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Las Vegas pushes to become first to ban ornamental grass

Las Vegas-Conservation
Posted at 3:00 PM, Apr 11, 2021
and last updated 2021-04-11 18:00:12-04

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A desert city built on a reputation for excess wants to become a model for conservation with a first-in-the-nation policy banning grass that nobody walks on.

Las Vegas-area water officials are asking the Nevada Legislature to pass a law prohibiting "nonfunctional turf."

The Southern Nevada Water Authority says taking out the grass in street medians and common areas of master-planned communities and office parks can reduce the amount of water the region consumes by roughly 15%.

California imposed a temporary ban during its drought, but no state or major city has tried to phase out certain categories of grass permanently.