In the News

January 29, 2025

In an update to a story about the Reno Webb Data Center, the Reno Gazette Journal, acknowledges the chapters appeal to the Reno City Council against the center as it is not safe for the environment and didn't include public input for new zoning guidelines for data centers. The Reno City Council voted to uphold the decision to add the first data center in Reno despite the chapter's appeal and warranted concerns. However, several council members voted against the decision in alignment with the chapter calling for a moment to take a stand. More to come...

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January 14, 2025

Las Vegas TV news outlet, 8newsnow featured Chapter Director, Olivia Tanager, in article announcing a major step forward in protecting the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. The chapter has supported the campaign to protect the area since its inception. Tanager is quoted noting, “Anyone who has ever visited Ash Meadows and Amargosa Valley has left with an appreciation of the natural beauty and uniqueness found there. We, alongside the tiny Amargosa pupfish, Ash Meadows zebra tailed lizard, and migratory birds who depend on the wetlands in Amargosa Valley, are collectively breathing a sigh of relief today.”

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January 10, 2025

Our Chapter Director, Olivia Tanager, was quoted in the Nevada Current about appealing the Reno Webb Data Center. Tanager explains that the Reno Planning Commission's approval of the Webb Data Center comes without public input and jeopardizes our already large forecasted load growth. 

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December 7, 2024

Conservation Co-Chair, Linda, writes to the Nevada Independent about the need to uphold the Public Lands Rule, threatened by the incoming Trump administration. Linda writes "This 'barren wasteland' is the place I call home, the place where I raised my family and shared my love of art and nature, the place where my adoptive tortoise lives and feels right at home. These desert lands are wondrous and harsh. But, are they a barren wasteland? Only if we allow them to be treated as such."

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December 3, 2024

Chapter Director, Olivia Tanager, was featured on KNPR's State of Nevada alongside Nevada Independent Reporter, Gabby Birenbaum, and U.S. senator of Nevada, Catherine Cortez Masto. KNPR oroducer and reporter, Paul Boger, led the discussion about two bills in Congress that could reshape Nevada's public lands near Las Vegas and Reno. During the discussion, Tanager points out the threats of urban sprawl. 

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November 22, 2024

The Nevada Independent published a written statement from Chapter Director, Olivia Tanager, calling for a stop to a proposal to build a ski resort in the Ruby Mountains. Tanager applauded the Elko County Planning Commission for standing with residents in opposing the ski resort. She eloquently points out in her written statement, "Building a ski resort in the Ruby Mountains would be like putting a Walmart in Yosemite Valley."

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October 11, 2024

Barin Levinson, co-chair of the Sierra Club Toiyabe Chapter Legislative and Political Committees wrote an op-ed for the Las Vegas Sun leading the way to a path for the state to sustain climate resilience. The editorial calls for updates to energy codes and the continued encouragement of solar usage amongst residents. 

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October 11, 2024

Chapter Communications Coordinator and Social Media Manager, Candese Charles, was quoted by the Nevada Independent after giving testimony on behalf of the chapter and as a North Las Vegas resident at the state finance committee meeting over a proposal from Gov. Joe Lombardo to change the funding source for the relocation of Windsor Park. This historically black and disenfranchised community has been long impacted by environmental racism. Groundwater overuse has led to sinking of the ground many of the homes are placed on. Charles says "It is critical that this environmental injustice be rectified, and that you all protect the residents that have been struggling for decades."

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October 3, 2024

Members who rallied against NV energy's proposed price hikes were captured and featured on MyNews4. Olivia Tanager, Chapter Director, was quoted after members voiced their concerns to the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada about NV Energy's Integrated Resource Plan. 

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September 16, 2024

Our Chapter Director, Olivia Tanager, was quoted in the Nevada Current about a bill draft recommended by the Toiyabe Chapter that would require NV energy to publicly report on household power shut offs!

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August 23, 2024

Olivia Tanager, Toiyabe Chapter director, has an op-ed published in the Nevada indy calling on the Biden administration to designate a Nevada treasure: the Bahsahwahbee National Monument. Working alongside Nevada's Native tribes, Olivia, continues to ring the alarm on the Bahsahwahbee campaign. 

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August 2, 2024

Our Chapter Director, Olivia Tanager, was quoted in the Reno Gazette Journal about NV Energy's large increase in the basic service charge and it's impacts on the community. Olivia also addressed how this increase would negatively impact solar users. 

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August 1, 2024

The Toiyabe Chapter and Chapter Director, Olivia Tanager, were mentioned in a This is Reno article on NV Energy's basic service charge increase attempts. The article highlights the chapter, led by Tanager, ongoing plans to stop the proposal. 

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July 31, 2024

Our Chapter Director, Olivia Tanager, was interviewed and featured in a TV news piece by reporter Ben Margiott for FOXReno about NV energy's proposal to increase the basic service charge. She highlights the impact to our most vulnerable families, solar customers, and the push to encourage more solar users.

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July 31, 2024

Our Chapter Director, Olivia Tanager, was interviewed and featured in a TV news piece by reporter Emily Benito for Kolo TV in Reno about NV energy's proposal to increase the basic service charge. Tanager calls on NV energy to, once again stop putting financial gain before customers. Tanager also argues that the surge charge would charge those who have installed energy significantly more and discourage customers from installing solar, therefore impacting the solar power movement.

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July 18, 2024

Olivia Tanager, Toiyabe Chapter director was quote in KNPR about a multi-billion dollar solar project with plans to be routed through sensitive desert terrain. Olivia offered plausible alternatives to increasing solar usage in Nevada by expanding community solar programs and increasing incentives for rooftop solar installation! 

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June 29, 2024

A statement from the Sierra Club Toiyabe Chapter was quoted in the Nevada Independent expressing support for Reno's Ward 1 city council race candidate, Lily Baran's recount efforts. The released statement confirms the chapter's stance on the election against far-right activist, Robert Beadles and raises concerns about election integrity as officials call for investigations into the legality of Beadle's financial involvement in the recount.

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June 27, 2024

Toiyabe Chapter director, Olivia Tanager, joins U.S. Senator, Catherine Cortez Masto, and producer and reporter, Paul Boger, on KNPR to discuss the Mining Regulatory Clarity Act. The Act is said to be attempt by Congress to help shore up mining efforts on public lands but Olivia argues that it will do the opposite restoring a "Wild West" mentality when it comes to public lands. 

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June 12, 2024

Olivia Tanager, Toiyabe Chapter director, has an op-ed published in the Nevada Independent calling out NV Energy for it's proposal to expand fossil fuel infrastructure exacerbating both issues by passing on expensive costs to consumers. Instead of investing in affordable, sustainable solutions like solar and battery storage, the utility is prioritizing corporate profits through costly, inefficient fossil gas plants, while pushing for steep rate hikes that disproportionately affect low-income families.

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May 3, 2024

Rita Ransom, a member of the Southern Nevada Group, wrote a letter to the editor in the Las Vegas Sun about President Biden's Clean Energy Wins. Nevadans see firsthand the need for equitable climate solutions!

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April 28, 2024

Our Chapter Chair, Vinny Spotleson, was quoted in the Nevada Independent about the closing of the Reid Gardner Power Plant, and it's transition to a battery storage facility. Vinny has worked with Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign, and is a wealth of knowledge on the transition away from fossil fuels in Nevada!

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April 18, 2024

Tobi Tyler, a member of the Tahoe Area Group, has written an op-ed in the Reno Gazette Journal about microplastics in the Reno-Tahoe area, and policy mechanisms for protecting Lake Tahoe. She calls on the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency to ban certain plastics in the Tahoe Basin.

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March 8, 2024

Bari Levinson, Co-Chair of the Toiyabe Chapter Legislative Committee, has written an OpEd that was published in the Indy.  It offers one way to incentivize NV Energy to support more distributed solar (rooftop and community) called Performance Based Regulations. We need to educate our legislators and the public about this important option in order to further solar development on buildings rather than in the desert.

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