BTW, SB 229 ("Save Tahoe Bill") Also Passed Yesterday.

Oh, yes. That's right. We have even more hot Nevada Legislature news this morning!

We've been closely following SB 229 here. That's "The Save Tahoe Bill" that stands to repeal 2011's SB 271 and fully reinstate Nevada's commitment to cooperate with California and the federal government to preserve & protect the Lake Tahoe. Earlier this month, SB 229 passed the Senate Natural Resources Committee.

And then, there was last night. Shortly after another closely watched Senate bill passed late last night, SB 229 then passed in a strictly party line 11-10 vote. All the Democrats voted in favor, while all the Republicans voted against.

Nonetheless, it passed. And it's now heading to the Assembly. We'll see soon if more legislators are willing to correct an embarrassing mistake.

Oh, and there's also this. Yesterday was Earth Day. And really, what better way is there for Nevada to show commitment to smart environmental stewardship than to restore our commitment to cherishing one of our greatest natural treasures?

Assembly Members, take notice.

Harry Reid Wishes Us a Happy Earth Day!

OK, I'm just too sick and tired and lazy today to do a big Earth Day write-up now... But don't worry, I'll have some yummy eco-conscious goodness ready for you this weekend. In the mean time, please enjoy this nice little note from our Senator, Harry Reid. :-)

Dear Friend, Today, as we celebrate the 40th annual Earth Day, I wanted to share with you some of the progress being made to preserve Nevada's environment and create good paying clean energy jobs.                                 I've made it my top priority to ensure our state takes advantage of our abundant natural resources like wind, solar and geothermal to lead the nation in clean energy jobs.  This will not only boost our economy, but protect our environment by breaking our dependence on foreign oil. That's why I secured over $300 million in the Recovery Act for job-creating clean energy projects right here in Nevada.  That includes the funding for a new clean energy transmission line from White Pine to Clark County as well as $160 million for geothermal projects in northern Nevada.  And thanks to the Recovery Act, every electric meter in the state will be replaced with a smart meter, conserving energy, reducing utility bills and promoting savings.  And thousands of Nevadans are taking advantage of a solar energy tax credit I passed. In fact, Solar Energy Industries Association said this will create 41,000 clean energy jobs in Nevada alone! I've also made it a priority to protect our state's beautiful lands: we've set aside more than 3 million acres of wilderness area, created Great Basin National Park, and improved the management of popular areas like Red Rock Canyon and the Carson River corridor. And I'm fighting to protect Lake Tahoe by reauthorizing the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act. This will help restore the lakes' famous water clarity and protect threatened species and wild lands, which have been threatened by invasive species and wild fires.  This is not only about protecting one of our state's natural treasures, but protecting the area's 23,000 tourism-supported jobs. And this week, I announced almost $11 million in Recovery Act funding for a green office building in Boulder City to house 160 employees of the Boulder Canyon Operations Office, putting Nevadans back to work and contributing to a more sustainable environment. Please take a moment to read more about what we've been able to accomplish together. Also please join me by adding your name to Environmentalists for Reid or text EARTH to 42779 today. Thank you for reading this note and I hope you will take a moment to join me in the fight to preserve Nevada's environment and create good paying clean energy jobs. HARRY REID