CARSON CITY, Nev. — Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak has signed legislation to make the state the first in the U.S. to ban certain kinds of grass.
The measure signed Friday will ban water users in southern Nevada from planting decorative grass so they conserve water.
The grass ban starting in 2027 applies to office parks, entrances to housing developments and street medians. It does not apply to single-family homes, parks and golf courses.
Water officials say the ban will eliminate about 31% of the grass in the region.
The ban comes as western states that rely on the Colorado River for water prepare for the federal government to issue its first-ever official shortage declaration.
The Associated Press notes that other cities and states have previously enacted legislation that enacts temporary bans on lawns that must be watered, but Nevada's new law is the first permanent ban of its kind.
