The U.S. Department of the Interior is reopening 10 million acres of federal lands in Nevada and five other Western state for mineral development after finding that mining has no impact on sage grouse populations, according to U.S. Sen. Dean Heller's office.
The lands had been off limits for more than 18 months following a proposed plan by the Obama Administration to protect the bird that roams areas of the West.
“The Department of the Interior’s decision is a win for Nevada, as it returns power back to the states and local governments and removes unnecessary restrictions that stand to benefit no one,” said Heller, a Nevada Republican who urged a review of the proposal.
“By lifting restrictions on these federal lands, our state has the potential to create many more jobs for Nevadans through mining opportunities,” Heller said.