LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — A second commercial airport to serve Las Vegas known as the Southern Nevada Supplemental Airport would be built between Jean and Primm.
The FAA and BLM are studying the land and potential impact to the area.
Those pushing for a second commercial airport to serve the Las Vegas Metro say there’s no room to add runways to Harry Reid. Environmental groups argue creating a whole new major airport in the undeveloped desert is not the right solution.
“What happens to the desert tortoise? What happens to the white margined penstemon the flower I am dressed as? It affect’s everybody in Southern Nevada. We are all breathing the same air, we are all drinking the same water,” one environmentalist contended wearing a pink flower bonnet ahead of a meeting at the East Las Vegas Library Wednesday.
Others at the meeting hosted by the FAA and BLM dressed as a lizard, hummingbird, and tortoise, the creatures they want to protect.
“This would be a massive complex, 25,000 acres. It would take up the entirety between Jean and Primm,” explained Vinny Spotleson with the Sierra Club Toiyabe Chapter.
The environmentalists say building the Southern Nevada Supplemental Airport not far from the Mojave National Preserve would turn pristine desert habitat into a major industrial and commercial center, sending Las Vegas sprawl all the way to the California border.
“I don’t think we should have any urban development past the M Resort… There is a huge amount of climate pollution created by this airport, there would be horrible impacts to wildlife especially the desert tortoise this is a key migration corridor, and the biggest question of all is where is the water going to come from?,” Spotleson questioned.
“The bottom line is the valley is growing and we need additional commercial capacity to support that growth… Our opening day as we sit here today is projected for 2037,” Jim Chrisley, Senior Director of Aviation for the Clark County Department of Aviation shared.
Clark County says they are working with the Southern Nevada Water Authority and the Las Vegas Valley Water District to come up with a way to get water to the proposed airport and also come up with the money to pay for it.
“We don’t use any local tax dollars to fund our current system. As we look to fund this airport we are going to look to the same system,” Chrisley reported.
Those against building a new airport contend that all of Harry Reid, every gate, should be used utilized before building another airport. They also say the high speed train being built to Southern California should cut down the need for flights.
There will be another public meeting on the proposed airport:
Thursday, July 31, 2025 6 – 8 p.m. Primm Valley Casino Resorts – Primm Valley Ballroom 31900 South Las Vegas Boulevard, Primm, NV 89019
Additional information is on the FAA project webpage and the BLM project webpage.
The public can also email comments to: [email protected]
And mail comments to: David Kessler, AICP c/o Federal Aviation Administration, Western-Pacific Region 777 South Aviation Boulevard El Segundo, CA 90245
Joanie Guerrero – Realty Specialist Bureau of Land Management, Las Vegas Field Office 4701 N. Torrey Pines Drive Las Vegas, Nevada 89130
The deadline to submit comments is Friday, Sept. 5, 2025.
Clark County say it will take two years to draft a report on the environmental impact.
Then there will be more public comment and discussion before the final Record of Decision. That is currently set for May 2028.
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