Nevada

NASA Says No to Lithium Mining in Area of Nevada Where Satellites Are Calibrated

Published

1 year ago

June 23, 2023

NASA Says No to Lithium Mining in Area of Nevada Where Satellites Are Calibrated

A vast and barren lakebed in eastern Nevada has become an unexpected battleground in a spaceflight vs. battery tech showdown. A portion of land slated for lithium mining in the state is no longer free for development after federal forces intervened. But extraction companies and Republican lawmakers want to reverse the decision.

Stay in Your Seats, It’s Gonna Be a Bumpy Flight | Extreme Earth

Railroad Valley Playa is a dried-up, preternaturally flat expanse of land encompassing about 90 square miles of Nevada’s Tonopah Basin. Rich mineral deposits mean lithium mining companies have laid claim to large sections of it for resource extraction, through the purchase of federal leases. However, at NASA’s behest, the Bureau of Land Management recently withdrew more than 35 square miles of the playa from mining or other development for at least the next 20 years.

By the agency’s own account, NASA has relied on the ancient lakebed since 1993 to calibrate its satellites. “Railroad Valley is the best location in the United States (and one of the best in the world) for satellite calibration,” NASA writes in a factsheet about the region. The area is apparently ideal for fine-tuning space sensors because of its size, pancake-esque topography, consistent surface color and makeup, mostly cloudless weather, good air quality, utter lack of plant life, and a long history of going undisturbed by humans.

NASA and other federal agencies use the unique land in Railroad Valley to calculate the timing and accuracy of satellite signals transmitting between Earth and orbit. Much of the data verified through this process comes from instruments that track greenhouse gas emissions, climate trends, and weather— making the satellites in question critical for keeping tabs on human-caused climate change and its consequences.

In April 2021, NASA requested that BLM set aside nearly 23,000 acres of the valley for this continued purpose. After two years of review and assessment, BLM abided by the ask, issuing Public Land Order No. 7291, which reserves the land for NASA and thwarts the prospect of mining any time soon.

Environmental advocates, ranchers, and other stakeholders have been fighting against certain lithium mining proposals in Nevada for years—often to no avail. But NASA is an outlier opponent and victor in the ongoing extraction debate.

In response to the agency’s win, mining company 3 Proton Lithium Inc. claims it will lose out on one-third of its claimed land and the chance to extract about 60% of the Railroad Valley site’s lithium and value, as reported by the Associated Press. Though lithium mining development hasn’t begun in the Railroad Valley, and 3PL hadn’t yet submitted any formal plans, the company says it has already spent millions of dollars exploring and researching extraction there. Moreover, the corporation has characterized BLM’s decision as “a sad irony” because “NASA studies carbon dioxide, but 3PL eliminates carbon dioxide.”

“This project is a vital part of transitioning to a green economy, creating good-paying American jobs, combating climate change, ending America’s over-reliance on foreign adversaries and securing a domestic supply chain for critical and rare earth minerals,” Kevin Moore, a 3PL executive, said during a congressional subcommittee meeting on mining last week.

Lithium is a central metal in battery manufacturing, making it an important resource in electrifying transport and the energy grid. But, despite its potential role in pivoting humanity to more sustainable power sources, it comes with its own suite of environmental issues—from endangering rare plants to harming wildlife populations and degrading and depleting groundwater.

Advocates for extraction assert that mining more lithium, fast, is key to moving away from fossil fuels. To some extent, they’re correct. An electric future will undoubtedly require more lithium and other scarce materials. However, the amount and intensity of mining activity that will be required is unresolved and could be far less than companies claim. Simple steps like improving public transit and urban walkability could reduce demand for lithium by up to 90%, according to one 2023 analysis from UC Davis researchers.

Meanwhile, NASA says Railroad Valley Playa is an indispensable and irreplaceable site for space-based research. “Protecting the RRV’s surface integrity is an important goal for NASA,” the agency wrote. Keeping the area un-mined is “crucial to the viability of several important Earth Science missions.”

Obviously, the mining company disagrees. In 2021, 3PL proposed that 41 other sites (with less lithium) could be used by NASA instead of the playa. The agency says this isn’t true. “The Railroad Valley playa is a one-of-a-kind national asset that is the only suitable location in the United States for ground-based satellite calibration,” Jeremy Eggers, a NASA spokesperson, told Gizmodo in an email. “We evaluated the 41 sites recommended by 3PL during the notice and comment process last year and none met the standards for satellite calibration.”

“Nearly every sector of the U.S. economy, including weather forecasting, food production and agriculture, air quality monitoring, aviation safety, climate prediction, disaster response and recovery, and water resource monitoring rely on the information provided by satellites that use RRV for calibration,” Eggers further wrote. “Ensuring the accuracy of this free and openly available data is critical. Activities that stand to disrupt the surface integrity of Railroad Valley would risk making the site unusable.” Though, 3PL has also said that its activities at RRV wouldn’t disturb the surface—a claim which NASA additionally disputes.

