In December 2024, the Bureau of Land Management announced the initiation of a process to withdraw 264,000 acres in Nevada’s Ruby Mountains from oil and gas development for two years. This process will provide short term protection for the landscape while the department considers longer-term withdrawal.
The Ruby Mountains provide expansive recreation opportunities and are home to a diverse array of habitat and species. Often referred to as the Swiss Alps of Nevada, visitors come to hunt, fish, hike, ski, and enjoy the incredible views. The landscape is home to elk, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, sage grouse, cutthroat trout, and the largest mule deer herd in the state.
In 2019, TCA grantees Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP) and Trout Unlimited (TU) formed the Sportsmen for the Rubies campaign to propel protection efforts. The coalition, consisting of 14 hunt-fish organizations, helped push forward initial introduction of legislation in 2019, along with subsequent efforts in 2021 and 2023. The 2-year mineral withdrawal marks an important milestone in the effort to protect this landscape for generations to come.
Update: In April 2025, the US Department of Agriculture cancelled the administrative withdrawal, opening this landscape up to potential development.
