Our economic future is outdoors

Scot Rutledge

Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012 | 2 a.m.

Nevadans and Americans have shown time and again that when times are challenging, we reach deep inside and find strength, we pull together, and we succeed.

That’s important to remember today, when we are faced with economic and environmental challenges that if not unprecedented, were certainly not envisioned a decade ago.

The economic downturn in Nevada has been painful but has also provided us with the chance to realign our values with the way we plan to grow as a community. I’m not an economist, but I believe investing in the following three areas will support both a sustainable economy and a safe and healthy environment in Nevada: clean energy development and manufacturing, the protection and promotion of our public lands, and mitigating the impacts of pollution and climate change through research and manufacturing of solutions. Regardless of one’s political persuasion, it is hard to argue against the potential of these industries to provide a return on investment now and in the future.

The development of a robust clean energy economy in Nevada is limited only by the vision of our local, state and federal policy makers to rapidly expand our renewable energy portfolio and ensure adequate investments are made in energy conservation. Our state has a requirement that 25 percent of energy sold in Nevada come from renewable resources by 2025. That challenge is easily achievable and should be viewed as a floor, not the ceiling. We should go beyond the standard and continue to recruit companies willing to invest in our state, put Nevadans back to work, and get off the unhealthy addiction to imported coal, gas and oil. We must also find the political will to do so.

For example, instead of spending hundreds of millions of dollars over the next decade on dirty coal from other states, NV Energy should invest ratepayer dollars in harnessing clean renewable energy resources — sun, wind and heat from the ground — and set a goal of transitioning from coal altogether. This won’t happen overnight, but it shouldn’t take another decade either. With proper planning and the right mix of incentives and regulations, we should be able to set forth an ambitious plan for a clean energy future that keeps rates low, puts Nevadans back to work, and keeps our dollars at home supporting Nevada’s schools and public services.

Although clean energy seems to get all the headlines when it comes to improving our economy, we should not forget that recreational tourism is a proven economic driver across the West. The equipment sales, tour guides, and ancillary goods and services of visiting the Grand Canyon, Lake Mead and Red Rock Canyon — to name only a few gems in our backyard — contribute an estimated $1.8 billion annually to Nevada’s economy. Adding protections to the areas of Gold Butte and Tule Springs in Clark County will further expand on Southern Nevada’s reputation as a globally recognized hub for recreational tourism. A recent letter to the president regarding the economic benefits of protecting public lands by Headwater Economics says that “federal protected public lands are essential to the West’s economic future, attracting innovative companies and workers, and contributing a vital component of the region’s competitive advantage.”

Finally, some would have us believe that environmental safeguards are somehow preventing businesses from expanding and hiring more employees. Businesses hire workers based on demand for products and services, as well as the availability of trained and talented individuals, not as a response to the regulatory climate. A recent poll of small businesses by the Hartford Financial Group showed only 9 percent of respondents were concerned with government rules and regulations, with a lack of paying customers being their biggest concern. In fact, commonsense safeguards that protect the air we breathe and the water we drink lead to a healthier workforce with fewer sick days and higher productivity.

In Nevada, we need our leaders in government and industry to develop policies that grow clean energy and outdoor recreation in a healthy environment. We need to protect our outdoor spaces and encourage cycling, hiking, hunting and all kinds of outdoor recreation. We need Congress to support healthy communities and successful environmental laws and to start making the big polluting industries pay for the costs they have externalized on the public and our environment. And as we have in the past, Nevadans and all Americans must pull together to make a brighter future for us all.

Scot Rutledge is executive director of the Nevada Conservation League.