Drought-stricken Nevada enacts ban on ‘non-functional’ grass

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak has signed legislation to make the state the first in the U.S. to ban certain kinds of grass. The measure signed Friday will ban water users in southern Nevada from planting decorative grass so they conserve water. The grass ban starting in 2027 applies to office parks, entrances to housing developments and street medians. But it does not apply to single-family homes or parks. Water officials say the ban will eliminate about 31% of the grass in the region. The ban comes as western states that rely on the Colorado River for water prepare for the federal government to issue its first-ever official shortage declaration.