Further research into BRDR LLC indicate ties to billionaire Eric Schmidt, who served as Google’s CEO from 2001 to 2011 and as the company’s executive chairman until 2017.

Tesla will pay Nevada $200,000 for operating battery recycling equipment at its Northern Nevada Tesla Gigafactory without a permit, according to a settlement signed by the company and the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP) and obtained by The Nevada Independent through a public records request.

Bald eagles are one of the rarest nesting raptors in the state, but they flock to the state for winter feeding. An annual winter count in Tahoe monitors those numbers, reflecting broader state and national populations.

Nevada fell well short of its greenhouse gas emission-cutting goals in 2025, and it’s poised to be much further behind when the bar raises again in 2030. 

Amid accusations of cronyism, staff from Gov. Joe Lombardo’s office and Boring Co. miss a chance to address many environmental issues and violation dismissals.

Scotty's Castle, built in the 1920s, is tucked away in the desert in Death Valley National Park and was one of the park's biggest attractions.

While Nevada is renowned for its lack of precipitation, there’s a hidden cost behind the seemingly endless streak of mild days and clear blue skies.

In a rare move, the governor’s office has declined an invitation from the chair of the state’s Interim Committee on Growth and Infrastructure to provide more details about the regulation of Elon Musk’s controversial Boring Company project in Southern Nevada.

Nevada Division of Forestry State Forester and Fire Warden Kacey KC is leaving the division to serve as head of the Oregon Department of Forestry.

Nevada lawmakers have enacted a first-of-its-kind law designed to keep insurance companies operating in the state as more insurers grow squeamish about doing business in wildfire-prone areas. But opponents worry the bill could make the insurance crisis worse. 

Unseasonably warm temperatures through late fall and early winter have resulted in much of Nevada’s precipitation arriving so far this year as rainfall. Beyond western Nevada, the state’s snowpack is lagging.

Recent closures of a California oil refinery — and plans to shutter another in the near future — have some experts warning of potential fuel shortages and price spikes in Nevada and other Western states that depend on the Golden State. 

Remember the challenge of finding eggs during the bird flu outbreak, or when federal lawmakers were considering selling hundreds of thousands of acres of public land in Nevada? It feels like eons ago, but in reality, it was just a few months! A LOT happened in Nevada this year, so as 2025 wraps up, join me in taking a few minutes to look back at some of the biggest stories of the year. 

If Santa ever wanted to relocate, Nevada is a strong contender — especially Las Vegas, dubbed by some as the epicenter of the “fun economy.” While we couldn’t reach Santa to ask if he’d consider relocating to the Silver State, The Nevada Independent spoke with state officials and experts who made the case for why St. Nick should consider Nevada his next home base.

Former state engineer Adam Sullivan, who was terminated amid a water rights struggle in an overtapped basin, said he “faced pressure” to change decisions.

Putting an end to more than a decade of inaction and indecision, Nevada lawmakers on Wednesday finalized a state regulation for controversial coyote killing competitions on a 7-5 vote.

In a rare move that could delay progress on NV Energy’s large-scale transmission line planned for the Highway 50 corridor, the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has ordered its Nevada office to address some environmental groups’ protests against the project.

The departure is unexpected. The state engineer often serves under multiple governors, and the role requires expertise in complicated water laws.

Two lawsuits were filed in separate district courts in recent days, alleging that the commission's formula change is illegal.

An economic analysis released in November by the Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation shows that outdoor recreation across Nevada and the Tahoe Basin provided an estimated $24 billion in economic benefits in 2023 and jobs for more than 75,000 people.