Environmental Policy Commons^™

Presentation To National Park Service – Pacific West Region April 25, 2006, Public Lands Institute

Presentations (PLI)

The Public Lands Institute is dedicated to strengthening the national fabric that is essential for the protection, conservation, and management of public lands.

In collaboration with federal, state, and non-profit partners, we are:

• creating new knowledge
• advancing technology
• improving education
• engaging the public to become involved in conservation and stewardship.

Earth Science & Public Policy: Increasing Our Spheres Of Influence, Margaret N. Rees

Presentations (PLI)

The UNLV Public Lands Institute is dedicated to strengthening the national fabric that is essential for the protection, conservation, and management of public lands.

Presentation To Green Valley Rotary Club March 16, 2006, Public Lands Institute, Nancy Flagg

Presentations (PLI)

The Public Lands Institute is dedicated to strengthening the national fabric that is essential for the protection, conservation, and management of public lands.

In collaboration with federal, state, and non-profit partners, we are:

• creating new knowledge
• advancing technology
• improving education
• engaging the public to enhance public lands stewardship.

Presentation To Outside Las Vegas Foundation January 23, 2006, Public Lands Institute

Presentations (PLI)

The Public Lands Institute is dedicated to strengthening the national fabric that is essential for the protection, conservation, and management of public lands.

In collaboration with federal, state, and non-profit partners, we are:

• creating new knowledge
• advancing technology
• improving education
• engaging the public to become involved in conservation and stewardship.

Uncertainty, Climate Change And Nuclear Power, David M. Hassenzahl

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Research

Long time-horizon environmental risks with potential for global impacts have increased in visibility over the past several decades. Such issues as climate change, the nuclear fuel cycle, persistent synthetic chemicals, and stratospheric ozone depletion share some characteristics, including intergenerational impacts, strongly decoupled incidence of risks and benefits, substantial decision stakes and extreme uncertainty. What is not well understood are the similarities and differences among sources and implications of uncertainty among these global environmental threats, especially those associate with current and future human behavior. This describes the uncertainties associated with managing two global concerns: the nuclear (fission) fuel cycle and anthropogenic …

Congressional Staff Update August 17, 2005, Public Lands Institute

Presentations (PLI)

The Public Lands Institute is dedicated to strengthening the national fabric that is essential for the protection, conservation, and management of public lands.

In collaboration with federal, state, and non-profit partners, the institute is creating new knowledge, advancing technology, improving education, and engaging the public to enhance public lands stewardship.

Cooperative Conservation: Increasing Capacity Through Community Partnerships -- Interagency Volunteer Program & Cooperative Conservation Program: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Ending June 30, 2005, Margaret N. Rees

Get Outdoors Nevada

• 1,289+ records are now loaded into volunteer database.
• 150 volunteers registered for events on the interagency website.
• Three interagency events were successfully completed: April 2 – Red Rock Day at Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area; April 15 – Stewardship Saturday at Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge; June 4 – National Trails Day at Spring Mountains National Recreation Area.
• 25 interagency volunteer events are identified for year-two.
• Volunteer recognition program is underway.
• Volunteer training program syllabus is under development.
• Potential funding sources are identified (grants).

Using A Systems Dynamics Approach To Determine What Can Be Done To Minimize Ozone Production, Jusdi Mcdonald

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Ground level ozone is an air pollutant that affects people of all ages and origins in many urban areas including the Las Vegas Valley. The purpose of this study is to examine the best strategy to minimize tropospheric ozone generation through using a system dynamics approach via LUTAQ is used to formulate a solution to the reduction of ozone in the Clark County non-attainment area. By increasing housing density, decreasing average distance per trip, and decrease average number of trips per person per day is the most effective strategies to improving ozone levels in Las Vegas Valley.

Streamlining The National Environmental Policy Act Reporting Requirements: A Hard Look At The Healthy Forests Initiative, Jeffrey Alan Geller

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has implemented the Healthy Forests Initiative (HFI) (2002), which streamlines the NEPA process for proposed forest fuel reduction projects. A key question is whether the USFS’s streamlined NEPA process produces an adequate environmental document and fulfills regulatory requirements. This thesis evaluates whether the streamlined approach practiced by the USFS under the HFI satisfies the NEPA requirements. A review of four streamlined documents assesses whether these requirements are met. The following NEPA requirements in particular are explored for each project to determine whether the NEPA requirements are met: consideration of a reasonable range of alternatives to …

Cooperative Conservation: Increasing Capacity Through Community Partnerships -- Interagency Volunteer Program & Cooperative Conservation Program: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Ending March 31, 2005, Margaret N. Rees

