US Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) has reintroduced a comprehensive piece of legislation designed to promote public land conservation, housing development and economic growth in Washoe County. 

The Truckee Meadows Public Lands Management Act, also known as the Washoe County Lands Bill, would lower housing costs and support tribal communities, and make land available for housing and infrastructure while upholding conservation criteria, according to a press release published by Rosen’s office.

Eighty-three percent of public land is owned by federal agencies in Washoe County, and Nevada has the highest percentage of public land owned in the US at 85%. Rosen said federal legislation is vital to making land available for housing and infrastructure while protecting outdoor spaces for future generations. 

“As Nevadans continue to deal with high housing costs, I’m working to increase the amount of federal land available for housing development to bring down home prices and support sustainable growth for Washoe County,” Rosen said in a press release. 

With housing affordability seen as one of Nevada’s major challenges, the Truckee Meadows Public Lands Management Act represents an effort to address the issue while conserving public lands.

Acres under permanent protection

The bill would permanently protect over 1,000,000 acres of public lands, and provide local governments with over 3,700 acres for public purposes such as water treatment facilities and schools. Those land provisions extend to the Incline Village General Improvement District, the Washoe County School District and the cities of Sparks and Reno. 

The bill would add 14 acres of public land to Incline Village for trails, fire reduction and open space.

The bill additionally would expand land held in trust by more than 1,000 acres for the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, among others. It also directs over 15,200 acres of public lands to be made eligible for sale, all of which must be assessed for its suitability for new affordable housing, and stipulates 33 acres to be sold only for affordable housing, with land sold at less than fair market value.

Several regional representatives and conservation organizations have praised the bill. “I’m so proud that the Washoe County Board of County Commissioners supported Senator Rosen’s Truckee Meadows Public Lands Bill,” Alexis Hill, Chair of the Washoe County Board of Commissioners, said in the release. “We are committed to preserving our natural resources while allocating appropriate land for affordable and workforce housing, local governmental and tribal interests. 

Rosen initially proposed the bill in 2024 and advanced it following discussions with the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. It was later blocked under Senate consideration.