Conservation Lands Foundation Applauds New Federal Law Expanding Protection of Nevada’s Mojave Desert and Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 20, 2026

Contact: Bertha Gutierrez, bertha@conservationlands.org

Las Vegas, NV // Washington, DC – Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area, which protects more than 48,000 acres of Southern Nevada’s Mojave Desert, was expanded by nearly 9,300 acres with yesterday's signing by President Trump of the Sloan Canyon Conservation and Lateral Pipeline Act (H.R. 972). The United States Senate passed this legislation unanimously earlier this year after it passed the House of Representatives unanimously in December 2025.

The Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area is under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management and serves as a vital, intact ecosystem for many essential animal species and vegetation, helps preserve the region's air and water quality, and is a valued low-impact recreation area. 

Led by Representative Dina Titus (D-Nevada) and Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada), the bill expands Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area in Southern Nevada as mitigation for important water infrastructure needed in Southern Nevada. The bill passed unanimously in both the House and Senate and ensures a water pipeline project by Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) may be constructed underground through Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area. The authority to grant right-of-way access to SNWA in a permanently protected area had to be granted by Congress. 

Statement by Jocelyn Torres, Chief Conservation Officer at the Conservation Lands Foundation, the only organization solely focused on protecting public lands overseen by the Bureau of Land Management: 

“This legislation demonstrates that it’s possible to find the balance between conservation and development with input from local advocates. It ensures minimal ground disturbance for the underground construction of the Horizon Lateral Pipeline on National Conservation Lands while mitigating anticipated impacts, addressing community needs, and ensuring the values for which the area was protected remain protected. We applaud the leadership and commitment of Senator Catherine Cortez Masto and Representative Dina Titus to advance balanced public lands legislation and the president’s approval.” 

####