Out-of-state groups ride in to stand with Nevada rancher in battle with feds over grazing rights
FoxNews.com
Cliven Bundy said his family's herd has always grazed on public land. (Courtesy Bundy Ranch)
Groups from as far away as New Hampshire are riding out to Nevada to join the cattle rancher whose standoff with the federal government is growing tenser by the day.
The groups said they were going to the ranch, some 80 miles north of Las Vegas to stand with Cliven Bundy, who property is surrounded by federal agents. Bundy's herd, which once numbered nearly 1,000, is being thinned out by private contractors under the watch of dozens of armed federal agents in SUVs and helicopters, the government says, he has refused for two decades to pay fees to allow the cattle to graze on federal lands.
“Our mission here is to protect the protestors and the American citizens from the violence that the federal government is dishing out.”- Jim Landy, West Mountain Rangers
“Our mission here is to protect the protestors and the American citizens from the violence that the federal government is dishing out,” Jim Landy, a member of the West Mountain Rangers, who made the journey from Montana to Nevada, told Fox News Channel. “People here are scared.”
Bundy's family called for support this week after some incidents of violence between the family and protestors with law-enforcement. Bundy’s son was shot with a stun gun on Wednesday and his sister, Margaret Houston was pushed to the ground in incidents caught on video. The protests began to grow last week, after agents from the federal Bureau of Land Management shut off access to a large swath of federal land to round up Bundy’s cattle.
Landy said groups were going to the scene to try to help keep the peace.
“The Bundy family is expecting to be shot if they try to round up their own cattle,” he said. “We are here to make sure they are not harmed. The American people are afraid of their Federal Government.”
Members of a Utah militia arrived at the ranch Wednesday, and other militias from Texas, New Hampshire and Florida are reportedly set to arrive in the coming days.
The fight involves a 600,000-acre area under BLM control called Gold Butte, near the Utah border. The vast and rugged land is the habitat of the protected desert tortoise, and the land has been off-limits for cattle since 1998. Five years before that, when grazing was legal, Bundy stopped paying federal fees for the right.
“For more than two decades, cattle have been grazed illegally on public lands in northeast Clark County,” the BLM said in a statement. “BLM and (the National Park Service) have made repeated attempts to resolve this matter administratively and judicially. Impoundment of cattle illegally grazing on public lands is an option of last resort.”
Bundy, 67, who has been a rancher all his life, told FoxNews.com last week he believes the federal agency is trying to push him to the breaking point and likened his situation to the 1993 disaster in Waco, Texas, in which federal and state law enforcement agencies laid siege to a compound of religious fanatics calling themselves Branch Davidians, a move that resulted in the deaths of 76.
Bundy, a descendant of Mormons who settled in Bunkerville more than 140 years ago, claims an inherent right to graze the area and casts the conflict as a states' rights issue. At a news conference Friday on his ranch, he said the federal government is wrong to deny his cattle access to the grazing land they've always used. He said he barely recognized the land during an airplane flyover earlier in the day.
"I flew down along the river here, and I'd seen a little herd of cows," he told a gathering of supporters. "Baby cows. They was grazing on their meadow and they was really quite happy.
"I then flew up the river here up to Flat Top Mason, and all of a sudden, there's an army up there. A compound. Probably close to a hundred vehicles and gates all around and vehicles with armed soldiers in them.
"Then I'm wondering where I am. I'm not in Afghanistan. I think I'm in Nevada. But I'm not sure right now," he said to applause and defiant shouts.
Federal officials said that BLM enforcement agents were dispatched in response to statements Bundy made which they perceived as threats.
“When threats are made that could jeopardize the safety of the American people, the contractors and our personnel; we have the responsibility to provide law enforcement to account for their safety,” National Park Service spokeswoman Christie Vanover said to reporters Sunday.
The land issue allegedly began after Bundy stopped paying grazing fees in 1993. He said he didn't have to because his Mormon ancestors worked the land since the 1880s, giving him rights to the land.
Fox News Channel’s Matt Finn contributed reporting to this story.
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The following is the personal account of a female Los Angeles attorney who drove Bunkersville, Nevada, to support besieged rancher Cliven Bundy:
I rolled into Laughlin really early, like 5:30 am. So many people had shown up, that we decided to leave in groups. A second group to leave at 8 AM as scheduled. Ours was a big group too. About two dozen cars, loaded with passengers.
The highway was almost empty until near Mesquite. Then it was a traffic jam. Motor homes, campers, ATVs running along side the freeway, motorcyles, vehicles, every thing you could possibly imagine. Everyone on their way to Bunkersville.
Then it [the traffic] about stopped, just inching along.
Word traveled down the traffic line that the feds had blocked the road just out of Mesquite and were searching vehicles for weapons and cell phones. Cell phones were confiscated and smashed. The people were given a chit for $30.00 redemption value. I left my phone at home.
Some of us that had four wheel drives decided to just leave the road and head overland. As we got closer to the ridge, we were stopped by armed militia. We could not go any further. We could wait, or turn around and go back to the road. Men, who I suspect were special forces, had climbed the ridge from the back side and captured the snipers. They were at that moment coming down the ridge to take them to Mesquite where they would be let go. They weren’t prisoners, they were just going to be replaced by friendlies.
Because of the roadblock on I-15, people refused to be searched, and refused to turn back. They just pulled off the road and parked. It was like a dam backing up a river. Soon the feds were trapped between the Americans who had already gotten through, and the Americans who had been stopped on the highway. The BLM agents went into full panic mode and called for help. LVPD [Las Vegas Police Department] who had REFUSED to show up to help Americans HAD to show up to rescue BLM that was now trapped and helpless. The blockade was SEVEN MILES LONG! That’s a potload of people.
A group of armed Americans along with local cowboys went to Mesquite to liberate the cows that had been confiscated and held by BLM. They were being driven back home in an old fashioned cattle drive. The feds say it was voluntary[that they voluntarily returned the confiscated cattle to Bundy], don’t believe it.
I was basically standing around twiddling my thumbs when the word came down that the Director of BLM had surrendered and all forces would be withdrawn. I could not go on. The road was blocked and would be blocked probably for the rest of the day at least. A bunch of us turned around and left. It was over.
There were THOUSANDS of people there, and more arriving every minute. The ranch, Gold Butte, the entire area was completely surrounded by Americans. The highway was completely blocked in both directions of people trying to get through. Everyone was very peaceful and friendly. No fights or anything. There was a rumor in the line, that some of the mercenaries hired by the feds had defected and were now on the side of the Americans.
I came back and immediately saw this [the media's] pack of lies and half truths.
At one point, I-15 was closed in both directions, about seven miles south of Mesquite, because protesters had blocked the freeway. Nearly two dozen police officers and a SWAT unit were at the scene to keep the peace and assist the BLM enforcement officers to safely leave the area. They were scared crapless! H/t FOTM’s Miss May
They are in O.D.s it appears, and it makes no sense that Army should, or would, get themselves involved in a mess like that. Army has more brains than that, and that is why I believe it is a mercenary patch very closely resembling an authentic US Military patch.
I even though that it was a 3% (III %) patch so the BLM could blame gun owners in the mainstream media as there was an elimination of communications and no-fly zone, BLM would be doing their own propaganda filming. Very possible, and extremely probable.
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So now we know more of the story. The federales had no choice but to back down. If backed into a corner, they would have fired and I suspect they would have all been killed after a fire fight.
"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat."
-- Theodore Roosevelt
Bundy ranch warns of false information, conspiracies
April 14, 2014
In an email sent to supporters Monday, the Bundy family warned of incorrect information that is being disseminated in the wake of this weekend's decision by federal agents to cease roundup operations. Carol Bundy, wife of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, said that any information not directly coming from them is likely false.
"Any Info (sic) not on our blog or directly from me on text messaging or in my emails is probably not true," she said. Instead of relying on second- or third-hand information, Bundy asked those interested to view their website or sign up for email updates.
"ANY information that comes to you from other sources is probably not true," she added. "Thats is why we created this email list we know how facebook etc mess up the truth (sic)."
Bundy said she is working hard to keep supporters informed of what is actually going on. Those who wish to sign up for updates can do so here.
As we reported earlier Monday, rumors have been spreading across the Internet that federal agents are heading back to the ranch to finish what was started last week. Private investigator Doug Hagmann, for example, said Saturday that the deescalation by federal agents is just a ruse to fool the public.
"At 1750 hours ET, I was contacted by my source within the Department of Homeland Security regarding the current situation at the Bundy Ranch. To put it bluntly, the people are being hoodwinked into believing that the situation is being resolved. It is not. It is a strategic de-escalation to fool the public," he wrote.
A video posted to YouTube on Sunday purports to show agents and equipment arriving at the Bundy ranch, but the video is not dated and has not been independently verified. As of this writing, the video has been viewed over 25,000 times.
Another rumor says truckers have allegedly spotted a number of blacked out military-style vehicles heading in the general direction of the Bundy ranch. This report has also not been independently verified and the Bundys have made no mention of equipment or law enforcement personnel in the area.
Rumors like these are not uncommon in situations such as this. Unfortunately, they tend to get a life of their own given the fact that a growing number of people simply do not trust the government, thanks in large part to actions taken by the Obama administration and those in power, like Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.
Bundy has promised to keep supporters informed with the truth of the situation. And readers can watch this space for updates as they occur.
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Militias are reforming and retraining. Citizens are cleaning their guns and counting rounds of ammunition for them.
Why? The government's heavy-handed way of dealing with a Nevada rancher whose cattle are being seized by the federal government at the point of a federal gun. (For more read: http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/10/us/nev...ttle-showdown/)
Are we looking at another Ruby Ridge or yet another Waco? I certainly hope not. But the truth is, America cannot continue as the police state she has become. Plus, and this is extremely important, Americans no longer trust their federal court system.