Get Outdoors Nevada

• 800+ records now loaded into volunteer database

• Website launched – getoutdoorsnevada.org

• 50 new volunteers already recruited through website

• Program logo developed

• First interagency event held March 5 – Great American Clean-Up

• First event featured on national Take Pride In America website

• Program marketing, public relations, and promotion underway

• Additional 2005 interagency events identified: April 2 – Red Rock Day at Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area April 15 – Stewardship Saturday at Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge June 4 – National

Presentation To Friends Of Red Rock Canyon February 8, 2005, Nancy Flagg

Presentations (PLI)

University engages in selected SNPLMA projects as determined by the four federal agencies, which are:

• Compatible with UNLV’s mission.
• Enhance education and research.
• Draw upon expertise of faculty, staff, and students.

Presentation To Outside Las Vegas Foundation January 31, 2005, Public Lands Institute

Presentations (PLI)

The Public Lands Institute is dedicated to strengthening the national fabric that is essential for the protection, conservation, and management of public lands.

Campus Community And Their Responsibility To Our Public Lands, Mark Valentin

Presentations (PLI)

• To heighten awareness of UNLV’s community on the laws governing the uses of public lands and the personal liabilities associated with such use.
• To provide the campus community with the most efficient permitting service possible.
• To provide accurate, concise permit information to the appropriate agency.

Regional Open Space & Trails Workgroup Presentation, Public Lands Institute

Presentations (PLI)

The Public Lands Institute is dedicated to strengthening the national fabric that is essential for the protection, conservation, and management of public lands.

Connecting Hearts, Minds, & Hands To Public Lands, Public Lands Institute

Presentations (PLI)

The Public Lands Institute is dedicated to strengthening the national fabric that is essential for the protection, conservation, and management of public lands.

Inventing The Future 2005 Planning Retreat, Public Lands Institute

Presentations (PLI)

• Foster an integrated, holistic approach to managing and stewarding public lands.
• Focus initially on externally funded cooperative conservation projects, research initiatives, and capital improvement projects.
• Attract projects that are local, regional, and national in scope.

Southern Nevada Guide: Tree Selection And Care, City Of Las Vegas, Nevada

Publications (SD)

Trees for Tomorrow was created to educate Southern Nevada residents on the benefits of trees and to help homeowners choose the right trees for their landscape setting. The goal of this booklet is to help homeowners successfully select and establish trees. This Centennial edition recognizes the 100-year celebration of the founding of the City of Las Vegas. Planting trees is a necessary adaptation to human settlement in arid environments. A strong, healthy community forest is built tree by tree, home by home. Tree canopies help to reduce energy demands, reduce water demands, reduce local air temperatures, reduce air pollution, provide …

Conservation Element Of The Las Vegas 2020 Master Plan, City Of Las Vegas, Nevada

Publications (SD)

There is a dual purpose to the Las Vegas 2020 Master Plan Conservation Element. The first purpose is to address the requirements of state law, as provided in the Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) 278.150(4). This section of the NRS requires that governing bodies in Nevada counties with a population of 400,000 or more ensure that their master plans address a stipulated list of subjects, including a conservation plan.

An Exploratory Study That Examines Perceptions, By The Regulated Community, On The Effectiveness Of Air Quality Permitting For Clark County, By The Department Of Air Quality And Environmental Management, Scott Jelinek

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Clean Air Act of 1970 (CAA) made the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) responsible for establishing and maintaining federal programs that control air quality. In turn, each state was delegated responsibility for air quality within its borders, although this responsibility may be shared with Native Americans or tribal lands. In many states, jurisdiction has been delegated to regional or local agencies that are then responsible for air quality in their respective air basins. Even though terrain or water bodies define the physical boundaries of air basins, they are usually designated by County boundaries for regulatory convenience (Wooley, David R., 1997).

Unlv Public Lands Initiative, Nancy Flagg

Presentations (PLI)

• The Public Lands Initiative is providing management and oversight for selected SNPLMA projects that fit UNLV’s educational and research strengths and which are suitable for drawing upon the expertise of university faculty, staff, and students.

