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Moving from Coal to Clean Energy in Nevada

 

In Nevada, Sierra Club is working with the Moapa Band of Paiutes to transition NV Energy away from the Reid Gardner coal-fired power plant -- which sits only 45 miles from Las Vegas and a short walk from community housing at the Moapa River Indian Reservation. The Reid Gardner coal plant is literally spewing out tons of airborne pollutants such as mercury, nitrous oxide, sulfur dioxide, and greenhouse gases. This has resulted in substantial health impacts on the Moapa community, with a majority of tribal members reporting a sinus or respiratory ailment.

To provide an equitable transition to clean energy, the Club is strengthening the relationship between environmental, organized labor, and faith groups to develop solar, wind, geothermal, and energy efficiency into a third major industry for the state.

An Ill Wind Blows in Moapa

Earthjustice produced a short documentary on the ongoing health problems caused the Reid Gardner Coal Plant and its 91 acre uncapped, unlined toxic coal ash landfill. 

The clean energy economy has already created hundred of thousands of jobs -- and with unemployment in Nevada still above 12%, nowhere is the need to quickly transition clearer than in Southern Nevada. That's why Sierra Club is taking action to expose Reid Gardner's pollution, and promote policies that sustainably grow Nevada's green sector.

 

In addition to harmful air pollutants the land, air, water, and people around Moapa also face substantial threats from a toxic coal ash landfill and wastewater expansion at Reid Gardner which would provide 30 years added capacity for the facility to continue burning dangerous coal at the power plant.

To fight this expansion, Sierra Club and Moapa Band of Paiutes joined together to filed a lawsuit against the Bureau of Land Management for violating the National Environmental Policy Act when permitting the landfill expansion on public land. Read the High Country News Blog about our lawsuit.

Click here to join our efforts to strengthen Clean Air and toxic coal waste regulations!