Editorial: A worthy conservation plan

Thursday, Dec. 8, 2005 | 7:23 a.m.

A year ago Sen. John Ensign proposed using $200 million from the sale of federal lands in Nevada to set up a fund that would pay government agencies and schools to get rid of their grass and install desert landscaping. At the time the Nevada Republican unveiled his plan, we thought it was an effective use of the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act.

The 1998 law, which requires that 85 percent of the federal land sold at auction in Clark County be used for land and conservation projects, has been a huge success. To date, the law has seen public land sales totaling almost $2.8 billion.

The law's success, however, has resulted in the Bush administration seeking to raid the funds that rightly belong to Nevada. The White House, looking at ways to cut the deficit, early this year asked Congress to take 70 percent of the money from the sale of public lands in Nevada and send it to the Treasury.

Ensign, concerned about drawing attention to Nevada's public lands law that could create momentum for Bush's grab, put his proposal on hold.

For now, at least, Bush's plan isn't going anywhere. An Ensign spokesman tells the Sun that, if the timing is right, Ensign plans to introduce his proposal next year.

We hope that someday soon Ensign's plan becomes a reality. Southern Nevada has made significant strides in water conservation in the past several years, and getting more government agencies and public schools to increase their role in this endeavor not only is good for the environment but it also is important for our economic future.