RENO, Nev.— Conservation advocates recorded a major win today as the Bureau of Land Management announced it would begin a new environmental analysis for the proposed Greenlink North transmission project across central Nevada.

Greenlink North is a proposed 235-mile transmission line that would cut across the heart of sagebrush country along Highway 50, known as the “Loneliest Road in America.” Government scientists have found that the transmission line would cause severe harm to the imperiled greater sage grouse. Local communities are concerned that it would harm their economies and way of life.

“This is vindication for the people and communities fighting back against the destruction of central Nevada by Greenlink North,” said Patrick Donnelly, Great Basin director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “We’ve been saying for years that this transmission line would ruin some of the best sage-grouse habitat in the state. Now the BLM has found that its own environmental analysis didn’t account for such harms.”

Today’s BLM announcement is in response to an administrative appeal launched by conservationists and sportsmen's groups last summer. Lander County also submitted a protest. The Bureau agreed with the groups that its original environmental impact statement was deficient.

In particular, the Bureau failed to analyze how proposed waivers and exemptions to land use plans intended to protect greater sage grouse would avoid harm to the birds. The transmission line would run within 4 miles of dozens of sage grouse mating grounds, called leks, which conflicts with measures to protect the birds.

The agency’s supplemental environmental analysis will be open for 30 days of public comment, starting in February. The Bureau anticipates issuing a record of decision in May.

“I’m thrilled that the Bureau of Land Management is hitting the pause button on this destructive project and that people will be given another chance to weigh in,” said Donnelly. “People from all walks of life in Nevada, from all corners of the state, are concerned that Greenlink North will blast a hole through the heart of the Silver State. We have to ensure that those voices are heard, and we’ll never give up the fight to save central Nevada and the Loneliest Road.”