In a later report we learn: "In the wake of the publicized protests, members of various militia groups have been traveling from Virginia, Texas, Montana, Idaho and Wisconsin and arriving at the protest site and Bundy's ranch to support the family, said Stephen L. Dean, 45, of Utah, a member of one such group called the Peoples United Mobile Armed Services." -- SOURCE: http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/10/us/nevada-rancher-rangers-cattle-showdown/
Underlying the whole dispute is the environmental movements efforts to preserve the habitat of a little heard of desert tortoise.
Don't laugh! Today it's a turtle. Originally, it was tea. All revolutions have a tipping point. The point at which the people say, this far and no farther! Bundy's ranch may be the next Lexington. (The tortoise is protected under the Endangered Species Act. The Fish and Wildlife Service lists the species as “threatened.”)
There was a brief mention of US military personnel taking part in the rustling of Mr. Bundy's cattle. If true, that would be a direct violation of federal law. The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, still in effect, was passed to prevent U.S. military personnel from acting as law enforcement agents on U.S. soil.
The text of the Posse Comitatus Act, which is still in effect (as 18 U.S.C. Section 1385), reads:
"Whoever, except in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress, willfully uses any part of the Army or the Air Force as a posse comitatus or otherwise to execute the laws shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both." -- SOURCE: http://civilliberty.about.com/od/waronterror/a/posse_act.htm
I have yet to see any confirmation of the use of US military personnel in the dust-up at Bundy's Ranch.
What worries me most about the ongoing wielding of raw federal power in Nevada is this: I am afraid this is only the beginning. I am afraid this sort of confrontation will become far more frequent if the situation in Nevada is allowed to continue. Give the feds an inch and they'll take a mile ... or your cattle -- or BOTH!
Oh, and do not deceive yourself, if given the order to fire on the protesters, armed and unarmed, the federal goons WILL indeed open fire -- without a moment's hesitation. That's what they are trained to do. That's what they will do.
Unfortunately, I believe the same holds true with US military personnel. Just as when the War Between the States (Better known in the South as the War of Northern Aggression) broke out and southerners serving in the federal services resigned and went home to join their families in defense of their homes, so, too, will SOME current US soldiers. But, I dare say, most will not. Different times. Different people.
People change and peoples change. It is more than a little difficult to predict how modern Americans will react to the federal government locking the country into a police state, totally ignoring our constitution, and making and enforcing, or not enforcing, laws at their whim.
It is easy to look back and see -- with certainty -- that our ancestors would have cleaned that nest of vipers out long ago.
Today we are different -- soft and pliant, willing to enjoy freedom so long as it doesn't cost us anything, or any effort. And for crying out loud, do not ask us to defend it by force of arms!
Unfortunately for us all, that may be exactly where we are headed.
The country, the republic, cannot continue on its current course.
On April 10th, 2014, “Oath Keepers” issued a statement, which pretty well sums up the feelings of thousands of military veterans, police officers, first responders, and others. You would do well to follow this link over to Oath Keeper’s site and read their statement in full. You will find it here: Oathkeepers: Coalition of western state legislatures, sheriffs and veterans stand vigil in support of rancher
I am the product of the only region of the country to be invaded, conquered, and occupied by a foreign power. I am, as are my fellow southerners, acutely aware of the cost of war with one's fellow Americans. We know the cost. Our ancestors bore that cost and passed the scars down to us. WE venerate them. We look back on their sacrifices with feelings of respect and reverence. We consider those who took up arms as hallowed and exalted. But believe me when I tell you that we are still paying the price even today.
As evidenced by the confrontation in Nevada, we may be drawing nigh to a moment of decision just as my Confederate ancestors did 149 years ago.
Time will tell if we will be called upon to take up arms in defense of the constitution and in defiance of a tyrannical federal government. Understand, dear reader, EITHER decision will be terrible in its consequences.
The current brush fire in Nevada may cool. Tempers may cool and some sort of reason prevail. But before too much time passes it will recur. Once the federal government gets a taste of raw power enforced at the point of a bayonet, it grows rabid.
And this is why American citizens are armed. It is the foundation of the Second Amendment, the preservation of our country from despots who wish to impose tyranny upon us.
Seems to me the last sentence of the preceding paragraph pretty well sums up America's situation today. J. D. Longstreet
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Can you imagine how this would have played out in one of the eastern police states? Holy crap...the federales would have racked some heads, tased, tuned-up and probably killed a few of them "accidentally".
Whoever is working for the federal good squad, like the guy running the operation Dan Love or something needs to be fully aware that he's on the wrong side of the fight. He can have his salary and his pension, but traitors are treated very harshly.
Last edited by Malsua; April 15th, 2014 at 20:09.
"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat."
-- Theodore Roosevelt
Posted: Dec 30, 2013 3:27 PM CDT Updated: Jan 06, 2014 8:17 PM CDT
Today (Monday), the Federal Aviation Administration announced that Nevada has been selected as one of 6 locations to be a test site…for drones.
