Nevada, federal agencies approve innovative credit exchange to protect sage-grouse

(Washington, D.C.) April 19, 2016 — The state of Nevada and federal agencies today announced the approved use of the Nevada Conservation Credit System to protect greater sage-grouse habitat on public lands.

The Nevada Conservation Credit System is an advanced approach to protecting greater sage-grouse habitat that ensures impacts are fully offset in a way that creates net benefit, leaving species better off. It does so by creating new incentives for industries to avoid and minimize impacts, and for private landowners and public land managers to preserve, enhance, and restore habitat.

The following is a statement by Eric Holst, associate vice president of working lands at Environmental Defense Fund:

“The state of Nevada has shown strong leadership by investing in solutions for greater sage-grouse that also benefit Nevada’s agricultural, ranching and energy economies. The Conservation Credit System will create a robust mitigation market that will bring greater certainty and transparency to the state’s agriculture and energy industries, ultimately allowing both sage-grouse and the economy to flourish.”

“This is the first-ever habitat credit exchange approved by a federal agency, and creates a path for states like Colorado to formally launch their habitat exchange program.”

“Approval of the Nevada Conservation Credit System creates an impetus for other states to act on sage-grouse. In order to keep the bird off the endangered species list in the long run, there needs to be strong conservation and mitigation markets in place that can drive momentum on the ground quickly, in keeping with the promises made by the states.”