Sep 24, 2024
Image: Looking Lake Tahoe’s 190 square-mile surface from the East Shore of Lake Tahoe, Nev. The alpine lake spans the borders of Nevada and California. The USDA Forest Service manages nearly 80 percent of the land in the watershed. Image Credit: Drone Promotions
LAKE TAHOE, CA/NV – A partnership of Lake Tahoe agencies applauded Congress today for its passage of a bill to reauthorize the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act (LTRA), which is the cornerstone of federal investment in the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program (EIP), one of the most comprehensive and successful conservation programs in the nation.
The approval extends existing funding authorizations for approximately $300 million to 2034 and continues federal support for priority EIP projects to protect and restore Lake Tahoe. Since the EIP was formed in 1997, public and private sector partners have completed more than 830 projects including wetland restoration, bike trails, forest fuel reduction, and aquatic invasive species prevention and control. The federal commitment has helped leverage local, state, and private investments which together total more than $2.8 billion in environmental improvements.
Known as Team Tahoe, the EIP is a partnership of more than 80 public, tribal, and non-profit organizations.
“The Lake Tahoe Region is grateful to Congress for their leadership in passing this critical piece of legislation to continue the collaborative work to protect and restore Lake Tahoe,” Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Executive Director Julie Regan said. “Extending the federal investment in the EIP will leverage millions of dollars in state and local funding to implement the top priority projects for the lake and our communities.”
Rosalie Herrera, Deputy Forest Supervisor for the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, said “USDA has testified in support of S. 612 as these federal funds will continue to allow work with states, local governments, and other public and private entities to provide for fuel reduction, erosion control, reforestation, watershed restoration, and invasive plant projects on federal and non-federal lands in the Lake Tahoe Basin”
Since LTRA was authorized in 2016, $122 million in federal funds have supported EIP partners in treating 21,000 acres of forest to reduce wildfire risk, restoring 342 acres of wetlands to protect biodiversity and the lake’s clarity, and inspecting 51,000 boats for aquatic invasive species. These federal funds have been matched by $500 million in state, local, tribal, and private matching funds. Additionally, the EIP supports an average of 1,700 jobs a year and every $1 million in spending generates $1.6 million in economic output.
“In the thick of election season, the successful bipartisan effort to pass the Lake Tahoe Restoration Reauthorization Act is something the whole country can celebrate,” said Dr. Darcie Goodman Collins, CEO of League to Save Lake Tahoe/Keep Tahoe Blue. “In every conversation we have with lawmakers, we hear nothing but commitment to protect this national treasure. Working together is how we’ll continue to Keep Tahoe Blue.”
“We are thrilled about the extension of the LTRA, and are so grateful to the extraordinarily hard-working senators, congresspeople and staff members who represent us in Washington,” said Tahoe Fund CEO Amy Berry. “An enormous amount of work goes into preserving this pristine natural treasure enjoyed by so many. Our champions in Congress and the resources provided through the LTRA continue to inspire our generous donors to contribute to the long-term health of Lake Tahoe.”
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Taylor and Tallac Creeks and Marsh and USDA Forest Service Visitor Center, South Shore of Lake Tahoe, Calif. Credit: Drone Promotions
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Sugar Pine Point, West Shore of Lake Tahoe, Calif. Credit: Drone Promotions
The Restoration Act will address the biggest environmental challenges facing the lake, including water quality, forest health, and the harmful spread of aquatic invasive species.
The bill is sponsored by Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Laphonza Butler (D-CA) in the Senate and by Mark Amodei (R-NV), Kevin Kiley (R-CA), John Garamendi (D-CA), Dina Titus (D-NV), Susie Lee (D-NV), Steven Horsford (D-NV), and John Duarte (R-CA) in the House of Representatives. The bill was introduced in March 2023 with the late Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) as an original cosponsor.
Media Contacts
Jeff Cowen, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, (775) 589-5278, jcowen@trpa.gov
Charles Clark, USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, (520) 282-0020, Charles.h.clark@usda.gov
Chris Joseph, League to Save Lake Tahoe, (530) 541-5388, cjoseph@keeptahoeblue.org
Jess Weaver, JVP Communications, Tahoe Fund (530) 448-6981, jessica@jvpcommunications.com
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In 1969, the U.S. Congress ratified the bi-state compact between the states of Nevada and California to create the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA). TRPA leads the collaborative effort to protect and restore Lake Tahoe, and proudly leads the Environmental Improvement Program collaboration of more than 80 public and private organizations.