Now, it’s not just mining companies and federal agencies getting involved. Lawmakers, too, are beginning to weigh in. Earlier this month, Republican Nevada congressman, Mark Amodei, introduced legislation intended to reverse the BLM’s recent land order. The legislator described NASA’s stake in the Railroad Valley as an “unreasonable demand” that “goes directly against America’s economic and national security needs,” in a press statement on his proposed bill. So far, the legislation has yet to progress beyond the subcommittee. Likely, it won’t pass and the BLM’s decision will stand.

Yet the back and forth is indicative of just how complicated lithium mining and other non-fossil resource extraction discussions can get—especially when there are scientific and sustainability arguments to be made on both sides. We need resources, but we also need undisturbed, undeveloped land. In this case, space science beat out private mineral interests. In the future, the best way forward may not always be clear-cut.

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Related Topics:Articles environment Featured Gizmodo Jeremy Eggers kevin moore Lithium Mark Amodei mining NASA

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Nevada

Vanderbilt Commodores Face Unbeaten Nevada in Charleston Classic Opener

Published

2 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

Vanderbilt Commodores Face Unbeaten Nevada in Charleston Classic Opener

The Vanderbilt Commodores kick off their Charleston Classic tournament on Thursday night, facing the unbeaten Nevada Wolfpack in a clash of contrasting styles.

Both teams are 4-0 and looking to make an early-season statement.

Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. EST at TD Arena, and the game will air on ESPNU.

For Vanderbilt, this marks the first test of the year after an impressive start in Memorial Gymnasium.

The Commodores are coming off a 94-81 victory over the Jackson State Tigers, a game that showcased their potential from beyond the arc. Vanderbilt drained 16 3-pointers, their highest total since 2022, with five players hitting multiple shots from deep.

Tyler Nickel led the charge, going 4-for-8 from 3-point range, while freshman Tyler Tanner and AJ Hoggard chipped in with three triples apiece.

Nevada also enters with momentum, fresh off an 85-59 dismantling of the Santa Clara Broncos.

The Wolf Pack have won every game by double digits, thriving on efficiency and disciplined play. Led by Nick Davidson, who averages 18 points and 8 rebounds per game, Nevada ranks second nationally in 3-point percentage at 48.6%.

Their deliberate, systematic approach to offense has also been a key to their success. Nevada averages just 10 turnovers per game while dishing out 18 assists, a testament to their precision and execution.

Vanderbilt will counter Nevada’s slow tempo with a more aggressive style fueled by their depth.

Nine players average between 15 and 25 minutes per contest, allowing the Commodores to maintain energy and tempo throughout games.

Jason Edwards leads the team in scoring with 17.5 points per contest, while Devin McGlockton has emerged as a defensive force, ranking second in the SEC and 11th nationally in blocks. McGlockton has recorded multiple rejections in every game this season, providing a critical presence in the paint.

This matchup may hinge on who can control the 3-point line.

Nevada has been lights out from deep, with Davidson converting a remarkable 9-of-11 attempts this season. Vanderbilt, meanwhile, flashed their own shooting prowess against Jackson State after a sluggish start to the season from beyond the arc.

The stakes are high, with the winner advancing to Friday’s semifinal to face either the Seton Hall Pirates or VCU Rams.

This will be the first-ever meeting between the Commodores and Wolf Pack, setting the stage for an intriguing showdown as Vanderbilt looks to have their best start to a season since 2015-16.

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Nevada

New heat-based worker protections on the books in Nevada

Published

9 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

New heat-based worker protections on the books in Nevada

LAS VEGAS — For the first time, businesses in Nevada will have to comply with heat-based hazard regulations in the workplace.

The announcement came from the state’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Wednesday, following the hottest summer on record in Las Vegas.

This is big news for any organization with more than 10 employees where most employees are exposed to heat illness. These businesses will now have to do a job hazard analysis specifically on heat and adopt a written plan to mitigate worker exposure.

The new regulations are not temperature-threshold specific.

“Because every job is different, whether you’re in a kitchen, whether you’re outside as a landscaper or construction worker or a warehouse, every situation is different where there was no uniform temperature threshold that worked for all types of environments,” Victoria Carreon, Division of Industrial Relations Administrator, said.

Other states that have heat-based workplace regulations include California, Washington and Oregon making Nevada the next in the West to adopt such workplace rules. However, this new regulation did not come from the state lawmakers or from the federal level.

“In this case, this was not required by the legislature, this was something that Nevada OSHA decided was really important for Nevada given our hot, desert climate and the hazard of heat illness,” Carreon said.

