Officials to testify at Elko hearing on public lands

ELKO — County commissioners from Nevada and Utah are among the witnesses scheduled to testify at a congressional field hearing in Elko on Monday about federal regulation of public lands in the West.

Republican Congressman Rob Bishop of Utah is the chairman of the House Resources subcommittee on national parks, forests and public lands that is conducting the hearing beginning at 1 p.m. at the Elko Convention Center.

The hearing title is “Explosion of Federal Regulations Threatening Jobs and Economic Survival in the West.” Nevada Republican Rep. Mark Amodei requested it based primarily on opposition to the U.S. Forest Service’s travel management plans.

Witnesses will include Forest Service regional forester Harv Forsgren, Elko County Commissioner Charlie Myers, Utah’s Unitah County Commissioner Mike McKee and J.J. Goicoechea, president of the Nevada Cattlemen’s Association.