The endangered Blue Diamond cholla was protected through a mutual arrangement between James Hardie Gypsum, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and The Nature Conservancy.
[9] It was later discovered that the Blue Diamond cholla also grows in a half-dozen other areas, located in the north half of Clark County, Nevada and in northwest Arizona.
[10] In the late 1980s,[11][12] plans were proposed for a $100 million hydroelectric power plant to be built at Blue Diamond Hill, on land owned by the BLM.
[16] To alleviate concerns about its proximity to Red Rock Canyon, the proposed site was moved one mile south, on land that was also owned by the BLM and was located near the gypsum mine.
[17] Clark County planners were worried about the visual impact that the plant would have on the area, and also expressed concern about dust problems during construction and operation.
[24][26] U.S. senator Harry Reid introduced a bill that would extend the power plant's FERC licensing, allowing the project to proceed.
In 2002, John Laing Homes proposed a residential community to be built on nearly 3,000 acres atop Blue Diamond Hill, bringing an estimated 21,000 new residents to the area.
[34] Developer Jim Rhodes purchased acreage on Blue Diamond Hill in 2003, and has since made several proposals for a housing community on the land, although the projects have been opposed as well.