A new study by the Outdoor Industry Association has found that outdoor recreation economy grew during the Great Recession and accounts for more jobs than the oil and gas industry, education and construction.

The Outdoor Recreation Economy report uses these findings to make a case for developing a cleaner and more accessible system of public lands, wild and scenic waterways, hiking trails and bike paths.

"The fact that we have so much public land has created this economy, and we as public policymakers need to be here to sustain that," said Rep. Charlie Bass (R-N.H.).

Here are some of the numbers:

• 6.1 million: the number of jobs supported by spending on gear and trips.
• 646 billion: The number of dollars spent on gear and excursions.
• 5: The annual percentage rate at which the outdoor recreation economy grew between 2005 and 2011, a period of time when many industries were contracting.

Just to be clear: These numbers aren’t just generated by backpackers heading off into the wilderness. The report also includes motorized activities like off-roading, boating, motorcycle riding and RV camping. But it is significant that motorized and nonmotorized groups came together to fund and support the study.

And it’s not the first time nonmotorized and motorized enthusiasts have been like-minded about conservation issues and public land. A survey earlier this year found that a proposal to make Gold Butte a National Conservation Area with Wilderness is popular among hunters, hikers, campers, mountain bikers and off-road enthusiasts. Voters who occasionally or frequently use Nevada public lands for off-road vehicle recreation activities – typically a group that doesn’t favor wilderness proposals – were especially in favor of the Gold Butte National Conservation Area with Wilderness idea, with 73 percent saying they supported it.

Based on the eye-popping numbers in the recreation economy report, perhaps it’s no surprise that the outdoor retailers in the U.S. are prepared to use their clout to express their concerns about conservation issues. The Outdoor Industry Association recently issued an ultimatum to Utah Gov. Gary Herbert: drop your designs on Utah’s public lands or we’ll take our $40 million convention out of Salt Lake City and move to Las Vegas, Denver or somewhere else.

Herbert backed a bill that demands the federal government relinquish control of public lands in Utah by 2014. The retailers think such a move, which might be unconstitutional and hearkens back to Nevada’s old Sagebrush Rebellion days, would lead to more mining and environmental decline in Utah. Still waiting on Herbert’s response to the threat.

The Nevada Wilderness Project supported and signed onto a letter that was just delivered to the leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives.  NWP joined a number of large national conservation organizations in urging Congressional leaders to shepherd a continued commitment to the environmental review processes guided by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

Passed by Congress on the first day of 1970, this Act established national policy that promoted the enhancement of the environment by establishing certain procedural requirements for all federal agencies.  It requires these agencies to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) or Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to formally address the impacts or consequences of any proposed action on federal land. Examples include decisions that would result in major land alterations such as the permitting of a mine or construction of a dam; as well as small efforts such as installing a big game guzzler. Over time NEPA has been invaluable in securing healthy ecosystems for the benefit of American citizens and visitors.  Many states have adopted NEPA-like legislation to address similar review for actions that are not on federal lands within their states.

However, recent attempts have been introduced into Congress that could weaken the intent of NEPA. These attempts try to amend or revoke administrative actions or legislation that had been established to protect the environment. Other attempts are aimed at reducing the amount of time necessary to conduct a thorough review – essentially diluting the process, possibly resulting in incomplete assessment of impacts.

In recent years there has been a movement to develop renewable energy projects on public lands.  NWP has been a supporter of clean energy development as an action to reduce our nation’s carbon footprint and to curtail resource extractions that are destructive upon the land.  Renewable energy industries have utilized government incentives to proceed in applying for rights-of-way to develop these lands and, in many cases, to build the facilities. The letter asks Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and House Speaker John Boehner and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to dissuade attempts to seek restrictions upon the public review process. Such oversight is essential to the Act by allowing scientific experts and public groups and other representatives to evaluate the consequences that proposed projects may have upon on communities and the surrounding environment.

Since its enactment, NEPA has been the method to assure these safeguards. The letter urges that the NEPA process is “understood and appreciated as a critical pathway to move renewable energy development forward.” The signing organizations point out that an effort is already under way to improve the efficiency of environmental review – one that is vetted with the group and thus earns their conservation endorsement. By bringing this to the attention of our elected leaders, the correspondence cautions against legislation that would circumvent or diminish the highly valued NEPA process.