For such small objects, they pack a huge financial punch. How much money are we talking about for Nevada? Governor Sandoval says…a lot. As he told us, "They will bring thousands of jobs to our state, and we estimate that the average wage for those jobs will be $62,000. It could mean 2 point 5 billion...that's with a B...in economic impact."
The Reno-Stead Airport could soon be a beehive of drone-buzzing activity. Standing in front of the newly-finished terminal building, spokesman Brian Kulpin told us, "It is an exciting day for us. It can mean big things for the future for us, and we need this type of shot in the arm for our community."
25 states were clamoring for this winged jackpot…only 6 were chosen. How did Nevada win one of those coveted spots? Among the drone's pre-flight check, space is a "go" here. As the governor put it, "We have some very unique assets. We have more airspace than the other 49 states combined."
There's plenty of ground space too out at Stead, where the airport backs up to BLM land. But aerospace specialist Tom Wilczek with the Governor's Office of Economic Development says the ace in our hand was our weather: "The clarity, the ability to have 320-plus flying days a year is extremely important to the FAA."
The payoff looks huge. Commercializing drones, from tracking wildfires to checking land for mining and agriculture, will be a hot, high-paying, high-education industry. Manufacturer Hawkeye UAV demonstrated their drones at Reno-Stead Airport earlier this year. Where manufacturers like they go, other makers and vendors will follow. On the phone, Steve Hill, the director of the Governor's Office of Economic Development told us, "We'll have companies moving in and out of the state to do testing for periods of time."
Back out at Reno-Stead Airport, Brian Kulpin is ready: "We're going to market this for economic development. We have a brand new terminal here, we have the 5,000 acres here...lots of room for development up here in Stead."
It won't take long. Besides Stead, the state has chosen Fallon Naval Air Station for drone technology testing, along with 2 southern Nevada spots authorized as "test sites for commercial unmanned aerial vehicle development." The state should start to see some real activity in those spots next year.
The research and testing that's performed in Nevada will help the FAA develop their national standards for drone operating, licensing and privacy issues, which they expect to issue by late-2015.
-written by John Potter
"This is wonderful news for Nevada that creates a huge opportunity for our economy," said Senator Harry Reid. "Nevada has long been a leader in the UAS Industry, and no state makes a better candidate than ours. With this application approval, Nevada will continue to lead in new and innovative technologies of the 21st century, along with creating a large and profitable industry. I appreciate the work of all those involved and I look forward to working with Governor Sandoval to ensure a successful implementation of the award, and subsequent creation of the testing sites in Nevada."
In 2012, Senator Reid led passage of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, establishing the Federal Aviation Administration program to begin testing for the integration of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles--commonly referred to as drones--into the National Airspace System. Awarding Nevada the FAA test sites will have far reaching implications on the economy of Nevada. The range of jobs created includes, but is not limited to: teachers, machinists, aircraft mechanics, software developers, electrical engineers, and human resource professionals.
"The FAA designation of Nevada as a UAS Test Site is an incredible step forward for the State of Nevada," said Steve Hill, Director of the Governor's Office of Economic Development. "It allows us to establish a leadership role and be at the forefront of a new and important future industry. The job creation and economic impact will be significant - growing during the testing phase and expanding as Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) becomes a commercial industry. We look forward to working with the FAA and other Test Sites to develop an industry that is safe and secure while creating good jobs and providing the benefits that stem from commercial applications. I want to thank everyone who directly worked to make this a reality, and I also want to thank elected officials and communities throughout Nevada for their unwavering support."
"Being selected as one of six sites for UAV development in the country is a historic moment for Nevada," Governor Brian Sandoval said. "With the climate and air space of Nevada, we are uniquely equipped to help expand the development of UAVs. We have also partnered with private industry and academia to establish the curriculum necessary to create the UAS civilian workforce of the future in Nevada. Our state has been preparing for this selection and we are ready to enter this new era of aviation history. I thank Senator Reid for his tireless work on this issue and the opportunity to work together on this momentous day for our state."
"The Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority is honored to help develop the next generation of aviation technology, and policies that will respect privacy concerns, while bringing jobs and economic benefit to our entire region," Marily Mora, President/CEO of the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority, said. "We look forward to working with the Governor's Office of Economic Development, the Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems, the University of Nevada, Desert Research Institute and the private sector to develop Reno-Stead and Northern Nevada into a UAS research and development center."
U.S. Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) today responded to the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA's) announcement that Nevada has been designated as an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) test site with the following statement:
"Considering that Nevada continues to lead the nation in unemployment, the FAA's decision is both welcome and well-timed. Nevada has long been a leader in UAS development and testing. Given our state's geographic location, extremely qualified workforce, and strong partnerships with universities, Nevada is well-positioned to ensure the success of these programs.
