Nevada lawmakers in both the House of Representatives and Senate have introduced the Southern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act.
The bill will protect over 2 million acres of public land for conservation and recreation while allowing Clark County to develop 30,633 acres for expected population growth. The bill would expand the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, give full wilderness designation to 1.3 million acres in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge and 337,406 additional acres of wilderness in Clark County. The bill would be the largest conservation bill in Nevada history.
Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) introduced the bill in the Senate and Reps. Dina Titus (D-NV-01), Mark Amodei (R-NV-02), Steven Horsford (D-NV-04), and Susie Lee (D-NV-03) also introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
NAIOP Southern Nevada, a commercial real estate development association, supports the bill, stating it “takes into consideration sustainable and efficient growth, economic development, recreation, preservation and conservation interests.”
