We awakened to very sad news this morning. Nevada lost one of its environmental champions with the passing of Assemblywoman Peggy Pierce. Assemblywoman Pierce was a great friend to the Nevada Conservation League and the broader environmental community. She was always proud to call herself an environmentalist and she showed it through her many years in the Nevada Assembly. Whether the issue was protecting our groundwater from contamination by landfills or fighting to protect Nevada’s beautiful places like Red Rock Canyon and Lake Tahoe, we always knew we could count on Peggy to fight with us. Last spring, at the end of the 2013 legislative session, NCL had the pleasure of presenting Ms. Pierce with an award for her work. The certificate read:

In recognition of her outstanding efforts on behalf of Nevada’s environment throughout her career at the Nevada Legislature. We honor her life’s work as an advocate for our environment, truly battle born. She is a legislator whose efforts provided us all with the inspiration to work hard and to stand firm. Let it be said that on this day, Sunday, June 1st, 2013, the Nevada Conservation League paid tribute to a true champion of Nevada’s environment.

Peggy has left an indelible mark on the environmental community. We are going to miss her, her passion and her tireless work that has benefited so many Nevadans.