"I am confident that the FAA, Congress, and the State of Nevada can strike a balance between this opportunity and the development of privacy standards and safeguards that will guarantee the constitutional rights of Nevadans and Americans across the country," said Senator Dean Heller.
"The decision by the FAA to select the State of Nevada as a test site to begin work on safely integrating unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace aligns perfectly with plans and projects underway at the University of Nevada, Reno," Kam Leang of the University of Nevada, Reno mechanical engineering department said.
The University has more than a dozen faculty across several departments and colleges, including engineering, business, geological sciences, cooperative extension and environmental sciences, who will contribute to the research, design, implementation and commercialization of advanced autonomous systems.
"We have been developing research and educational infrastructure to support the FAA designation of Nevada as an unmanned autonomous flight location," University of Nevada, Reno President Marc Johnson said. "This designation has been an objective of the Governor's Office of Economic Development for some time and the University is working in concert with government and industry to support advanced manufacturing and diversify the Nevada economy."
The University is establishing an innovation center for advanced autonomous systems with the goal of creating unique industry-university partnerships to commercialize technologies in autonomous systems. This includes land-based, aerial and stationary robotic systems such as industrial robots, advanced manufacturing systems, driverless road vehicles and underwater robots.
"The vision for this initiative is to partner with the private sector to support innovation for advanced autonomous and manufacturing systems," Manos Maragakis, dean of the College of Engineering, said. "This is a collaboration between our colleges and with the business community that will stimulate economic development."
A new minor degree program in Unmanned Autonomous Systems begins in January. Courses in computer science, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering are being combined into the new UAS engineering program that will spearhead the effort for the interdisciplinary center for advanced autonomous systems.
"The opportunities this program brings to student education and competitiveness are exciting," Maragakis said. "This program will be instrumental inenhancing the state's ability to increase its workforce in an area that has been strategically identified as one of its economic development priorities."
The new course of study further builds collaborations between engineering departments and several colleges.
"I commend the University faculty members from diverse academic programs who collectively are providing exciting new educational and research experiences that will translate directly into wonderful career opportunities," Kevin Carman, provost and executive vice president, said.
The College of Engineering will add three new faculty positions, one each for mechanical engineering, chemical and materials engineering, and computer science and engineering. They will focus on advanced manufacturing, robotics and autonomous systems.
"We have outstanding faculty dedicated to science and research," Mridul Gautam, vice president of research and innovation, said. "This will enhance our collaborations with industry in developing innovative solutions using cutting edge technology."
In the area of industry collaborations, the University is partnering with Nevada Nanotech Systems to develop a low-cost, robotic flying vehicle that can be used for environmental monitoring and communications in remote, rural settings. The University of Nevada Cooperative Extension has a collaboration with Drone America, a Reno-based unmanned-aircraft company with aircraft that could be used as tools for natural resource and environmental science research.
"This is a transformative event for the state of Nevada, the knowledge-based economy of the state, and the University of Nevada, Reno," Mridul Gautam, vice president of research and innovation, said. "We are very well qualified to provide the UAS industry, the state and the nation with world-class expertise in all areas of research and development related to UAS.
The potential growth in innovation at all levels – high school to graduate school, and beyond – is unimaginable."
"This is wonderful news for Nevada that creates a huge opportunity for our economy," U.S. Sen. Harry Reid said of the designation. "Nevada has long been a leader in the UAS industry, and no state makes a better candidate than ours. With this application approval, Nevada will continue to lead in new and innovative technologies of the 21st century, along with creating a large and profitable industry. I appreciate the work of all those involved and I look forward to working with Governor Sandoval to ensure a successful implementation of the award, and subsequent creation of the testing sites in Nevada."
(The University of Nevada contributed to this report.)
Posted Updated Drone America Engineer Russell Reinhart gives Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval a tour of their operations trailer during in Reno on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2013. The tour was part of the statewide Cabinet Business Visit Day. (Cathleen Allison/Las Vegas Review-Journal) By STEVE TETREAULT, SEAN WHALEY and KRISTY TOTTEN
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
WASHINGTON — Nevada was chosen on Monday as a coveted base for research and development for the emerging drone aircraft industry.
The Federal Aviation Administration named the Silver State one of a half-dozen authorized test sites for the commercial development of unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs.
Other states picked were Alaska, New York, North Dakota, Texas and Virginia.
The winners now get an early start — along with the federal government’s lucrative seal of approval — to cash in on the vision of drones in U.S. skies alongside piloted aircraft.
“This is a new and emerging industry where the state of Nevada is going to be an anchor tenant,” Gov. Brian Sandoval said after the announcement. “It gives our citizens a tremendous opportunity to be on the ground floor of something that is going to be part of the future of the aviation industry.”
State officials say the new industry could provide well-paying jobs for 15,000 Nevadans, plus thousands more in feeder industries, and help diversify the state’s struggling economy.
The selection represents an imminent economic impact of $2.5 billion to $8 billion annually, said Steve Hill, executive director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. Within a decade, the industry could generate $100 billion per year, he said.
“There is virtually unlimited capacity for this industry in Nevada,” Hill wrote in a November budget memo to members of the state Legislature’s Interim Finance Committee.
The FAA’s designation does not come with money attached, meaning state officials must act quickly to recruit clients to conduct research. During its 2013 session, theLegislature authorized $4 million for drones. In early December, the state Board of Examiners approved $1.46 million for testing.
One challenge for Nevada will be developing a workforce that can feed the industry, though Hill said Monday that schools down to the middle school level will incorporate UAV issues and training into their curriculum.
“This is a real opportunity but it is just an opportunity,” Hill said. “How do we proceed to capitalize on this? The jobs are very good jobs. The supply chain the industry needs for support can be in Nevada, but we have to earn that. It will be a competitive process with the other sites as well as other states.”
RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., said the state now is poised to “basically control the West” when it comes to attracting clients for UAV research and development.
“We have all this airspace,” Reid said. “You look at these other states: You have Alaska, but they don’t have the infrastructure we have,” in the form of companies supporting major UAV operations at Creech Air Force Base in Indian Springs, north of Las Vegas.
“Remember, Nevada has been the leader,” Reid said. “There is no one else.”
U.S. Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., called the FAA’s decision “welcome and well-timed” in light of Nevada’s high unemployment.
U.S. Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., said Nevada “is a perfect fit” as the state where advanced aircraft such as the U-2 spy plane have been developed, and where the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper drones are operated from Creech.
Sandoval said it is too early to predict if the FAA’s designation will rank as an economic milestone of the magnitude of the creation of the Nevada Test Site or the major military bases in the state.
But he said, it is possible that “10 years from now, 20 years from now, we will look back and see that it really changed the trajectory of our economic development efforts.”
In Washington, FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said the six sites were picked for geographic and climate diversity, and for their planned focus on various aspects of UAV development, such as pilot training, the use of a variety of aircraft and the integration of drones into air traffic control systems. The work is expected to form the base for commercial drone operating and licensing standards the FAA is expected to issue by the end of September 2015.
Huerta said Nevada was selected because researchers here can access airspace near population centers, and offers the opportunity to study how civilian unmanned aircraft might operate adjacent to military airspace controlled by the Navy and Air Force to support operations at Creech, the Fallon Naval Air Station and Nellis Air Force Base.
“Nevada gives us a good test-bed to look at how unmanned aircraft operate across a variety of different airspace configuration,” Huerta said.
The bulk of UAV testing is expected to be based at Stead Airport north of Reno; Fallon’s municipal airport; the Boulder City Municipal Airport; and Desert Rock, a private-use airfield near Mercury associated with the Nevada National Security Site.
It’s unlikely that Nevadans will see drones near their neighborhoods, said Tom Wilczek, industry specialist for aerospace and defense at the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. Work will be concentrated around the airports, and will include developing technology and software as well as addressing policy issues.
The competition for a test site was robust, with 25 entities in 24 states submitting proposals. In choosing Alaska, the FAA cited a diverse set of test site locations in seven climatic zones. New York’s site at Griffiss International Airport near Rome will look into integrating drones into the congested northeast airspace.
NEW CIVILIAN USES
The use of remotely piloted aircraft was pioneered by the military, but the potential economic impact from commercializing drone technology is said to be staggering. The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International has estimated the industry could generate more than $13.6 billion in activity in the first two years after the FAA sets ground rules for their use.
The same study projects an average salary range for a drone pilot between $85,000 and $115,000.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos recently captured headlines with his plan to deliver Internet-purchased items via drone, but proposed uses expand well beyond that, from monitoring pipelines in remote areas to tracking the spread of wildfires to spraying pesticides over cornfields to search-and-rescue missions.
Nevada’s bid was spearheaded by the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, which assembled a team of about 30 organizations, including the presidents of the state’s two universities, managers of the Nevada National Security Site, giant Lockheed Martin and small companies, to advise on drone possibilities in the state.
Hill said Nevada was a strong applicant because of its expansive airspace, clear and favorable weather, as well as unmanned aerial vehicle education curriculum already established at the University of Nevada, Reno and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Reid said he had talks with officials from the White House, Department of Transportation and Department of Defense as applications were being reviewed.
Reid said at one point it was suggested that Nevada partner with other states on its application, “but I said, ‘nah, we are going to do this alone,’ and we did it alone and it was the right thing.”
The next step is to create a report, due within 20 days of the announcement, that outlines intended activities based on Nevada’s unique offerings compared to the five other sites. Huerta said the FAA plans to have at least one test site up and running within 180 days, most likely in Alaska.
Hill said Nevada will work with the FAA to finalize a contract and get the state’s action plan certified in coming weeks.
Some companies have already asked about testing drone-related technology in Nevada, Hill said, and the state plans to recruit others.
Sandoval said he discussed drone testing in Nevada during his recent trade mission to Israel.
