Senate Committee on Natural Resources Passes a Bill to Award a Designation to Nevada’s Unique Dark Skies
LAS VEGAS, Nev — Today, the Nevada State Legislature Senate Committee on Natural Resources unanimously passed Senate Bill 52, legislation to conserve one of the state’s unique, yet vanishing natural resources — our dark skies.
“Nevada is home to more true dark sky spaces than any other state in the lower 48. This bill acknowledges that Nevada’s extraordinary dark skies are an important natural resource in our state and should be celebrated, valued, and protected. Aside from being a precious natural resource, Nevada’s unique dark skies can contribute to the growth of our state’s outdoor recreation-based economy, which accounted for more than $5.5 billion of the state’s economic productivity. As more Nevadans are turning to the outdoors during the pandemic, our dark skies can be a unique driver for our economy, especially as we continue to recover from the COVID-19 crisis,” said Nevada Conservation League Policy and Advocacy Director Christi Cabrera. “Encouraging the promotion and protection of our dark skies will benefit conservation efforts, wildlife, tourism, and our economy, all while solidifying Nevada as a dark sky destination. We are grateful to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor and the Division of Outdoor Recreation for bringing this legislation forward and we are proud the committee could collectively agree that our dark skies must be protected.”
Background:
Senate Bill 52, championed by the Office of the Lieutenant Governor and the Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation, would protect dark places with a state-level program to award a “dark sky” designation to certain areas of the state, complementing the designations and efforts by the International Dark Sky Association. A fact sheet of the bill can be found here.
The Nevada Conservation League joined 25 conservation organizations, businesses, and elected officials in a letter demonstrating strong, collective support for the bill.