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County Commission Approves Department Name Change

County Commission Approves Department Name Change

Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2020: County Commission Approves Department Name Change

At its regular meeting today, the Clark County Commission approved by unanimous vote the Department of Air Quality will change its name to the Department of Environment and Sustainability. The move comes four months after the Commission moved the County's Office of Sustainability to Air Quality. The Dept. of Environment and Sustainability is comprised of three divisions: Air Quality, Sustainability and the Desert Conservation Program.

"The Dept. of Environment and Sustainability reflects the full breadth of the work our department performs for Clark County, and to administer the County's climate change action plan," said Environment and Sustainability Director Marci Henson. "In addition to implementing the County's climate change action plan, we will continue to monitor and protect the air we share as we have in the past as well as monitor and protect our region's wildlife and plant life."

Last October, Clark County joined the County Climate Coalition last October—which will be directed by the Office of Sustainability—with a goal of reducing local greenhouse gas emissions. The County Climate Coalition was started in June 2017 by the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors to encourage other counties to commit to uphold the Paris Agreement. The County also joined The Climate Reality Project, an organization founded by former Vice President Al Gore, to engage other counties to make the same commitment to the Paris Agreement's carbon emissions reduction goals.

Under the direction of Desert Conservation Program, the Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan is responsible for more than 600 conservation projects totaling more than $154 million, including:

  • Establishment of the Wild Desert Tortoise Assistance Line. When a tortoise is found on a construction site, they call 702-593-9027 and we will safely remove and translocate it to a new habitat in the wild. Due to this program, more than 700 wild desert tortoises have been safely collected from construction sites and relocated back into the wild.
  • Increased law enforcement presence, education and outreach about the Boulder City Conservation Easement, which allows for better management and maintenance of the area.
  • Preservation and restoration of desert riparian habitat within the Muddy and Virgin River watersheds, which allows several bird species to enjoy flourishing habitats.

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Clark County is a dynamic and innovative organization dedicated to providing top-quality service with integrity, respect and accountability. With jurisdiction over the world-famous Las Vegas Strip and covering an area the size of New Jersey, Clark is the nation's 13th-largest county and provides extensive regional services to more than 2.3 million citizens and 45 million visitors a year. Included are the nation's 9th-busiest airport, air quality compliance, social services and the state's largest public hospital, University Medical Center. The County also provides municipal services that are traditionally provided by cities to about 1 million residents in the unincorporated area. Those include fire protection, roads and other public works, parks and recreation, and planning and developm

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