On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). The U.S. EPA manages more than $7 billion in projects and programs that will invest in environmental protection and provide long-term economic benefits to aide recovery efforts across the nation. More than $41 million in Recovery Act Funds have already been obligated to Nevada, including:

• The Nevada Department of Environmental Protection’s Bureau of Air Pollution Control was awarded $1.73 million in Recovery Funds for the state’s clean diesel program. Nevada plans to implement a clean school bus project under this program, replacing many of the oldest diesel buses operated by Nevada school districts.

• A cooperative agreement with the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection will be used to distribute $1,266,000 for assessment and cleanup of underground storage tank petroleum leaks.

• The Nevada Division of Environmental Protection has been awarded Recovery Funding in the amount of $19.5 million for the drinking water State Revolving Fund program. It provides low-interest loans for drinking water systems to finance infrastructure improvements and ensures safe drinking water.

• The Nevada Division of Environmental Protection has been awarded $194,300 in Recovery funds for Water Quality Management Planning (WQMP). Planning is an important step in EPA’s goal to improve water quality in America’s lakes, rivers and streams.

• The Nevada Division of Environmental Protection has been awarded $19.2 million in Recovery funds for the state’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund program which provides low interest loans for water quality protection projects for wastewater treatment, non-point source pollution control, and watershed and estuary management.

• The EPA awarded $800,000 in Recovery Funds for Nevada to address brownfields projects to help communities revitalize abandoned and contaminated properties, bringing them to productive reuse.
  • Carson City will receive $400,000 in Recovery Act funds to conduct site assessments. In older parts of Carson City, mines, lumber mills and railroads have left hazardous contamination behind. 
  • Sparks will receive $400,000 for community-wide assessments as well. In Sparks, contamination was left behind at historic railroad operations, along with vacant warehouses, auto shops and petroleum handlers. The extent of contamination in both cities will be determined using Recovery funds.

The House recently passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act, and now the national discussion on renewable energy will move back to Nevada this August.  Summit 2.0 will advance the clean energy conversation and provide critical input into the Senate’s deliberations over its energy proposals.  (more…)

The lights of the Las Vegas strip will go dark this Saturday night, promoting a new show called, “Concern for Climate Change.”  It’s not really a show, but a showing of support for a growing cause.  Nearly all of the strip and off-strip hotel casinos will be turning out the lights on marquees and non-essential exterior lighting between 8:30 and 9:30 P.M. Saturday night, March 28th for Earth Hour.

From Landmarks like the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign… to Fremont Street, where the big canopy will go dark and glow necklaces will be handed out to 5,000 guests!  (Can you imagine 5,000 people groping around in the dark with those super tall specialty drink glasses?  That could put someone’s eye out!  Just kidding.)  Las Vegas will be among 2500 cities worldwide helping to shed light on climate change.

Local businesses and restaurants will also participate - even individuals and families will be getting in on the global movement.  Maybe you’d like to have a block party with flashlights, or a late candlelight dinner or game night with your family?  The Springs Preserve will be hosting an Earth Hour party at the Wolfgang Puck restaurant with a great view of the strip when the light switches are flipped off.  UNLV’s Ultimate Frisbee Team will be overseeing a glow-in-the-dark frisbee game.  The Hard Rock Hotel’s AGO restaurant will serve dinner by candlelight and Ecotinis will be served all night in the casino and bars.

Check with your local city goverments and look in your neighborhood for Earth Hour events or specials at businesses and restaurants.  Check the countdown to Earth Hour 2009!  And don’t worry - the slot machines, casinos and bingo parlors will still leave plenty of lights on to hit that jackpot!

It makes perfect sense to build energy-smart homes in the desert!  And especially ones that could even pay homeowners back during the hot summer months.  In a cooperative effort between the UNLV Center for Energy Research, Pulte Homes and NV Energy, the first-ever green community is going up in Summerlin.    

Villa Trieste will eventually have 185 homes, ranging from about 1500 to 1900 sq. feet and priced in the low $200s.  All will have cutting-edge, energy-saving features like roof-integrated solar power to help create energy for the home, real-time energy meters inside the house that will communicate directly with the utility company when the power demand increases at peak afternoon hours, as well as improved ventilation, thermal systems, HVAC equipment and water conservation features.

The community is actually a research project, funded by a $7 million grant from the Dept. of Energy.  UNLV researchers will monitor home performance once they are occupied.  The goal is to find ways to reduce peak energy consumption by more than 65% compared to a typical new home development.  Hopefully it’s just the beginning of new and smart eco-friendly ways to construct homes in the hot desert southwest.

The grand opening to view the models for Villa Trieste is Saturday, January 10.  The homes are located off the I-215 Beltway west.  The first phase is expected to open in April of this year.