(The Center Square) – Nevada this week gained control over a major industrial hub, which had previously been held up with national regulations for years.
The 18,000-acre Apex Industrial Park in North Las Vegas has seen lengthy delays for basic infrastructure improvements over the years. But the Apex Area Technical Corrections Act will finally allow this process to be overseen by the local government.
“This act fast tracks infrastructure development that will lead to quality jobs,” said North Las Vegas Mayor Pamela Goynes-Brown in a press release. “In the past, securing BLM (Bureau of Land Management) rights-of-way for roads, water, power, and other utilities took years for each individual use which delayed progress and investment. This legislation allows for a unified, streamlined process that will save time, reduce redundancy, and unlock Apex’s full potential without compromising environmental review or agency oversight.”
The city of North Las Vegas has said it expects an eventual return of 73,000 jobs and $7 billion in investments from the industrial park.
Sprawled in northeastern North Las Vegas along Interstate 15, Apex Industrial Park already has a number of high-profile companies with factories in the area. Crocs, Kroger and Air Liquide operate in the expanding industrial space, with hopes that deregulation will attract further interest.
“Previously, each road and utility right-of-way could take one to three years to secure per project, even when in the same location,” said Lisa Cole, vice president of Land Development Associates, which is currently working on a $70 million waterline project at the Apex site. “The Apex Area Technical Corrections Act is a major breakthrough that allows one consolidated permit, saving years while preserving environmental and federal oversight.”
The Apex Area Technical Corrections Act quickly worked its way through Congress, passing in the U.S. Senate with unanimous consent. On Tuesday, President Donald Trump signed the bill into law.
“It’s very common sense. It was supported by a bipartisan group,” North Las Vegas Mayor Pro Tempore Scott Black, who represents Ward 3 on the council, told The Center Square. “To me, that just speaks to the fact that it was needed, and that it’s valuable to the Southern Nevada economy.”
