Protection of public lands is a top issue for a large majority of Nevada voters, according to a new report from the conservation and energy advocacy organization the Center for Western Priorities.
By analyzing several surveys, researchers discovered that most voters are against selling public lands and scaling back environmental safeguards.
Aaron Weiss, executive director of the center, referenced the Colorado College Conservation in the West poll, which revealed that 82% of Nevada voters oppose the Trump administration’s budget cuts to agencies like the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service.
“Western voters see public lands, waters, and wildlife as a motivating factor in how they vote and is worth everyone across the political spectrum keeping in mind as we head into this election season,” Weiss explained.
In the previous year, efforts by Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev., and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, to divest public lands were dropped after significant opposition. Environmental groups praise the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act of 1998 as a preferable approach since it set forth a framework to pinpoint land appropriate for development while safeguarding hundreds of thousands of acres permanently.
Weiss highlighted the federal government’s recent enthusiasm for the expanding data center industry.
“We see them rushing to try to hand over public lands to build data centers over the objection of local and neighboring communities. The way that this process played out near Boulder City exemplifies that,” Weiss contended.
Recently, the interior secretary reduced the size of two national monuments in Utah. Conservationists worry that this federal action could extend to other monuments, such as Gold Butte near Las Vegas.
Original article: thisisreno.com
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