June 14, 2017
Nevada’s 79th legislative session ended officially on Monday, June 5. From the Sierra Club’s perspective, it was a good year. More than a dozen bills good bills passed that will move Nevada in good directions with public lands, wildlife, and renewable energy.
And the Sierra Club and our partners helped kill at least one very bad bill (AB298).
“I credit our volunteers and our partner organizations and last but certainly not least, our legislators, especially Assemblyman Chris Brooks and Senator Pat Spearman for their persistence, vision, and leadership” said the Toiyabe Chapter’s Legislative Chair Anne MacQuarie.
“In clean energy, advocacy groups went into the session well prepared, with legislative ideas ready to go, strategies in place, and communication channels among ourselves and with key legislators well established. Then we all did our part in rallying support for key bills. I was really pleased at how well the advocacy community and legislators worked together to pass clean energy priorities.”
Here’s a rundown of all we know so far (we’re still waiting for signatures on a few important bills)
Passed but not yet signed by the Governor
Governor Sandoval has until Friday, June 16 to sign or veto the following, or they become law automatically. By the time you read this, one of these actions will likely have happened. We will announce the results on the Toiyabe Chapter Facebook page. Follow us there for the latest updates. https://www.facebook.com/SierraClubToiyabe/
If you’re reading this on Thursday, June 15, please call Governor Sandoval now. Urge him to sign AB206, SB405, and SB392 (Sierra Club’s highest priorities)
Energy
AB206—To increase the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) of utility scale power in NV. This bill will require NV Energy and other utilities to increase the amount of renewable energy in their portfolios to not less than 40% by 2030 (our RPS is currently 25% by 2025).
https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/79th2017/Bill/5003/Overview
SB405—to renew net-metering contracts for rooftop solar and establish a Renewable Energy Bill of Rights for consumers.
SB392—to promote community solar gardens, so renters and shade-afflicted people can invest in solar energy.
SB150—energy efficiency. This bill will require NV Energy and other utilities to implement energy efficiency plans, and it allows for some cost recovery for implementing those plans.
SB146—Integrated Resources Planning. This bill will require utilities to plan for distributed resources (rooftop solar, community solar gardens, etc.) in their annual planning.
Water
SB74—Enumerates the specifics of water conservation plans. And this bill revises membership (eliminate 1 member) in Western Regional Water Commission.
SB270—Requires proof of claims for vested water rights to be submitted to the State Engineer by December 31, 2027. This applies to surface, artesian, and percolating water.
Signed into law by Governor Sandoval
Energy
AB5—supporting PACE energy programs. This bill will allow local governments to fund the up-front costs of energy improvements on commercial and residential properties, which are then paid back over time by property owners.
AB223—furthering energy efficiency. This bill will require utilities to plan and pursue energy efficiency projects, especially to benefit low-income customers.
SB407—Green Banks. This bill will create the Nevada Green Energy Fund, which will provide funding and speed the completion of clean energy projects.
SB65—to improve Integrated Resource Planning. Thanks to this bill, the Public Utilities Commission and utilities will be required to consider and justify the cost and source of energy during their planning, which should increase the offering of renewable energy sources over time.
SB145—to further Electric Vehicles and Energy Storage. This bill will create incentives for the installation of energy storage systems and create the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Demonstration Program, a network of charging stations along US 95 and I-80 in Nevada.
SB204—Energy Storage. This bill will require the Public Utilities Commission to establish biennial targets for utilities to procure energy storage systems.
AB452—to direct the Legislative Committee on Energy to conduct an interim study on Energy Choice. This study will investigate how Ballot Question 3, the Energy Choice Initiative, which passed in 2016 and must pass again, will impact legislation, the Governor’s Committee on Energy Choice and other issues facing energy planning.
AJR 10—Opposing nuclear waste storage at Yucca Mountain. As a resolution, AJR10 does not need to be signed by governor to be in effect.
Public Lands & Wildlife
SB413 and AB449—to create and promote Public Lands Day in Nevada. In response to the efforts by federal and state politicians to transfer millions of acres of our beloved federally managed public lands in Nevada to the state or highest bidders, these two bills establish September 30 as Nevada Public Lands Day. Thanks to these bills, we will have a great excuse to team up with other citizens and organizations on stewardship projects that care for our public lands; the Governor will be required to proclaim publicly the values of public lands in Nevada; and state parks will allow free admission on that day.
SJR12*—to rescind SJR1 from last legislative session. SJR1 from the 2015 session urged Congress to pass legislation to transfer federally managed lands to the state. This led to Congressman Mark Amodei’s notorious HR1484 (https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/1484?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22HR1484%22%5D%7D&r=2), which attempted to transfer millions of acres of federal public lands to Nevada. The passage of SJR12 this session ends all the silliness, removes the request to Congress, and expresses support for the retention of federal management of and control of federal lands in Nevada.
AJR13*—expresses the support of the Antiquities Act and the designation of Basin & Range and Gold Butte national monuments.
SJR13* – Expresses support of the Nevada Legislature for wildlife conservation.
*Being resolutions and not bill, SJR12, SJR13 and AJR13 did not need a Governor’s signature.
SB364—Trapping Reform. This bill will improve public safety for people and their pets hiking in Nevada’s front- and backcountry, and benefit Nevada’s wildlife by requiring registration or ID on all traps, warning signs on public lands, and protecting the public for moving or disturbing traps that present a clear public risk.
AB379—Authorizes local governments to create parks, trails, and open space districts. This is particularly relevant for Reno and Sparks, where the One Truckee River project (www.onetruckeeriver.org) is working to provide a consistent regulatory framework on which to manage and protect the Truckee River as it flows through numerous jurisdictions and interests.
AB385—to provide free admission to state parks for 5th graders.
SB429—to authorize urban agriculture zones.
SB197—to extend the deadline for issuing bonds for environmental projects in the Lake Tahoe Basin.
SB194—to prohibits the sale of body parts from endangered and protected animals
Bills we wish had passed but did not
AB277—this land use planning around natural conservation zones (Save Red Rock bill) was vetoed by Governor
Water
SB51—Revises the process of adjudications of water rights.
AB138—Allows for the collection of rainwater for non-potable domestic use from single family dwellings, as well as for wildlife guzzlers with certain conditions.
AB209—Allows the State Engineer to consider declarations of drought, conservation efforts, and basin conditions in deciding on applications for extensions of time to work a forfeiture.
Bills we wish had passed but did not
AB159—To ban hydraulic Fracturing in the state.
Bills we are really happy did not pass
AB298—Revises provisions to water. This might be the biggest Sierra Club victory this legislature. This bill would have dangerously changed the definitions of several terms in Nevada water law and facilitated the dewatering of rural Nevada to sate the thirst of Las Vegas. Sierra Club is proud to have worked with the Great Basin Water Network and other partners to prevent this bill from passing.
Transportation
AB29—to establish an OHV program in Division of State Parks to administer grants to control and mitigate OHV use.