Kurt's Grotto - Photo by Woods Wheatcroft

“Protected site” means: A site, landmark, monument, building or structure of historical significance pertaining to the history of the settlement of Nevada; Any Indian campgrounds, shelters, petroglyphs, pictographs and burials; or  Any archeological or paleontological site, ruin, deposit, fossilized footprints and other impressions, petroglyphs and  pictographs, habitation caves, rock shelters, natural caves, burial ground or sites of religious or cultural importance to an Indian Tribe (SB 257). It makes this act a felony if the building is protected.  Dollar thresholds for damage for this offence dropped from $5000.00 to $500.00.  Penalties can include with a 10 day mandatory jail stay with probation, restitution, up to 300 hours of community service, and substantial jail time.

This new law helps protect our state’s cultural resources on public and private property with similar protections that federal laws afforded us for resources on lands under the US government’s oversight.  Similar legislation at the federal level, the Archaeological Resources Protection Act provides penalties for cultural resources over 100 years old on federal lands. Resources not meeting that age threshold are subject federal vandalism laws. Now private property rights are strengthened through enhanced legal and civil penalties.  The property owner would have the option of pressing charges.

For many of us, the allure of Nevada is imbued in its rural places. Our collective history is long and rich and can be seen in its many ranches and mining sites, some long abandoned. Prehistoric rock art can also be enjoyed as art, as history or both.  One cannot help to wonder about how difficult it must have been to survive especially during those below zero winters in the Great Basin or the above 100⁰ summers in the Mojave Desert. Our predecessors ranched, farmed, worked and grew families and made decisions which still influence our vision of what Nevada has been and what we will be.  For a more urban view, Mid-century modern architecture can act as an anchor for revitalization based on historic preservation combined with fun and funky shops, cafes, and bars. These special places can help us understand our collective heritage.

Heritage tourism brings in outside dollars providing employment across the state. Millions of dollars annually are spent at parks, museums, hotels, restaurants, stores and casinos by visitors to our historic and scenic sites.  Did you know that Nevada is home to the Great Basin National Heritage Area?  If you don’t believe me, just ask them about heritage dollars in Nevada. These are example of Nevada’s special places where heritage resources deserve our patronage and protection.

Good Job Nevada!

Earth Day is a solid reminder for everyone about why we do what we do here at the Nevada Wilderness Project: work continuously to promote and protect Nevada’s most treasured places so that future generations will be able to visit and enjoy them as we do.

Renewable energy issues consume much of our focus these days at the Project, and I often get the sense that people are challenged to understand why a group called the Nevada Wilderness Project spends so much time trying to push smart from the start development of renewable energy. And the answer is simple: without a necessary and rapid transition from dirty, carbon-based fuel and energy production sources, we will have very little to try and protect a generation or two from now because global climate change will have dramatically altered the distribution, diversity, and persistence of wildlife and their habitats.

So how do we inhibit these effects? We work to wisely site renewable energy projects where the resources are greatest and the impacts to wildlife and exceptional landscapes are the least. This will require some sacrifices on our public lands to cover the immediate need for utility-scale, renewable energy production in the absence of an infrastructure and necessary funding base to pursue renewable energy through distributed generation, like rooftop solar. (A good comparison of utility scale and distributed generation is available from The Wilderness Society.) Our work is focused on minimizing those sacrifices, and maximizing the potential to protect our most important places in recognition of Nevada’s part in the greater goal of guaranteeing a healthy planet.

In essence, we face the greater challenge of making sure that many more Earth Day celebrations will be enjoyed by people everywhere being able to revel in the splendor of nature in the truest sense: natural places unspoiled by the actions of man. That is why a group called the Nevada Wilderness Project spends so much time on renewable energy issues and why Earth Day is so meaningful to us.

• Spear-heading a "smart from the start" approach to renewable energy development in Nevada.
• Hiring a Renewable Energy Coordinator to focus on the intersection of renewable energy development and habitat conservation.
• Writing solar royalty legislation to bring conservation funding back to Nevada.
• In-depth assessment of the Southwest Intertie Project (SWIP) Transmission Line (and negotiating a re-route of the line to better avoid sage grouse leks).
• Appearing in a documentary about the SWIP that will air on PBS and at the Wild & Scenic Film Festival.
• Participating in dozens of conservation planning and strategy conferences throughout the West.
• Participating with the Western Governors’ Association on habitat connectivity planning.
• Campaigning for Gold Butte and other special landscapes around the state