Council approves water-lease amendment for Libra Solar as residents press for state-engineer review

The Yerington City Council voted to amend a water-lease agreement with Libra Solar, LLC to reference state application 95486T while noting the change does not alter dollar amounts or water allocations in the underlying contract. City Manager Jerry Bryant told the council the amendment updates the agreement to match the new application number assigned by the state engineer.

Members of the public urged the council to delay action until the state engineer completes its review and until residents have had more time to examine the amendment. Resident Robin Biggs told the council, "I'm just worried about the water in the valley." Leo Solari said he did not see the change discussed publicly beforehand and asked whether the transaction complied with NRS 268.063. The council recorded the concerns and proceeded with the amendment; the state-engineer review and any required technical approvals remain pending, as the council noted during discussion.

Why it matters: The leased water affects irrigation and local agricultural operations in Mason Valley, and several residents emphasized long-term water-security worries. The council said the amendment merely updates an application number and does not expand authorized water use, but acknowledged that any final authority falls to the state engineer. The city manager said the amendment was intended to ensure paperwork reflected the correct application number so the city is positioned to act if the state engineer approves the application.

What happens next: The state engineer's review of application 95486T will determine whether the lease, as amended, can be implemented in practice. Council records show public comments were entered into the meeting record raising procedural and substantive concerns.