Bills to expand housing, conservation in Nevada’s two biggest counties clear key Senate panel

Often referred to as the Washoe County and Clark County lands bills, both seek to spur new housing and foster economic growth while protecting public and tribal lands for recreation and conservation.

Nevada’s two Democratic US Senators on Tuesday announced that a pair of bills seeking to expand economic development and bolster environmental conservation in each of the state’s two most-populated counties passed out of their respective committees on Tuesday. 

The Truckee Meadows Public Lands Management Act, which was introduced in January by Sen. Jacky Rosen, passed out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, her office announced Tuesday, just hours after Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto’s office stated the Southern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act passed out of the same committee. 

Both bills will advance to the Senate for further consideration, though it’s not yet clear when they will be debated on the Senate floor. 

Often referred to as the Washoe County and Clark County lands bills, both seek to spur new housing and foster economic growth while protecting public and tribal lands for recreation and conservation. In separate statements announcing the committee passage of the bills, the Senators argued their bills would help bring down high housing costs and usher in a new era of growth for the state. 

“I’m thrilled that my Washoe County Lands Bill has advanced out of committee and is one step closer to increasing affordable housing opportunities, promoting economic development, boosting conservation, and supporting Tribal communities,” Rosen said in a press release. 

Added Cortez Masto, in a separate release: “It is undeniable that Southern Nevada is growing, and my legislation will ensure that it can grow responsibly. Together, we can help Las Vegas lower housing costs, preserve our great outdoors, and plan for a sustainable future.”

If enacted, the Southern Nevada lands bill would open up to 25,000 acres of previously undeveloped land under a joint partnership with Clark County while still preserving more than 2 million acres of land for conservation and outdoor recreation. That includes a 56,000-acre expansion of the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, a 9,290-acre expansion of the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area, full wilderness designations to roughly 1.3 million acres of the Desert National Wildlife Refuge, over 324,000 new acres of designated wilderness in Clark County, and approximately 359,000 acres for wildlife habitat preservation. 

More than 80% of Nevada’s land is managed by the federal government, putting local officials in the relatively unique position of having to request land for growth. Cortez Masto says this iteration of the Clark lands bill makes it easier for local governments to reserve federal land in accordance with residential and developmental needs, which ultimately should make it easier to build housing and partner with affordable housing developers. The bill also contains mechanisms to implement sustainable growth so as to not strain Southern Nevada’s water supply as well as new clean energy developments. 

Similarly to Cortez Masto’s bill, the Truckee Meadows Public Lands Management Act would add permanent protections to more than 900,000 acres of public land, but direct agencies like the Bureau of Land Management to make nearly 16,000 acres of public land eligible for sale, all of which must be assessed for its suitability for new affordable housing projects. Any land sold for affordable housing must be sold under the fair market value. 

Rosen’s bill would also dedicate more than 3,400 acres for public amenities such as parks, water treatment facilities, and schools. That land is set to be conveyed specifically to a number of entities in Northern Nevada, including Washoe County, the City of Reno, the Truckee River Flood Management Authority, the Washoe County School District, and the University of Nevada, Reno, among others. 

“I’m so glad to see that the Washoe County Lands Bill has advanced out of committee in the United States Senate today,” Alexis Hill, chair of the Washoe County Board of Commissioners, said in a statement. “Washoe County has been working with Senator Rosen every step of the way, and we are grateful to her for listening to our local needs and advocating on our behalf. This bill is critical for conservation of our federal lands and sustainable future growth of our region, and we’ll continue working with Senator Rosen to see that it becomes law.”