It may surprise you that drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles, will soon be flying over Nevada. They’re not the pilotless machines the military uses to conduct surveillance and launch missile strikes in Afghanistan, but drones none the less.
Steve Hill, director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, says he expects test flights to begin in May. He says the final hurdle before testing can begin is securing the airspace from the Federal Aviation Administration.
With 31,500 square miles of restricted airspace to work with, Nevada’s airspace is larger than the other entire five test sites selected by the FAA in December.
“We have a lot of airspace,” Hill says. “But, we also have access to that airspace 300 to 320 days a year. There is a lot of airspace in Alaska, but the environment doesn’t allow for testing 320 days a year.”
Another reason for Nevada’s selection is that it’s been home to unmanned military drone operations for two decades. Unmanned Predator aircraft operate from Creech Air Force Base north of Las Vegas.
“This industry was really created here in Nevada,” Hill says. “Probably some of the UFO sightings here 50 years ago were the original tests being done in this industry.”
Nevada was notified in December that it had been selected one of six states designated by the FAA to test drones. The FAA’s goal is to integrate drones into the U.S. commercial space by September 2015.
“We think (this) is a real opportunity for Nevada,” Hill says. “The designation we received gives us a leg up on being one of the centers for the industry, but it only gives us a leg up. We need to look at what is going to be the major issues five to 10 years out.”
Issues involving intellectual property, insurance and privacy will be significant over the next decade. Hill says designing an industry that address those concerns will create a sustainable advantage for Nevada.
“All of these aerial (vehicles) raise privacy concerns,” says Farber. “It is not so much the aircraft, but what the aircraft is equipped with. High resolution cameras live streaming videos and facial recognition. These are the things that are able to drill down and intrude into the privacy of someone who is in their backyard.”
She says a drone hovering at 5,000 feet watching what you’re doing ahs a lot of lawmakers concerned.
“It’s not occurring at this very moment, but it is what’s anticipated,” Farber says.
Currently, Nevada doesn’t regulate the use of commercial drones. Farber says only eight states restrict the use of drones, while on two of the eight deal with their commercial use.
“A state like Texas … has enacted legislation that restricts both the public and private use of (drones),” Farber says. “They carve out exemptions for civil use for just that purpose … surveying oil rigs and other types of machinery that is hard to get to or covers vast amounts of space.”
Within the next decade, the unmanned aerial vehicle, or drone, industry is expected to employ 15,000 people in Nevada. The creation of this new industry is estimated to have an economic impact of up to $2.5 billion while providing $125 million in tax revenue, according to GOED.
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Nikita Khrushchev:"We will bury you"
"Your grandchildren will live under communism."
“You Americans are so gullible.
No, you won’t accept To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 15 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. outright, but we’ll keep feeding you small doses of To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 15 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. until you’ll finally wake up and find you already have communism.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 15 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. ."
We’ll so weaken your To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 15 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. until you’ll To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 15 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. like overripe fruit into our hands."
Can you imagine how this would have played out in one of the eastern police states? Holy crap...the federales would have racked some heads, tased, tuned-up and probably killed a few of them "accidentally".
Whoever is working for the federal good squad, like the guy running the operation Dan Love or something needs to be fully aware that he's on the wrong side of the fight. He can have his salary and his pension, but someone traitors are treated very harshly.
No, I can't imagine. At all.
Libertatem Prius!
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WASHINGTON, April 12, 2014 —The Bundy family and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) have reached a deal to end the week-long crisis, at least temporarily.
Bundy, a 67-year-old rancher whose family has operated a ranch since the 1870s, does not recognize federal ownership of the land where his cattle graze. Nevada, says Bundy, owns the property.
The federal government disagrees. In 1993, the government revoked Bundy’s grazing rights on the land after he stopped paying grazing fees. He also refused to comply with federal orders to remove cattle from the property, which the federal government says is home to federally-protected tortoise populations.
The government says Bundy has not paid fees for more than 20 years and that his willful refusal to comply with federal law is unfair to other ranchers in the area who do follow federal regulations.
Armed Bundy family leaders met with BLM officers in Mesquite on Saturday afternoon to discuss the fate of the Bundy’s cattle. Armed US Federal Agents and hired cowboys began rounding up the cattle, sometimes using helicopters, in order to seize Bundy’s 1,000 head of cattle, putting them into a holding area in order to auction them to pay alleged back fees they claim Bundy owes the Federal Government. Those fees are reported to be over $1,000,000.
8 News NOW At issue is the decades long disagreement between the ranchers and the U.S. land managers over grazing rights on close to 600,000 acres of federal range and park lands in the Nevada desert. The BLM over sees some 18,000 permits and leases that give ranchers permission to allow livestock to graze on 158 million acres of federal land.
Cliven Bundy, who had been paying a grazing fee ($1.35 per cow-calf pair) in 1993, understandably ignored the government’s cancellation of his grazing lease and refused to remove his cattle from the Federal land.
