Nevada, Interior and Newmont Mining Corporation Reach Agreement to Protect Grouse

(WASHINGTON, August 30, 2016) The State of Nevada, U.S. Department of Interior and Newmont Mining Corporation today announced an agreement to partner on a wide-ranging, landscape-level conservation plan that promotes conservation of sagebrush habitat and species, including greater sage-grouse, on approximately 1.5 million acres of habitat in Nevada, both on private and public lands.

The agreement will allow the State of Nevada to work with federal agencies and Newmont Mining to apply advanced quantification and mitigation through the Nevada Conservation Credit System.

The following is a statement by Will McDow, director of habitat markets at Environmental Defense Fund (EDF):

“In order to keep species like the iconic greater sage-grouse off the endangered species list, there need to be strong programs in place to ensure meaningful conservation is happening on the ground quickly, in keeping with the promises made by the states.

“The state of Nevada has consistently shown strong leadership by investing in solutions for wildlife that also benefit Nevada’s agricultural, ranching and energy industries. The Nevada Conservation Credit System will create a robust market for conservation and mitigation projects that will bring greater certainty to Nevada’s mining industry, ultimately allowing both wildlife and the economy to flourish.”

The Nevada Conservation Credit System is a market- and science-based approach to improve species conservation. It is a type of habitat exchange – a program pioneered by EDF in collaboration with partners from industry, agriculture and the science community. Other habitat exchanges are currently under development in Colorado, Wyoming and other western states.