Interior Department Announces $375 Million for Recreation and Restoration Projects in Nevada and California

WASHINGTON — The Department of the Interior today announced it will commit over $375 million to fund 36 projects aimed at enhancing recreational opportunities, conserving wildlife habitat, reducing hazardous fuels, and preventing wildfires across Nevada and the California side of the Lake Tahoe Basin. The funding, sourced from land sales under the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act (SNPLMA), marks a continued investment in sustainable community infrastructure and environmental preservation. 

“Since 1998, public land sales in the Las Vegas Valley have fueled projects that benefit communities and elevate quality of life for residents and visitors,” said Acting Deputy Secretary Laura Daniel-Davis. “This program supports jobs and local economies, improves recreation in rural and underserved areas, and aligns with our commitment to conserve at least 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030 under the America the Beautiful initiative.” 

Funding will benefit multiple federal, local, and educational entities, including the Bureau of Reclamation, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, counties of Churchill, Clark, and Lincoln, as well as the cities of Henderson, Las Vegas, and North Las Vegas, the Southern Nevada Water Authority, and the University of Nevada, Reno. 

Since its inception, SNPLMA – implemented by the Bureau of Land Management – has generated over $4.5 billion from Las Vegas Valley land sales, fueling 20 rounds of funding for projects that enhance public lands in Nevada, the Lake Tahoe Basin, and areas within Lake Mead National Recreation Area in Arizona. The program has supported development of parks, trails, and conservation areas; capital improvements; multi-species habitat conservation plans; acquisition of environmentally sensitive lands; and hazardous fuels reduction efforts in the Spring Mountains, Carson Range, and Lake Tahoe. Additionally, 5% of SNPLMA revenue supports Nevada’s General Education Fund, while 10% is allocated to the Southern Nevada Water Authority. 

The following is a list of funding approval by category in 2024: 

Expenditure Category Projects Total Funding Environmentally Sensitive Land Acquisitions 1 $335,045 Capital Improvements 5 $32,376,753 Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan 3 $4,098,664 Parks, Trails, and Natural Areas 14 $235,255,466 Conservation Initiatives 5 $23,008,916 Eastern Nevada Landscape Restoration Project 2 $4,836,638 Hazardous Fuels Reduction and Wildfire Prevention 6 $25,701,259 Category Totals 36 $325,612,741 Special Account Reserve $50,000,000 Total Round 20 Funding $375,612,741 

For more information about SNPLMA, including individual projects, please visit www.blm.gov/snplma.  

Contact: Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov