edits and complete the MOU.
The Navy provided updates on implementation activities, including land acquisition and infrastructure coordination across B-16, B-17, B-20 and Dixie Valley. Navy modernization program manager Matt Ryan said the number of private land acquisitions in Dixie Valley increased from 91 to 92 parcels since the previous IEC update. He also said fencing work in B-16 is under contract and underway.
NEPA and design coordination continues on road projects including Sand Canyon Road and Lone Tree Road, with multiple agencies involved.
The meeting also included environmental updates on plans, agreements, studies and ongoing surveys. Navy representatives said stakeholder review of draft planning documents, including a wildland fire management plan, is expected to continue into January. Cultural resource inventory work is nearing completion in expanded areas of B-17 and B-20, with tribal survey phases anticipated to begin in spring 2026.
During public comment, representatives of mining claims in the Bravo 17 area expressed frustration and requested more transparent communication and timely responses regarding reimbursement offers and the impact of annual claim maintenance deadlines. Committee leaders and Navy representatives said the questions would be elevated for legal review and addressed directly.
Another public comment raised concerns about access near Sand Canyon Road, with officials acknowledging that signage and fencing associated with construction activity can cause confusion about permitted travel routes. Committee members reiterated that expanded portions of the range will not close until required NDAA steps are completed, and that construction activity does not necessarily signal immediate closure.
The committee discussed scheduling its next IEC meeting for the first two weeks of March.
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