RE:Nevada's top water regulator’s ability to make decisions. This is a huge win for the enviro/greenies, and can be devastating to all mining in Nevada. Water issues have long been a major obstacle in the permitting process. Mines have been able to buy and trade water rights from underallocated basins. If the state engineer can now 'do away' with the concept of individual basins and declare any water use and permit approval subject to how it impacts pupfish or some species of frog, all mining could be impacted, along with ranching and agriculture.