The standoff this week has been twenty-years in the making. And it is about more than the Bundy Ranch near Bunkerville, NV. READ ALSO:KERNS: The Bundy Ranch beef is not over cattle, but Government control
It is also about the Desert Tortoise that lives in the Nevada desert and solar power development by a Chinese corporation in Sen. Harry Reid’s Nevada.
In 2012 The Center for Biological Diversity notified the government that it was suing the federal government in order to protect the Mojave Desert tortoise.
“The federal government has been caving in to Cliven Bundy for years at the sacrifice of lands that are not only being destroyed for the tortoise but also for all the people of the United States who own it,” said Rob Mrowka, a senior scientist with the center.
The BLM’s official reason for the grab of cattle from Cliven Bundy is to to protect the endangered desert tortoise.
“A tortoise isn’t the reason why BLM is harassing a 67 year-old rancher; they want his land,” journalist Dana Loesch wrote. “The tortoise wasn’t of concern when [U.S. Senator] Harry Reid worked with BLM to literally change the boundaries of the tortoise’s habitat to accommodate the development of his top donor, Harvey Whittemore.”
“Reid is accused of using the new BLM chief as a puppet to control Nevada land (already over 84% of which is owned by the federal government) and pay back special interests,” she added. “BLM has proven that they’ve a situational concern for the desert tortoise as they’ve had no problem waiving their rules concerning wind or solar power development. Clearly these developments have vastly affected a tortoise habitat more than a century-old, quasi-homesteading grazing area.”
“If only Cliven Bundy were a big Reid donor.”
The desert tortoise is on the endangered species list and Defenders of Wildlife report that the decline of the desert tortoise is most severe in the Western Mojave Desert where populations have decreased by 90%. Female’s do not breed until they are 15-20 years of age and only about 2% of all hatch-lings survive.
Which could be an issue with many environmentally minded Americans except for the friendly suit issues Communities writer Judson Phillips raised:
An environmental group, often leaning pretty far left, sues the EPA over some agenda item they want. Instead of being truly antagonistic opponents, the EPA and these groups are in fact colluding.
“Sue and settle agreements allow EPA to convert a state Regional Haze program into a major new set of federal mandates, with no recourse for those affected until it’s too late,” said Bill Kovacs, the Chamber’s senior vice president for Environment, Technology & Regulatory Affairs. “The report outlines the potentially disastrous effects of this regulatory tool being used by the EPA to disregard states sovereignty and take over what Congress clearly determined to be a state environmental responsibility. These federal haze requirements offer only high costs for states, utilities and consumers, with no benefit.” (US Chamber of Commerce)
READ MORE:John Beale: The EPA fraudster you’ve never heard but whose work is destroying America The Mojave desert is about 3 miles from the Bundy Ranch, though data on the tortoise population North East of Las Vegas is not readily available and it is not likely that Bundy’s cattle are grazing through Las Vegas to the deserts listed as the habitat for the Tortoise. Continuing Reading: Harry Reid, the Chinese and Solar power — the real reason?
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Read more at
Libertatem Prius!
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Bundy, a 67-year-old rancher whose family has operated a ranch since the 1870s, does not recognize federal ownership of the land where his cattle graze. Nevada, says Bundy, owns the property.
The federal government disagrees. In 1993, the government revoked Bundy’s grazing rights on the land after he stopped paying grazing fees. He also refused to comply with federal orders to remove cattle from the property, which the federal government says is home to federally-protected tortoise populations.
1989: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lists the desert tortoise as an endangered species. A year later, its designation was changed to "threatened."
March 1993: The Washington Post publishes a story about the federal government's efforts to protect the desert tortoise in Nevada. Near Las Vegas, the Bureau of Land Management designated hundreds of thousands of acres of federal land for strict conservation efforts. "Among the conservation measures required," according to the Post's coverage, "are the elimination of livestock grazing and strict limits on off-road vehicle use in the protected tortoise habitat. Two weeks ago, the managers of the plan completed the task of purchasing grazing privileges from cattle ranchers who formerly used BLM land."
Many people were not impressed by the new conservation plan. "Cliven Bundy, whose family homesteaded his ranch in 1877 and who accuses the government of a 'land grab,' are digging in for a fight and say they will not willingly sell their grazing privileges to create another preserve." People who use the desert to prospect for minerals and to race motorcycles and jeeps also feel shortchanged. "'It was shoved down our throat,' said Mark Trinko, who represents off-road vehicle users on the committee that oversees the plan."
Bundy has repeatedly been fined for grazing his cattle on the protected land, fines he has not paid since 1993. The Bureau of Land Management, which oversees about 800 grazing areas in Nevada, responded by revoking his permit. Bundy has not applied for a new one.
Re: Range War: Feds vs The People
Cliven Bundy said his family's herd has always grazed on public land. (Courtesy Bundy Ranch)
J. D. Longstreet
Originally Posted by American Patriot
I told you guys there was more to this than the media reported:
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