Paiute Tribes Rally Against NV Energy’s Greenlink West Project Over Burial Sites Concerns

Tribal members from the Yerington and Walker River Paiute tribes gathered for a protest on Tuesday at a construction site for NV Energy’s Greenlink West project, which spans 350 miles from Las Vegas to Reno. The protest, which has been ongoing since September 29, aims to halt construction due to the project’s encroachment on land believed to contain their ancestors’ graves. This protest camp was set up near Yerington, and attendees held ceremonies while construction equipment remained idle.

The protest started after the construction crews began work on September 28 without the presence of cultural monitors, prompting concerns about the potential disturbance of sacred sites. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) flagged the site amid discoveries that could be significant to the tribes. An email from BLM indicated that three unexpected archaeological finds were made during construction, with operations paused around these locations. Tribal members criticized the absence of local cultural oversight during construction and plan to continue their protest to protect their heritage.