Sunday, March 20, 2022 | 2 a.m.
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I have always admired Nevada’s natural beauty. I’ve found comfort watching the sunrise behind the Frenchman Mountains or witnessing snow falling on the peaks of the Spring Mountains on my drive home.
It’s part of what makes our state unique and why Nevadans like me are fighting for stronger protections from fossil fuel drilling on public lands.
At the height of the pandemic, public lands offered us a place of solace and, today, continue to draw attention from nature enthusiasts, boosting outdoor tourism. These spaces protect wildlife habitats, vital pieces of our region’s past, and important cultural heritages.
Nevada voters feel deeply connected to the outdoor spaces that surround them. It’s no surprise that the Colorado College’s recently published Conservation in the West Poll reflected these values, showing 86% of Nevada voters visited national public lands at least once last year. Data also showed a variety of conservation efforts are popular among voters, including support for a national goal to conserve 30% of lands and waters by 2030, favored by 77% of voters.
Our vast, open landscapes are a symbol of pride for residents. They make up a significant portion of our state, and the federal government manages more than 80% of our public lands. However, under this federal management and mandated by the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, public lands are subject to lease sales — a process whereby the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) auctions off the rights to extract fossil fuels on publicly owned lands or waters. Bids can be leased for as low as $2 per acre for lands that are “low potential” and $1.50 for noncompetitive leases.
There is hardly any drilling taking place in Nevada. To put it in perspective, Nevada drillers produced roughly 255,000 barrels of oil in all of 2018, around half of what California drillers produce in a single day. And while oil production in Nevada has been at record lows, millions of acres of public land continue to be sold off to fossil fuel companies, many purchased at the minimum bid. According to the BLM, the industry nominated 58 million acres of Nevada’s land for oil and gas leases from 2009 to 2018.
These millions of acres lost to dirty fossil fuel development represent areas what could otherwise be used for wildlife preservation, outdoor recreation and tourism, hunting, fishing, and other sustainable revenue-generating activities, all while missing out on millions of dollars of lost potential revenue.
The continued super-majority support by Nevadans for public land conservation holds true when considering federal oil and gas lease sales. When asked their preference on how their member of Congress made decisions regarding national public lands, 68% of Nevada voters preferred that they emphasized clean water, air quality and wildlife habitat, while providing opportunities to visit and recreate. This was in stark contrast to the 23% who preferred leasing more public lands for oil and gas drilling, and mining. Additionally, 69% of Nevada voters believe oil and gas development on public lands should be stopped or strictly limited as opposed to expanded.
Our federal delegation continues to model strong leadership in oil and gas leasing reform. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., led legislation alongside Rep. Susie Lee, D-Nev., to end speculative oil and gas leasing on lands with low drilling potential. Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., has brought forth legislation to ensure taxpayers get a fair return for oil and gas development on public lands. Further, Cortez Masto is fighting against greedy oil and gas companies that are attempting to line their pockets, reporting record profits, while Nevadans are feeling pain at the pump.
Nevadans value public land and understand their vital role in fighting climate change, protecting wildlife and boosting our economy. Its protection is as important as ever, as natural resources continue to be degraded by climate-fueled weather events such as wildfires, drought and extreme heat waves.
We need our federal leaders to prioritize reform for public land use regulations to emphasize protection and conservation of our public lands to respect the needs and values of our communities.
Angelyn Tabalba is communications director of the Nevada Conservation League and Education Fund.
