Red Rock regrets

A number of people have expressed regret over the residential development at Bonnie Springs Ranch in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. The regret is frustrating because while no one wants to see development in Red Rock, the family that decided to develop the land, the Levinsons, owned the property long before it was selected as a national treasure.

Our regrets should be directed toward the Bureau of Land Management, the guardians of the canyon who made no attempt to purchase the property. The BLM has generated more than a billion dollars from the sale of public lands in Nevada, and could have purchased and preserved the soon-to-be-developed property.

Lack of action from the federal guardians of Red Rock Canyon has become the norm. For example, when Rhodes Homes tried to build up to 5,500 houses on the eastern edge of Red Rock Canyon, the bureau remained mute. Even worse, before the firestorm of public outrage over the proposed Rhodes development, the bureau was poised to trade property to the developers, pristine property at the eastern edge of the canyon. Public outcry stopped the development, but the bureau still lists 1,000 acres of canyon as "disposable." That is truly regrettable.

Regrettable lack of action has become a trademark of federal oversight in the canyon. The recent death of a bicyclist further illustrates BLM inaction. For at least 10 years, it has been clear that bicyclists represent one of the biggest shareholders and aficionados of the canyon. Red Rock has been one of the few locations around Las Vegas available to serious cyclists. And yet, when the speed limit through the scenic byway was raised to 60 mph, the bureau remained mute.

In the first year of the increased speed limit in Red Rock Canyon, we lost two wild horses, 22 burros, several deer and the Lord only knows how many bunnies, birds and tortoises -- and still no remonstrations from our federal representatives. Red Rock Canyon may have the only scenic byway in America with a 60 mph speed limit, and the consequences are clear. Two weeks ago, those consequences became undeniable when we lost a young and vital Metro police officer to fast commercial traffic in the canyon. It was a senseless death and it was avoidable. Even now, we hear no clear protest from our federal representatives.

Our federal keepers have not raised their voices against commercial high-speed traffic in the canyon. They have not taken steps to place public land on the east side of the canyon into the conservation area. They cannot rouse themselves to give us a world-class bicycle concourse through the canyon. But they can spend $60 million of our public land sale money to foster their own and, I would say, perverted goals. The BLM will soon be starting its new administrative complex at the Visitors Center and is close to breaking ground on a $40 million complex on what used to be the Oliver Ranch, projects that further diminish the natural value of our national resource.

If we have regrets over development in Red Rock Canyon, those regrets should not be turned toward private interests. Our regrets should be directed toward an incredibly lame federal management policy. Indeed, we should be more than regretful. We should be outraged.

EVAN BLYTHIN IS A MEMBER OF THE RED ROCK CITIZENS ADVISORY COUNCIL.