Nevada
OPINION: A vision for smart-from-the-start solar on public lands in Nevada – The Nevada Independent
Climate change is front and center in Nevada. But so are solutions. Here are the facts. In Western states, such as Nevada, climate change has warmed the state by 1 to 2 degrees in the last century. Increased heat waves are becoming common, snowpack is melting earlier in spring and less water flows through the waterways feeding our lands. Rising temperatures and recent droughts in the region have increased the risk of wildfires. In the coming decades, the changing climate is likely to decrease water availability, further increase risks to habitat loss and endanger sensitive plant and animal species.
We know burning fossil fuels is driving climate change and we know we need a rapid transition to a renewable energy economy — for the sake of our climate, the air we breathe, water we drink and all-around community health. But decarbonizing the energy sector should not harm the West’s lands, waters, biodiversity or communities.
For these reasons, conservation nonprofits formed a Nevada-focused Smart from the Start Coalition: a network of environmental, sporting and environmental justice organizations with a goal to drive responsible renewable energy development in Nevada through legislation and state and federal land use planning efforts. Responsible, smart renewable energy siting is a result of two things: thoughtful collaboration between all impacted communities and stakeholders, including tribes, and holistic consideration of all the environmental, cultural, community and climate resilience values of public lands.
Currently, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is proposing an update to the Western Solar Plan via its draft Solar Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Solar PEIS) and is seeking public input. The agency is accepting public comments on the draft plan until April 18. The BLM’s proposed updates will establish a framework for how utility-scale solar development will be deployed on federal public land, including in Nevada.
While it neither approves nor guarantees approval of any proposed projects, the Western Solar Plan is the important first step of drawing guiding lines on the map and codifying guidance for how the BLM should approach project application reviews. The Solar PEIS will identify low conflict areas where applications for solar development will be accepted and will exclude areas that the BLM already knows are not suitable for solar development.
Together, with the BLM’s newly finalized Renewable Energy Rule, the solar programmatic environmental impact statement will help facilitate the responsible buildout of renewable energy projects on public lands at the pace needed to surpass the statutory goal of permitting 25 gigawatts on public lands by 2025, also a part of the president’s nationwide goal of 100 percent clean electricity by 2035.
The BLM intends to meet our nation’s renewable energy goals through the deployment of well-sited solar energy projects on 700,000 acres of BLM-managed land by 2045 across the West. As a nation, we have an opportunity to address climate change by thoughtfully embracing the renewable energy potential on public lands. The Nevada Smart From the Start Coalition is advocating to get there by guiding solar applications toward lands that are the lowest conflict and previously disturbed or degraded.
Nevada has seen the impacts of climate change in many ways. Erratic rains have produced several flooding events damaging homes, businesses and outdoor recreation opportunities. Reno and Las Vegas are two of the fastest warming cities in the nation, leaving low-income residents struggling to keep pace with energy bills to cool their homes.
Nevada can continue to tap into its vast potential for solar and address the climate crisis, however, proposed renewable energy projects must be planned to reduce impacts on the landscape. As utility-scale solar projects continue in the state, we must consider smart-from-the-start principles to avoid and minimize impacts to the landscape and provide ample opportunities for meaningful community input.
BLM’s update to the Western Solar Plan is a chance to chart a path forward that works for our state and the lands we know and love. Right now, we have an opportunity to help shape what that final plan looks like.
Russell Kuhlman is the executive director of the Nevada Wildlife Federation.
Jaina Moan is the Nevada external affairs director for The Nature Conservancy.
Jose Witt is the Mojave Desert landscape director for The Wilderness Society.
The Nevada Independent welcomes informed, cogent rebuttals to opinion pieces such as this. Send them to [email protected].
California Gov. Gavin Newsom won’t admit it, but a move by President Donald Trump is especially helpful to drivers in California — and Nevada.
Gasoline prices are pressuring consumers around the country. On Friday, the average U.S. price was $4.55 a gallon. In California, that would be a bargain. The average there was $6.16 a gallon. Nevada’s average was $5.23 a gallon, the result of around 88 percent of the state’s gasoline coming from California.
It might be getting worse — regardless of what happens in Iran.
In recent months, two major California refineries have shut down. That represented a 17 percent reduction in California’s refining capacity. Their closures weren’t caused by the Iran war, but by Gov. Newsom and California’s relentless attacks on fossil fuels.
To make up for the fuel it won’t extract or refine in-state, California depends on imports from foreign countries.
“We are importing 30 percent of our crude oil from the Middle East,” Mike Ariza, a former control board supervisor at the Valero Benicia Refinery, said in an interview. He has been warning the public about California’s potential fuel shortage. “There are not very many ships left on the way that have fuel,” he said last month.
Last week, KCRA-TV in Sacramento reported that “about 2 million barrels of oil are in the process of being unloaded in Long Beach off of the last California-bound tanker that got through the Strait of Hormuz.”
At a California legislative hearing Tuesday, Siva Gunda, the vice chairman of the California Energy Commission, said the state has enough gasoline to accommodate demand for the next six weeks. That’s not a very long time, especially given that it takes weeks or months for oil to travel from the Middle East to California. And that process won’t begin until the Strait of Hormuz reopens.
There is a region, however, with abundant oil available for sale and safe passage — the southeastern United States. Unfortunately, the Jones Act, an antiquated 1920 law, mandates that only U.S.-flagged ships may move cargo between U.S. ports. But only 55 of the more than 7,000 oil tankers worldwide comply with this requirement.
