Sustainability
Sisolak announces details of Phase Two reopening after initial delay
Nevada’s advancement to Phase Two of the state’s reopening got off to an inauspicious start when Gov. Steve Sisolak cancelled an in-person news conference on the plan Tuesday “out of an abundance of caution” after possibly being exposed to COVID-19. “Late last week Gov. Sisolak had visited a work place (sic) where an employee – […]
Critics blast Amodei bombing range bill as ‘public lands giveaway’
The Navy’s request for more than 600,000 acres of Nevada public land to expand its training range is at the heart of a federal lands bill introduced this month by Nevada Republican Rep. Mark Amodei. The training range in Fallon is currently about 232,000 acres, meaning the addition would almost triple the size of the […]
The summer heat is coming as Nevadans struggle to pay cooling bills
WASHINGTON — In Nevada, access to air conditioning can be a matter of life and death. The desert heat could be even deadlier this summer, which experts predict will be warmer than average. At the same time, people are spending more time at home because of the pandemic and have less access to libraries, shopping […]
SNWA makes it official, shelves long-contested water pipeline project
After three-decades and $330 million dollars the Southern Nevada Water Authority voted Thursday to suspend plans to build a 250-mile pipeline that would have pumped billions of gallons of groundwater from rural Nevada to the Las Vegas metropolitan area. “At this point, staff is recommending moving this project into deferred status,” said SNWA general manager […]
Now would be a good time to talk about the Green New Deal
I’m a young person in the 21st century, and I’ve been prepping for the apocalypse for as long as I can remember. Las Vegas has made headlines for the extreme economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our tourism based economy, and for the uneven response of our elected leaders. Las Vegas is also on […]
Climate change is a ‘death by a thousand cuts’
Earth Day may have come and gone last month with relatively little fanfare, thanks to the statewide stay-at-home order banning public gatherings. But Nevada is still making progress toward the green goals set by lawmakers last year. Environmental policy had a banner year in Nevada in 2019. In the spring, the Nevada Legislature passed bills […]
Can more conservation, less wildlife trade help prevent the next pandemic?
WASHINGTON — As the United States reels from COVID-19, scientists and environmentalists say beefing up conservation efforts could help protect humanity from future pandemics. Lawmakers and policy experts alike have been focused on the immediate health and economic concerns from the pandemic. But many environmental advocates say the global crisis has also laid bare the […]
5 ballot questions Nevadans will vote on this November
Nevadans will decide more than the White House occupancy this November. Also appearing on the 2020 general election ballot will be at least five state-level decisions focused on same-sex marriage, voting rights, higher education, renewable energy and pardons. Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske on Thursday announced the ballot numbers for the constitutional amendments whose fate […]
Volunteers work to reduce wild horse population
A group of volunteers in Northern Nevada are taking refuge amidst the coronavirus pandemic in the great outdoors while providing a much needed service. What are they doing? Darting wild horses with birth control. With a team of two dozen volunteers and a budget of $182,000, the American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC) last year vaccinated […]
Shutdown clears Southern Nevada’s air
The air is cleaner. As businesses temporarily close and people limit travel amid the coronavirus pandemic, data gathered by the Clark County’s Department of Environment and Sustainability points to signs that with fewer vehicles on the roads, Southern Nevada’s air quality is improving. “Those numbers were generated in late March when we started noticing these […]
Visitors flock to national parks after Trump waives fees
The Trump administration is urging Americans to head to national parks as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread. Many people are heading outdoors to seek a reprieve from being cooped up at home. But in Nevada and elsewhere, some fear that the sudden influx of visitors to national parks could put those parks and the […]
BLM fast-tracks plan to rip up thousands of trees
The federal government plans to remove an unprecedented number of pinyon-juniper trees in Nevada, contending it will reduce fire risk and improve habitat for sage grouse. And it plans to do it fast. On Monday, the Bureau of Land Management announced a proposal to expedite review and approval of projects across the west that involve […]