The Esmeralda 7 proposal—a collection of seven large solar projects in southern Nevada—was expected to generate enough electricity to power nearly two million homes.
This week, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) updated the project’s status, noting that the environmental review has been canceled. The project was part of a broader federal initiative to expand solar energy development on public lands as a way to address climate change.
The change comes as federal leaders debate the future of clean energy investments, including proposed reductions in funding for renewable projects and changes to electric vehicle tax credits.
The Trump administration wants to eliminate “conservation” as a use of our public lands — giving oil, gas, and mining companies free rein and taking away access from the public and from wildlife!
The Public Lands Rule protects nature, wildlife, and cultural sites across 245 million acres. We worked hard to win it, and we’re not backing down now.
Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada (LEAN) is collecting stories about how the recently signed One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 will impact SNAP recipients.
This new law includes changes to eligibility, benefits, and program administration that may directly affect recipients under the age of 65. We’re hoping to hear from anyone in our community who may lose benefits or experience other changes because of this bill.
If you’re willing to share your story with a reporter today (Thursday, Oct. 9), please: 📩 Reply to this post or 📧 Email us at paullarson@leanforjustice.org
Your story helps us advocate for fair and compassionate policies that ensure no one goes hungry.
Support reauthorization of international food assistance.
This week on Oct. 16, many around the world will together commemorate World Food Day through various civic engagement activities. The theme for this year is “Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future.” Ending hunger and malnutrition around the world is one of the major challenges with which we are faced and which we must address. According to a recently released report by the United Nations examining the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, between 638 and 720 million people are estimated to have faced hunger in 2024, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa.
The farm bill, which Congress needs to reauthorize every five years, is a critical policy tool that the U.S. government employs to fight global hunger. The legislation authorizes several international food aid programs. As policymakers work to finalize the next farm bill, urge your members of Congress to ensure programs that feed hungry people around the world are protected, especially the following programs:
Food for Peace (Title II): Supports a critical lifeline for communities with emergency food assistance during humanitarian crises such as famine and conflict, in addition to the non-emergency support used to enhance communities’ resilience to hunger and malnutrition.
McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Nutrition Program: Provides food donations to support school meals programs and maternal and child nutrition in low- and middle-income countries facing hunger.
Food for Progress: Helps developing countries strengthen their agricultural sectors. Under this program, donated U.S. agricultural commodities are sold locally, and the proceeds are then used to support agricultural, economic or infrastructure development programs.
As Lutherans, we are committed to work towards a just world where all are fed. “We are called to be stewards of what God has given for the sake of all. This stewardship includes holding economic, political, and social processes and institutions responsible for producing and distributing what is needed for sufficiency for all,” reads the ELCA social statement Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All. Farm bill provisions can assist our siblings in great need.
Urge international food aid inclusion to contribute to the well-being of God’s people and creation. Please contact your members of Congress to protect international food programs in the farm bill. You are encouraged to customize your message to reflect your own voice and values. Thank you for your faithful advocacy!
ACLU is hosting on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. PT, Building a Firewall for Freedom. Join the ACLU of Nevada and the national ACLU on Instagram Live to discuss the launch of our Firewall for Freedom campaign
We’re bringing legal action, advocacy, and public engagement to defend the rights that keep Nevada free: free speech, immigrant rights, voting rights, and equal protection for all.
Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada 