Frequently Asked Questions

This website (https://www.snvairporteis.com/) and the BLM National NEPA Register page have been developed by the FAA and BLM to keep the public informed about the EIS/RMPA, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, and opportunities for public participation during this process.  This website will be maintained throughout the EIS/RMPA process to keep the public updated of meetings, project developments, and opportunities for public involvement.  To request notifications throughout the EIS/RMPA process, send an email to: SNSAEIS@landrumbrown.com.

No, the FAA’s Metroplex Program was a separate process that implemented ways to modernize and better use the existing Las Vegas metropolitan region airspace serving the existing airports in the area.  The FAA is evaluating how the proposed airport would operate within the Las Vegas metropolitan region airspace.  The FAA continues to protect the airspace around the proposed SNSA site under 14 CFR Part 77.

Portions of the proposed Southern Nevada Supplemental Airport (SNSA) site would be restricted to OHV uses but other portions may remain accessible.  Potential impacts to OHV use will be evaluated and disclosed in the Environmental Impact Statement/Resource Management Plan Amendment (EIS/RMPA).

The proposed new airport would accommodate both passengers (domestic and international) and cargo, as well as general aviation users.

At this time, Clark County has not selected a name for the proposed new airport.

No.  LAS would continue to operate after the proposed SNSA opens.  Passenger and cargo airlines as well as general aviation operators will decide whether to use either LAS or the proposed SNSA, or both.  The Environmental Impact Statement/Resource Management Plan Amendment (EIS/RMPA) will make relevant assumptions regarding users of the proposed SNSA for the purpose of understanding the potential environmental impacts of the project.

The public can provide input and comments during the ongoing scoping period that ends on Friday, September 5, 2025.  The input gathered during this period will aid in the preparation of the Draft EIS/RMPA.  The public will then be able to review and comment on the adequacy of the information disclosed in the Draft EIS/RMPA during a 90-day comment period.  The Public Participation page will be updated throughout the process to inform the public of future public participation opportunities.

Planning criteria are the standards, rules, and other factors developed by managers and interdisciplinary team members for use in forming judgements about decision making, analysis, and data collection during the planning process.  The BLM has identified some preliminary planning criteria to guide development of the RMP amendment, to avoid unnecessary data collection and analysis, and to ensure the RMP amendment is tailored to the issues.  The planning criteria provides a summary list for the BLM land use planning process.  These, when combined with the purpose and need for action, establish the scope of the land use plan amendment, and set the framework for the decisions to be made in the EIS/RMPA.

Scoping is an early and open process that solicits input from the public to determine the scope or range of issues to be addressed in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)/Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA) and to identify the significant environmental issues related to the proposed project.  The scoping process is meant to focus the EIS/RMPA analysis on the most pertinent issues and impacts, and the review of the land use planning criteria.

To ensure that the full range of issues related to Clark County’s proposed project are addressed and that all significant issues are identified, comments and suggestions are invited from all interested parties through Friday, September 5, 2025.  All comments must be received or postmarked by that date.  Click here to be redirected to the Public Participation page, which has more details about opportunities to make comments during scoping.

The JLA issued a Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS for the proposed supplemental airport in Southern Nevada in 2006. However, work on the EIS was suspended in 2010 after Clark County asked the JLA to stop work due to the adverse economic impacts affecting the community at the time. While the JLA did suspend work on the document, the EIS was not officially cancelled. On May 19, 2025, the FAA and BLM issued a Notice of Cancellation for the original EIS and a new Notice of Intent to start the current EIS. Click here to access more information on the previous EIS.

The proposed SNSA is the subject of a United States Congressional Act (Ivanpah Valley Airport Public Lands Transfer Act of 2000 [Public Law 106-362]), which requires the preparation of a joint EIS “with respect to initial planning and construction” that evaluates and addresses any potential impacts to the Mojave National Preserve, prior to construction of an airport facility and related infrastructure on the proposed site.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) representing the Department of Transportation, and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) representing the Department of Interior are operating as Joint Lead Agencies (JLA) for the preparation of the required NEPA evaluation.

