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County approves comment letter on SR‑361 realignment, urges cattle crossings and water‑supply analysis
Summary
Resource Concepts and county staff recommended comments on NDOT’s State Route 361 EA, urging clearer purpose/need language, analysis of water sources (pipeline vs. onsite well), coordination on fence design and explicit cattle/wildlife crossings; the board approved the letter with added comments.
The board approved a county comment letter on the Nevada Department of Transportation’s environmental assessment for the proposed realignment of State Route 361 related to the Fallon Range Training Complex expansion.
Jeremy Drew of Resource Concepts said NDOT’s latest build alternative moved the alignment closer to the proposed expansion and that the county appreciated the updated alignment. He asked the letter to call out the legal basis for the project’s purpose and need, to consider whether a new well at the materials pit in Churchill County might reduce water‑hauling or the need for a long temporary above‑ground pipeline, and to ensure fencing and wildlife/cattle crossings were coordinated with grazing permittees. Drew said the county had flagged those items after attending NDOT outreach.
Commissioner questions focused on cattle being trapped by new fence lines and whether the draft should explicitly require cattle crossings before fence lines are completed. Drew said the county could add a bullet requesting cattle crossings and better coordination with grazing permittees; commissioners also asked staff to correct a misspelled commissioner name in the letter and add the chairman title on signature lines. The motion to approve the comment letter with the added comments carried by voice vote.
Why this matters: Realignment of SR‑361 and associated fencing could change access and grazing patterns across public land and private allotments in Churchill County. Explicit requests for cattle crossings, local water sources, and improved fencing coordination aim to reduce livestock entrapment and long‑term operational impacts.
What’s next: Staff will finalize the county’s comment letter, add BLM to the copy list as requested, and submit it to NDOT during the EA comment period.
