RENO, Nev. (AP) - With a rural county's blessing, Nevada's congressional delegation has introduced legislation protecting 26,000 acres of a scenic range north of Winnemucca as a federal wilderness area.

The bill would create the Pine Forest Range Wilderness Area out of two federal Bureau of Land Management wilderness study areas, and release 1,500 acres of existing wilderness study area lands.

The measure also would direct the BLM to exchange federal lands
surrounding nearby ranches for private parcels within the designated wilderness area to allow for better management of public lands and ensure the economic viability of private ranches.

In a joint statement issued after the legislation's introduction last week, the state's congressional delegation said it marked the culmination of a two-year process involving Humboldt County landowners, sportsmen and commissioners.

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