Additionally, the BLM has determined that it will evaluate the need for a Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA) to modify the Visual Resource Management (VRM) class in order for the BLM to evaluate the established Ivanpah Transportation and Utilities Corridor (Public Law 107-282), as this will require amending the existing 1998 Las Vegas Resource Management Plan.

As such, the resulting document will be a combined EIS/RMPA. The FAA and BLM as Joint Lead Agencies are managing the preparation of the EIS/RMPA .

An EIS is a detailed and comprehensive document that analyzes the impacts of Federal actions that will have a significant effect on the human environment and mitigation measures cannot reduce the impact(s) below significant levels, as required under Section 102(2)(C) of NEPA .  An EIS describes the purpose and need for a proposed action, describes the affected environment, discusses alternatives to a proposed action, and analyzes environmental impacts and ways to mitigate them.  For this project, it is consistent with those actions that have been found by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to usually have significant environmental impacts.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) develops comprehensive long-term decisions through land use planning to guide resource management decisions and actions on public lands.  A land serves as the framework for the management of public lands. A land use plan amendment also known as a Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA) is identified when there is “a need to modify management or accommodate a project that may result in a change in the scope of resource uses or a change in the terms, conditions, and decisions of the approved plan.”  These changes may be to a specific resource area.  This usually results in changes to existing management decisions, while decisions for other issues, resources, uses or areas are not modified or amended.  For this project, the BLM has determined that it will evaluate the need for an RMPA. The RMPA to modify the Visual Resource Management class is being considered in order for the BLM to evaluate the established Ivanpah Transportation and Utilities Corridor (Public Law 107-282), which will require amending the existing 1998 Las Vegas RMP.

The resulting document will be a combined EIS/RMPA. The FAA and BLM as Joint Lead Agencies are managing the preparation of the EIS/RMPA.

The FAA (representing the U.S. Department of Transportation) and the BLM (representing the U.S. Department of the Interior) are operating as Joint Lead Agencies (JLA) for the preparation of the required evaluation under NEPA.

The proposed Southern Nevada Supplemental Airport (SNSA) is the subject of a United States Congressional Act (H.R.1695 – Ivanpah Valley Airport Public Lands Transfer Act of 2000 [Public Law 106-362]), which requires the preparation of a joint EIS “with respect to initial planning and construction” that evaluates and addresses any potential impacts to the Mojave National Preserve, prior to construction of an airport facility and related infrastructure on the proposed site.

In addition, the BLM would convey approximately 17,000 acres of Federally managed land per Clark County Conservation of Public Land and Natural Resources Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-282), and 2,320 acres of Federally managed lands would be conveyed for flood mitigation infrastructure National Defense Authorization Act of 2015 (Public Law 113-291).

Clark County, Nevada owns and operates several airports in the Las Vegas area, including Harry Reid International Airport (LAS).  Clark County is the Airport Sponsor for the proposed SNSA.  In that role, Clark County prepared a feasibility study and other planning documentation to support the need for the proposed SNSA.  If approved, Clark County would own and operate the proposed SNSA, as well as continue to operate LAS.

NEPA is a Federal statute, enacted in 1969, that requires Federal agencies to evaluate the potential environmental effects of a proposed action, make informed decisions and inform and involve the public before making decisions.  Under the Ivanpah Valley Airport Public Lands Transfer Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-362), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) are Joint Lead Agencies (JLA) responsible for compliance with the requirements of NEPA for the proposed SNSA.

The proposed SNSA would be a commercial airport to supplement Harry Reid International Airport (LAS), which would be constructed and operated by the Clark County Department of Aviation (CCDOA).  The proposed SNSA would be constructed on an approximate 6,000-acre site located in the Ivanpah Valley, mostly in the Roach Dry Lake, south of Jean, Nevada and north of Primm, Nevada along the east side of Interstate-15 (I-15) and approximately 30 miles south of LAS.  An additional 17,000 acres of Federally managed lands would be conveyed to CCDOA for airport noise compatibility purposes; as well as an additional 2,320 acres of Federally managed lands would be conveyed for flood mitigation infrastructure.