State must lead on clean energy

In 2020, the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources released the Nevada State Climate Strategy, setting in motion the sustainable future Nevadans deserve.

Advancing Nevada’s climate goals has been at the forefront of Gov. Steve Sisolak’s leadership. In 2019, he signed Senate Bill 358 into law, raising our state’s renewable portfolio standard to 50% by 2030. As a primary sponsor of that bill, it was crucial to set this ambitious goal and take action on climate change. It passed unanimously, a major bipartisan accomplishment.

Taking a proactive approach to planning for Nevada’s renewable energy build-out can help reduce impacts to outdoor recreation, while also anticipating potential conflicts with critical wildlife habitat. This can be done by identifying and prioritizing lower-impact areas for projects, where renewable energy generation and transmission can be deployed with as little impact as possible to our public lands.

Nevada is a leader on climate change action, and we can be a leader on building the renewable energy infrastructure to make sustainable energy a reality, with the least amount of impact to our public lands, cultural resources, outdoor recreation economy, and conservation goals. We must support and commit to smart planning for renewable energy infrastructure as outlined in the Nevada Climate Action Strategy. Moises “Mo” Denis, Las Vegas The writer is a state senator representing Nevada’s second district. He is a member of the Advisory Board for Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting and the Outdoors (HECHO).