William Milton Anderson, a former chairman of the Moapa Band of Paiutes and environmental advocate, has died. He was 44.
Tribe vice chairman Tyler Samson on Thursday said Anderson died Sunday at his home, without providing further details.
Anderson became one of the youngest leaders of the tribe when he was named chairman at age 26. He was selected to be chairman for a second time in 2011.
During his second term as chairman, he organized efforts against the Reid Gardner power plant, located only a few hundred yards from the tribe's housing area.
Many of the about 320 tribal members for years had complained about respiratory ailments.
His environmental efforts helped lead to the eventual closure of the coal-fired plant about 40 miles north of Las Vegas.
