Greater Sage Grouse Habitat Improvement at Cottonwood Access Road, Indian Valley, Martin Ranch, and Willow Creek via the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program in support of NAS Fallon, NV

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The primary objective of the Cooperative Agreement is to ensure that encroachment does not threaten the ability of Naval Air Station Fallon (NASF) to achieve its mission objectives and support military readiness. Encroachment protection is a cost-effective means to limit incompatible land use and support local conservation efforts. The proposal for this work was submitted by Navy Region Southwest to address conservation encroachment challenges at NASF Fallon Range Training Complex (FRTC) has been validated by the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) and this project has been identified as a priority project for the United States (U.S) Navy. The intent of the project/funding is to reduce or eliminate current or anticipated conservation encroachment issues at FRTC related to greater sage grouse (GSGR) potential listing under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The project supports the Navy’s mission by reducing this conservation encroachment threat to maximize operational flexibility and to ensure training, testing, and operations, which are currently at risk due to the current status of the species, can continue unimpeded. This is a voluntary joint initiative between NASF and the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) to maintain and improve natural resources located off of NASF, but within the FRTC Military Influence Area (MIA) in order to mitigate anticipated challenges related to military training, activities, and operations near and adjacent to the installation and ranges. This funding will be used to establish an effective ecosystem level habitat management and enhancement program to support GSGR on lands within the FRTC MIA. The habitat management and improvement program will focus its efforts using relevant scientific principles and paradigms, and current science-based information. This project will benefit GSGR by improving habitat conditions on lands within the FRTC MIA. Please see the statement of work for the full description of work, provided as a separate attachment.

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