Guidance for how this regulation will be rolled out and implemented is expected in the next 30 days. After that, an outreach and engagement initiative will take place over the course of three months to help businesses understand what they need to do to comply with this newest regulation.

Enforcement will begin after that, just in time for next summer.

“Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the employers to determine what the hazards are and implement measures that will protect their employees from heat illness,” Carreon said.

2024’s Extreme Heat

This year, OSHA received 467 heat-related complaints for workplace hazards, which may not be surprising given the record-breaking nature of this season’s hot weather. We experienced 112 days over 100°, with 36 of those days over 110°.

The level of heat-related mortality also rose this year, Clark County has counted over 400 deaths so far this year where hot temperatures played a significant role.

Clark Co. reports 402 heat deaths so far this year

Regulation Outline

The approved regulation (R131-24AP [leg.state.nv.us]) requires businesses with more than 10 employees to implement the following measures:

Job Hazard Analysis: Businesses with more than 10 employees must perform a one-time job hazard analysis of working conditions that could cause heat illness.
- This analysis is limited to job classifications where a majority of employees have occupational exposure to heat illness for more than 30 minutes of any 60-minute period, excluding breaks.
Written Safety Program: If the job hazard analysis identifies conditions that may cause heat illness, a written plan is required that includes the following:
- Provision of potable water;
- Provision of a rest break when an employee exhibits signs or symptoms of heat illness;
- Provision for means of cooling for employees;
- Monitoring by a person designated by the employer of working conditions that could create occupational exposure to heat illness;
- Identification and mitigation of work processes that may generate additional heat or humidity;
- Training of employees; and
- Procedures for responding to an emergency.
Emergency Procedures: Employers are required to designate an individual who will contact emergency services if an employee is experiencing signs of heat illness.
Training: Employers are required to provide training to employees identified in the job hazard analysis on the following topics:
- How to recognize the hazards of heat illness
- Procedures to be followed to minimize the hazards of heat illness.
Exemption for Climate-Controlled Environments:
- The regulation’s requirements do not apply to employees who work indoors in climate-controlled environments, including motor vehicles with a properly functioning climate control system.
- If the climate control system becomes nonfunctional or ineffective, the employer shall make a good-faith effort to reestablish an effective system as soon as practicable.
- Until the climate control system is rendered effective, the employer must implement the potential hazards that could cause heat illness.
Collective Bargaining Agreements:
- Employers can exceed the requirements of the regulation on their own or through collective bargaining agreements.
- Collective bargaining agreements cannot waive or reduce the requirements of the regulation; and
- The regulation does not relieve an employer of contractual obligations under a collective bargaining agreement.

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Nevada

Business owners react to NV Energy power outage

Published

17 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

Business owners react to NV Energy power outage

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) – NV Energy issued a PSOM in Northern Nevada, in effort to prevent wildfires. “I looked out the windows and the entire neighborhood was dark,” said Mary Doyle, a resident who lost power in West Reno.

15,000 NV energy customers in Northern Nevada, waking up to no power. “The house is cold. That’s the worst part,” added Katie Cole. “The house is cold. It’s warmer out here than it is inside my house.”

The planned outage is hitting business owners hard. “It’s a big hit because customers are affected, employees are affected. We are affected,” said Mimi Butler, who is the owner of Bueno Grill, which has been a staple in the local community for 25 years. “That’s a whole days worth of business. We are open everyday and its a big potential to lose a chunk of sales for the month. It also is worrisome because our employees aren’t coming into work. For them they don’t get their paycheck for today. For our customers, we cant serve our customers.”

Many of the business owners in the Mayberry Landing Complex are adapting to the “no bueno” message this morning. Some owners had to use generators, while others scrambled to alert staff and navigate obstacles.

“Having a little bit more warning would be nice,” said Cole Butler, the manager of Bueno Grill. “We woke up this morning and I just found out about it around 9 o’clock. I was planning on coming in at 10, so I well made a stop at the store and got some dry ice. We may or may not be open today.”

Butler says food and produce preservation is the name of the game. “It’s all about saving products right now when we are not open. The refrigerator is not working. We just kind of need to hunker down and store.”

The restaurant says they will be down a couple thousand dollars, due to the outage. Even the employees will be without a check. “I got word that the power is not expected to come back on until tomorrow at noon. I had to re-text and say it looks like you’re not coming in. We don’t need you today because we won’t be open,” said Mimi Butler.

The owner says the shop is rarely closed throughout the year and she is not used to turning customers away. “I had to change our outgoing message and forward phone calls from the business to my personal phone so I can let our customers know what’s happening and why we are closed. Hopefully, invite them to come back tomorrow when we are open again.”

NV Energy says some of the impacted zones will have power restored tonight and the rest hopefully sometime tomorrow.

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