Parks & Trails Partnership, Margaret N. Rees, Nancy Flagg, David Frommer

Presentations (PLI)

• UNLV is committed to demonstrating how the traditional values of higher education can be adapted to the conditions and needs of individuals and communities in the 21st century.
• Key macrothemes of the university’s strategic plan include Economic Development, Preservation of History & Culture, and Community Outreach & Collaboration.
• In keeping with these macrothemes, UNLV is embarking on several partnerships with the BLM and related agencies to provide a wide array of research, technical assistance, education, and service support on projects funded through the SNPLMA.
• UNLV is a research extensive university with academic departments and research centers and institutes that embrace …

Converting Low-Level Mixed Waste Into Transuranic Waste For Geologic Disposal At Wipp: A Cost Analysis, Helen R. Neill, Robert H. Neill

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Research

The Department of Energy (DOE) has approximately 43,000 cubic meters of mixed-low-level waste (MLLW) with alpha emitting concentrations of 10 to 100 nanocuries per gram (nCi/g) generated from the nations defense programs requiring radioactive waste disposal [1]. DOE has decided to commingle MLLW containers with transuranic (TRU) waste containers in larger containers such that the average concentration in the larger container would qualify as TRU waste for deep geologic disposal at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Since Congress has exempted the WIPP mixed TRU waste from the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) [2] requirement to treat the waste …

Friends Of Red Rock Canyon Quarterly Meeting, Public Lands Institute

Presentations (PLI)

The Public Lands Institute is dedicated to strengthening the national fabric that is essential for the protection, conservation, and management of public lands.

Consumptive Water Use At The Mirage Hotel And The Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino In Las Vegas, Nevada, Johann A. Feller

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Las Vegas Valley is one of the driest regions in the southwest United States. Due to limited water supplies from the Colorado River, rainfall, and groundwater sources, the water requirements of the valley’s growing population is slated to surpass the current available water supply. The purpose of this comparative study is to quantify the amount of consumptive water used at a major Las Vegas resort/casino in one year. This, being of importance, because of the resort/casino industry’s role as one of the largest, most visible, and most resource intensive industries in the Las Vegas valley. The goal of this …

Perspectives On Economic Analyses For High Level Waste Disposal, Helen R. Neill, Robert H. Neill

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Research

There are both internal and external pressures on the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to reduce costs of disposal and still maintain radiation protection to both present and future generations. The question arises whether both of these goals are attainable.

An Economic Analysis Of The Arsenic Standard On Nevada, Jill S. Dale

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In 2001, the arsenic standard for drinking water was lowered from 50 parts per billion to 10 parts per billion. The clean-up costs for Nevada are estimated at approximately 400 million dollars. The purpose of this project is to examine the economic impacts the State of Nevada will absorb as a result of the new regulation. Research of historical data will be the basis for the project. National data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and data collected from the State of Nevada will be accompanied by comparable research data found through other sources

Auto Dealership Compliance With Hazardous Materials Management In The Las Vegas Valley, Lisa Evenson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Nevada Division of Environmental Protection inspects automobile dealerships in Las Vegas and Henderson approximately every two years to evaluate their compliance with hazardous waste disposal regulations. The follow-up inspections alert the Division as to which regulatory issues appear to be the most problematic and occur most often. This paper provides the methods and information needed to establish auto dealership compliance in the Las Vegas Valley, and the results obtained from the inspections of those facilities. The data is then summarized to allow the Division to determine the effectiveness of its current enforcement program.

Hazardous Materials Incidents And Emergency Medical Response In Clark County, Martha Dicey

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Today's society was built on technological advancements and which also brought about the creation of hazardous materials. Hazardous materials are termed basically as a solid, liquid, or gas substance that, when released from a container, is capable of harming the environment, people or property. Hazardous materials can be found everywhere including industrial locations, backyard swimming pools, hospitals, and private homes. Transportation corridors such as railroads, boats, and trucks and in limited quantities by air are major areas where hazardous materials can be present. Incidents involving hazardous materials may occur during transportation or at any location where hazardous materials can be …

Remote Sensing And Geographic Information Systems For Decision Analysis In Public Resource Administration: Case Study In A Southwestern Watershed, William G. Kepner

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Alternative futures analysis is a scenario-based approach to regional land planning that attempts to synthesize existing scientific information in a format useful to community decision makers. Typically, this approach attempts to investigate the impacts of several alternative sets of choices preferred by representative stakeholder groups relative to selected environmental or economical endpoints. Potential impacts from each of the scenarios are compared to current conditions of the region in terms of a set of processes that are modeled within a geographic information system. Future conditions are generally examined from the perspective of a recent baseline condition (versus empirically determined using a …

Examination Of The Bureau Of Land Management's Implementation Of The Wild, Free-Roaming Horse And Burro Act At Red Rock National Conservation Area, Christine E. Brehm

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

For unknown reasons horses went extinct on the North American continent approximately ten thousand years ago and were subsequently reintroduced by Spanish settlers in the 1400's. As European settlers moved westward, horses were perceived as competition for grasslands and their numbers were curtailed. Wild horses were granted Federal protection in 1959 with the passage of the 'Wild Horse Annie' law and further protected with the passage of the Wild, Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act of 1971. Through the Department of the Interior, the Bureau of Land Management was charged with management of wild horses on public lands. Physical searches of …