Take Action
The time to take action for the future of Ash Meadows is now.
Raise your voice TODAY, calling on our leaders in Congress and the federal government to stand up for Ash Meadows and the communities of the Amargosa River Basin.
Sign your name onto the letter below.
Have more to say? There’s a place for “Additional Comments” at the bottom where you can tell decision makers what Ash Meadows means to you.
Dear Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, Senator Jacky Rosen, Representative Steven Horsford, and Secretary Doug Burgum,
I am writing to express my strong support for durable federal protections that strengthen water security for rural frontline communities and the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe, while advancing a balanced approach to development in the Amargosa Valley region of Nevada.
In the Mojave Desert, water is life. Rural communities and Tribal nations depend entirely on groundwater to sustain homes, businesses, cultural traditions, and local economies. For residents of Amargosa Valley and the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe, there is no alternative water source. Protecting groundwater in this region is essential to long-term community stability and resilience.
Amargosa Valley is also experiencing growing pressure from large-scale industrial development, including renewable energy proposals, mining exploration, and expanding transmission infrastructure. These changes present both opportunity and risk. Responsible development is important to our nation’s future, but it must be guided by thoughtful land-use planning that protects water resources and respects the needs of rural and Tribal communities.
Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge reflects what is at stake. Sustained entirely by ancient groundwater, its springs and wetlands support rare wildlife found nowhere else on Earth and serve as a visible reminder of the fragile groundwater system that supports both nature and people across the region.
I respectfully urge federal leaders to support the creation of an Ash Meadows National Conservation Area (NCA) as a durable solution that promotes balanced development and long-term stability.
An Ash Meadows NCA would:
- Protect groundwater resources that sustain rural communities and Tribal nations
- Safeguard the springs and wetlands of Ash Meadows
- Provide a clear framework to guide responsible renewable energy development
- Restrict harmful extractive uses, including incompatible mining activities
- Reduce conflict between conservation priorities and industrial development
- Provide clarity and certainty for long-term land management decisions
This is not a call to stop development. It is a call to guide development responsibly and in the right places.
I urge you to support the creation of an Ash Meadows National Conservation Area and take meaningful steps to secure long-term protection for this nationally significant landscape.
The decisions made today will shape the future of water security, Tribal sovereignty, responsible development, and rural communities in the Amargosa River Basin for generations to come.
Sincerely,
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