Nevada Wilderness Project and other Gold Butte supporters managed to fight back an attempt by members of the Mesquite City Council to rescind a two-year-old resolution in favor of a National Conservation Area for the breathtaking but threatened desert area.

Mesquite City Council member Kraig Hafen had asked to rescind the resolution for 120 days in order to bring various parties together to discuss the “where as and where for’s” of the 2010 resolution supporting the declaration of Gold Butte as a National Conservation Area. It wasn’t clear why the resolution needed to be rescinded in order for that to happen, but, well, that was the argument.

It didn’t fly. A roomful of people turned out mostly in support of the NCA, which hasn’t been introduced yet, although Rep. Joe Heck has talked about the possibility with local residents.

Resolution 669 supports an NCA and calls for a committee to ensure local involvement in the area’s management plan and for the enhancement of multiple uses, local heritage and so forth.

NWP members were on hand at the meeting to speak in favor of keeping the resolution, which the council ultimately did by a 3-2 vote.  Many felt it was very important that the council not to back away from NCA support at a time when Congress may still be deciding whether to move forward with the legislation. At least two council members, Karl Gustaveson and Al Litman, said 90 percent to the emails they received leading up to the April 24 vote were in favor of the NCA.

While there have been some interesting theories about why Mr. Hafen and councilmember George Rapson wanted to rescind the resolution, the consensus among local residents is that an NCA with Wilderness will improve the local tourism economy and bring some much-needed help to Gold Butte.