This is where Mr. Trump rode to the rescue. Late last month, the White House announced Mr. Trump would suspend the Jones Act for another 90 days. In March, he originally waived it for 60 days. This will make it easier for California and Nevada to obtain domestic product.
If only Mr. Trump could also suspend the destructive energy policies imposed by Gov. Newsom and California Democrats.
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — An adoptable pet is in the spotlight for “Furever Home Friday,” with Amy from the Nevada SPCA featured in a segment highlighting an animal available for adoption today.
The Nevada SPCA encouraged viewers looking to add a pet to their family to consider adopting.
Alex LaRosa hit for a .262 batting average in 50 plate appearances for the Bishop Gorman baseball team through its 32 games played entering Thursday.
But with a chance for the Gaels to punch their ticket to the Class 5A state tournament, LaRosa came up with the biggest swing of his season.
LaRosa hit a solo home run in the top of the sixth inning and broke a tie game, which proved to be the deciding run in Gorman’s 8-4 win over Centennial on Thursday night at Durango High in a 5A Southern Region winners bracket final.
The Gaels (28-6) have qualified for the 5A state tournament, which begins May 14 at Las Vegas High. The Gaels also advance to Saturday’s 5A Southern Region title game at 10 a.m. Saturday at Durango.
“My teammates, they just push me to be better in everything to do,” LaRosa said. “I know if I get on, they’re going to to get the job done and score me. My job, hitting in the bottom of the lineup is making sure I get on base anyway I can. I just put a good swing on the ball and it got out.”
Centennial falls to the losers bracket final and will play either Arbor View or Palo Verde at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Durango to determine Gorman’s opponent for Saturday and the South’s second spot in the state tournament. Arbor View and Palo Verde play in an earlier elimination at 4 p.m. Friday at Durango to determine Centennial’s opponent.
”It feels good, we fell short the last couple of years (of reaching the state tournament),” LaRosa said. “It just feels good to finall be in it and hopefully we keep going and win it.”
LaRosa’s blast was much needed after a disastrous bottom of the fifth inning for Gorman. The Gaels led 4-0, but Centennial (25-10) cut into the deficit when Jaxon Burr singled which scored Chase Hurley, who led the inning off with a triple.
Then Jake Turner hit a fly ball to left-center field, and as Gorman center fielder DeMari Hall and Logan Grubbs dived for the ball, they collided and the ball went all the way to the wall for a two-run, inside-the-park home run.
Four batters later, Gorman catcher Austin Argenta threw to first base to pick off runner Trevor Henson, but Argenta’s throw was wild and sailed into left field, scoring Kane Barber from second, tying the game.
“I had just given a speech right before we went out to hit that we were good, we weren’t losing this game,” LaRosa said. “We’re still in this game and the dugout went crazy. We just exploded after that.”
LaRosa, who finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored, followed up with his home run in the top of the sixth, which hit the top of the left field fence. That caused a brief discussion between the three umpires before they confirmed it was a home run.
“I was just looking for a fastball to drive into the gap so my teammates could drive me in, but I got lucky, back spun it and it got out of here,” LaRosa said. “At first, I thought it was gone and then I looked up and the ball bounced back in the field.
“Then the (umpire) told me it was a home run and I kind of blacked out. It was a surreal feeling.”
Grubbs added an RBI single in the top of the seventh for Gorman. Chase Wilk was 2-for-4 with a home run in the second, a run scored during a three-run Gorman fourth inning and an RBI on a ground out in the seventh.
Justin Rodrigues had a two-run double in the fourth capped off the fourth inning for Gorman, which put the Gaels ahead 4-0. Rodriguez went 2-for-4 and recorded the final three outs on the mound for the Gaels.
Hurley and Burr each had two hits and a run scored for Centennial.
“It feels good, just returning to a national powerhouse that we were,” LaRosa said. “It’s the standard to be in the state tournament every year and compete for that state championship. So it feels good to bring the culture back to Gorman.”
Other 5A baseball results
No. 2S Arbor View 11, No. 2M Faith Lutheran 3: At Durango, Devin Martin’s two-run home run capped off an eight-run fourth inning for Arbor View, which helped the Aggies (30-7) roll past Faith Lutheran (16-15) in a 5A Southern Region elimination game.
In the fourth inning against Faith Lutheran, the Aggies scored twice on bases loaded walk, a wild pitch, a two-run single from Rhett Bryce and an RBI single by Angelo Ugarte before Martin hit his home run.
Martin finished with three RBIs and Ugarte added two RBIs. Rookie Shepard and Kingston Kela each recorded an RBI for Faith Lutheran.
No. 3M Palo Verde 7, No. 2D Desert Oasis 5: At Durango, Stone Amsden’s grand slam highlighted a seven-run seventh inning to give Palo Verde the lead, and the Panthers (26-8) held on to beat Desert Oasis (26-8-1) in an elimination game.
Desert Oasis, the Desert League’s No. 2 seed, led 4-0 entering the seventh. Owen Anderson and Matthew Simmler each had an RBI single, and Kyle Johnson scored in a wild pitch before Amsden’s homer put the Panthers, the Mountain League’s No. 3 seed ahead.
Amsden finished 2-for-4 for Palo Verde. The Panthers had just six hits.
Lincoln Guillermo was 2-for-4 with a home run for Desert Oasis, and Brody Griffith was 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Landon O’Dell had an RBI single for the Diamondbacks and Aidan Smith added an RBI and a run scored.
Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.
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