Amargosa residents clash over conservation proposal

AMARGOSA VALLEY — A spirited public meeting on June 11 drew residents, conservation advocates and local officials together for a lengthy discussion on the future of Amargosa Valley, with debate centering on a proposed Ash Meadows National Conservation Area (NCA), expanding solar development and the possibility of future data centers.

While many speakers agreed that groundwater is the community’s most valuable resource, residents differed sharply on whether a new conservation designation is the best way to protect it.

Town Board Chair Carolyn Allen opened the meeting with an overview of major solar projects proposed or under review in the valley. Allen said nine projects are currently being tracked, including Rock Valley, Amargosa East, Silver Star, Whisper, Echo Dune and Amber, while additional projects remain under consideration.

Allen said the arrival of major transmission infrastructure, including Greenlink West, has made the valley increasingly attractive to developers.

“We are a target for the developers,” Allen said. “We’re cheap land, open land, and the transmission lines are coming in.”

Conservancy outlines proposal

Mason Vail, executive director of the Amargosa Conservancy, presented the proposed Ash Meadows National Conservation Area, which would encompass approximately 182,000 acres of Bureau of Land Management land surrounding Ash Meadows.

Vail said the proposal emerged from several years of concern over mining exploration, large-scale solar projects and the long-term health of the region’s groundwater system.

He reviewed the organization’s successful opposition to a lithium exploration proposal by Rover Critical Minerals near Ash Meadows and warned that temporary federal protections established during the Biden administration are scheduled to expire in January 2027.

Vail also expressed concern over utility-scale solar development.

“We have seen somewhere between 25 and 30 solar applications between the Amargosa Valley and Pahrump Valley alone,” Vail said.

According to Vail, approximately 140,000 acres in the Amargosa Valley remain eligible for solar applications under federal planning documents.

The proposed NCA would remain under BLM management and would not affect private property ownership. Vail emphasized that uses such as hunting, grazing, rockhounding, hiking and off-highway vehicle recreation would continue.

“The goal is not to lock up public lands,” he said. “The goal is to conserve important resources while maintaining public access.”

Tribal representative supports protection effort

Mandi Campbell of the Timbisha Shoshone community spoke in favor of the proposal, describing her lifelong connection to the area and concern about increasing industrial development.

“I don’t want to see solar. I don’t want to see data centers,” Campbell said. “I’m fighting for the generations to come so that they can enjoy this land the way I did.”

Campbell said she grew up visiting springs and historic sites throughout the region and believes stronger protections are needed to preserve the landscape for future generations.

Opponents question additional federal designation

Several residents expressed concerns that a new conservation designation could eventually result in increased federal control over land and access.

Resident Emma Veledor questioned the process that led to local endorsements of the NCA concept and argued that residents should have received more information before public bodies voiced support.

Others worried that future management changes could affect roads, recreational access and local decision-making.

Supporters cite development threats

Supporters of the proposal argued that local governments have limited authority over projects proposed on federal land and that conservation status may be one of the few tools available to influence future land-use decisions.

Campground owner Brandon Schmidt said industrial development provides few lasting benefits to local residents.

“They take our water, they take our resources, and it provides nothing back to us,” Schmidt said.

Allen pointed specifically to the proposed Tidewater Solar Project near Ash Meadows as one of the developments that convinced her stronger protections should be considered.

The project would cover more than 10,000 acres adjacent to sensitive habitat near Ash Meadows.

“This is our survival,” Allen said.

Data centers spark additional debate

The second half of the meeting focused on data centers, which several residents fear could follow expanding transmission infrastructure into the valley.

Attendees said reports from other communities have raised concerns about water consumption and groundwater quality.

Other speakers cited reports that some large facilities consume millions of gallons of water daily for cooling systems.

Alexander Schoenwald urged caution, noting concerns about long-term aquifer sustainability.

“The whole point in the conservancy proposal is to protect our water long term.”

Not all speakers opposed the idea. Longtime resident Scott Harris argued that data centers vary significantly in design and resource use and should be evaluated individually.

“I don’t think we should automatically just say no,” Harris said. “We should absolutely do the research.”

Harris added that some facilities could provide permanent jobs and a stronger tax base for the community.

Discussion continues

No action was taken during the meeting.

Allen emphasized that the NCA proposal remains in its early stages and that maps, boundaries and management details will continue to evolve through public input and future discussions.

Residents were encouraged to remain engaged as the town board continues evaluating both the conservation proposal and possible ordinances addressing future data center development.

After more than two hours of discussion, the meeting adjourned with one issue remaining clear: regardless of where residents stand on conservation designations, most agree that protecting the valley’s limited water resources will remain central to future debates over growth and development.

Thomas Hite is a freelance reporter living in Beatty.