By Vernon Robison
Moapa Valley Progress
Submitted Apr. 2, 2008
An 80-acre site in Moapa that was being considered for a new federal detention facility was passed over as the preferred location for the center, according to a final environmental impact statement (EIS) released on March 24. The preferred site for the facility indicated by the EIS is a 120-acre site on 2250 E. Mesquite Ave in Pahrump; approximately 70 miles northwest of downtown Las Vegas.
The Moapa site was one of three locations considered in the final EIS. The third site was also located in Pahrump.
The EIS listed concerns about the disruption of cultural and historical sites existing on and near the Moapa site. The site, which is located just northeast of the Reid Gardner Power Plant, includes a portion of the historic West Point Mormon Pioneer settlement. In addition the remains of the old Perkins family dwelling on the site is also considered to be historically significant. The site is adjacent to the Moapa Paiute Reservation and so is also in the vicinity of areas which may be culturally significant to the tribe. The Cocopah and Hopi Indian Tribes, claiming cultural affiliation to prehistoric groups in the area, asked to be included in the consultation process on the Moapa site.
In addition, the EIS determined that the Pahrump site had lower minority populations and a smaller low-income population living in the vicinity to the proposed property than exists at the Moapa site. This would raise questions about environmental justice, the EIS stated. Ten acres of the Moapa site are listed in a 100-year flood plain. Furthermore, the Moapa site is located only six miles from the Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Warm Springs. Neither of these issues raised a problem at the Pahrump sites.
The proposed facility would house 1,000 to 1,500 inmates awaiting trial in federal court. The EIS states that 200 to 250 people would be permanently employed at the center.
Construction is expected to take 12 to 15 months. The center would have an annual operating budget of $25 million to $40 million, including an annual payroll of $17.5 million to $28 million. Another $7.5 million to $12 million would be spent annually on local goods and services, the EIS states.
The 30-day public comment period on the final EIS began on Friday, March 28. After that the federal detention trustee will make a decision whether to proceed to build the center.
