One of Lake Tahoe's biggest funding mechanisms for clarity and restoration efforts, as well as millions for parks, trails and firefighting efforts in the state, money drawn from the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act, is under threat by members of the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee.
Nevada Sen. Harry Reid on Wednesday denounced House efforts to gut the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act as part of the Tule Springs legislation mark-up to take place Thursday morning.
Members of the House Natural Resources Committee have proposed that money generated by SNPLMA land sales in the bill in Las Vegas and North Las Vegas be sent to the Treasury Department rather than being spent in Nevada as SNPLMA were intended. To date, SNPLMA projects have generated over $3 billion through the sale of 15,000 acres of land in the Las Vegas Valley.
“The Tule Springs legislation should not move forward in the House Committee at the expense of the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act,” said Senator Reid. “SNPLMA is the most successful program in the history of Nevada, investing literally billions of dollars into our state’s economy toward public works projects as well as restoration and conservation efforts. Any attempt to support Tule Springs in this form is an attempt to gut SNPLMA and I will not allow nor support these efforts. A bad bill is worse than no bill at all.”
The Tule Springs bill passed the U.S. Senate Committee in December. Senator Reid along with former Senator Richard Bryan and then-Congressman John Ensign passed the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act in 1998. Since its passage in October of 1998, SNPLMA has generated over $3 billion through the sale of about 15,000 acres of land in the Las Vegas Valley.
Of the money, $300 million has been spent on Lake Tahoe Restoration efforts and more than $44 million spent on fuels reduction to battle wildland fire.
According to a news release from Sen. Reid, SNPLMA generated money that went to the following.
— Approximately $1.1 billion of the money has been spent on parks, trails and natural areas in Nevada to encourage Nevadans to get outdoors.
— More than $500 million for acquisition of environmentally sensitive lands
— More than $500 million spent on capital improvements in on our public lands (like the Corn Creek Visitor Center).
— More than $150 million to the State of Nevada Education Fund
— More than $288 million to the Southern Nevada Water Authority for infrastructure improvementsSome of the big projects funded by SNPLMA are (there are so many, so these are just a small sample):
Springs Preserve
Clark County Wetlands Park
Clark County Shooting Park
Neon Boneyard
Habitat Restoration in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge
Red Rock Canyon Visitor Center that opened in 2010
Red Rock Fire Station
Lake Mead Hatchery Visitor Center
Lake Mead marina adjustments for changing water levels
The River Mountain Loop Trail
Renovations of Las Vegas area parks such as Lorenzi Park, Sunset Park, Floyd Lamb Park and Valley View Park
SNPLMA has funded a lot of LEED certified buildings. Currently Nevada has more LEED certified buildings than anywhere in the world.