(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) and Rep. Joe Heck (NV-3) have introduced a bill that amends current land law to provide the City of Mesquite with greater opportunity for long-term economic development. 

“Mesquite’s growth, like many other communities across Nevada, is restricted due to the vast amount of federal land in our state. This legislation provides the community of Mesquite the flexibility it needs for smart growth over a longer period of time and strengthens the Virgin River Habitat Conservation plan. Ultimately, this bill empowers the City of Mesquite with greater control over its future development,” said Senator Heller. 

“This bill provides an opportunity for economic growth, which is critical right now. By allowing Mesquite to continue with plans to expand the growing city’s airport, and bolstering the Virgin River conservation habitat, this bill is a clear win-win for the residents of Mesquite and all of southern Nevada,” said Congressman Joe Heck. 

Under current law, the City of Mesquite was required to notify BLM by November 13, 2009, if it wanted to purchase the last parcel of land made available by the Mesquite Lands Act and to close the purchase of the deal within one year.  This bill takes legislative action to extend the timeline for Mesquite to purchase this land. 

This legislation (S. 1473, H.R. 2745) also corrects an omission in the Clark County Conservation of Public Land and Natural Resources Act of 2002 for the implementation of the Virgin River Habitat Conservation and Recovery Plan (VRHCRP) and the Hydrologic Monitoring & Mitigation Plan (HMMP).    

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