Aug 16, 2024
Governing Board Vice Chair Hayley Williamson, Nevada At-Large Member
Governing Board Chair Cindy Gustafson, Placer County Board of Supervisors
By Cindy Gustafson and Hayley Williamson
Earlier this week, members of Lake Tahoe’s federal delegation, led by U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev), gathered with community members, Washoe tribal members, and state and local leaders to mark the 28th annual Lake Tahoe Summit. Their presence, along with a keynote address by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, provided an uplifting moment that recognized the success of the conservation of Lake Tahoe. The annual event additionally underscored ongoing challenges in the region and the need for sustainable funding to support multiple initiatives.
The Summit celebrates the unparalleled partnership that underpins the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program (EIP), which came together at the first Lake Tahoe Presidential Summit in 1997. Today, the EIP involves more than 80 organizations committed to Lake Tahoe’s restoration with the goal of preserving this special place for all to enjoy now and into the future. While the event shines a national spotlight on all conservation efforts, the theme this year focused on investing in transit, trails, and technology to improve transportation, equity, and sustainable recreation while supporting our communities.
It was empowering to hear so many leaders echo support for priority projects in the Regional Transportation Plan. The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) is leading an update of the plan this year with many opportunities for dialogue in our communities, particularly those that are traditionally underrepresented. Through the EIP, regional transportation partners have built or improved nearly 200 miles of bike trails and finished 17 complete street projects. Free, on-demand microtransit services have provided well over one million rides to date. These are just some of the investments that have resulted in a 29 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions since 2005 and a 24 percent reduction in car trips since 2008.
The challenges around updating the car-centric design of town centers and reducing traffic and parking on Tahoe’s two-lane mountain roads are clear. Demand on our roadways and recreation areas is undergoing a fundamental shift. America’s love of the outdoors has been rising and metropolitan areas outside the Tahoe Basin are growing. Today, Lake Tahoe’s most popular recreation corridors are congested on peak days. To keep pace, TRPA Corridor Management Plans are prioritizing transportation and sustainable recreation improvements for areas like Emerald Bay, Zephyr Cove, Sand Harbor, and the roadways that connect Tahoe City, Truckee, and Kings Beach.
The new approach is holistically reducing reliance on cars, improving access and mobility with bike trails and transit, and moving roadside parking spaces into managed parking areas. At the Chimney Beach trailhead on Nevada State Route 28, the USDA Forest Service is improving an existing parking lot with more than 100 additional parking spaces while an equal number of roadside spaces are being removed. Similar improvements at Zephyr Cove this summer have greatly increased safety with a new pedestrian crosswalk, a parking reservation system, and additional parking enforcement.
This year alone, more than $33 million in new federal grants have been awarded for the East Shore trail extension from Sand Harbor toward Spooner Summit along Nevada State Route 28, to replace Tahoe’s aging transit fleet with new hybrid bus technology, and to improve regional communications systems during emergencies and assist evacuation planning. Even with this progress, significant transit and infrastructure investments are needed to achieve our shared vision for a safe, sustainable Tahoe. State and local governments and the private sector are stepping up as well with sustainable sources of revenue to bridge the funding gap in the Regional Transportation Plan. Under a shared, multi-sector funding framework called the “7-7-7” strategy, federal, state, and local/private partners are providing $7 million per year to complete the projects called for in the plan.
Officials from both sides of the aisle during the Summit (full recording) also stressed the importance of extending the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act. The bill has appropriated $100 million for Tahoe restoration projects since 2016. The Act is set to expire next month and awaits a final vote for reauthorization in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Taking care of Tahoe is something that brings people together. This beloved lake is not only a place where people and communities can thrive, it is also the jewel of the Sierra, shared by two states and six local governments. Further, it is the center of the world for the Washoe Tribe and a national treasure that is nearly 80 percent national forest. Every one of us has a role to play in protecting Lake Tahoe and we hope you can join us. Visit restoretahoe.org to learn more.
Cindy Gustafson is Chair of the TRPA Governing Board and District 5 Supervisor for Placer County. Hayley Williamson is Vice Chair and Nevada At-Large member of the TRPA Governing Board.
Jun 14, 2024
The 26th issue of Tahoe In Depth is hitting the streets and will be in mailboxes soon. Enjoy articles on the Motel 6 acquisition and restoration, reintroducing Lahontan cutthroat trout, Tahoe Blue Beaches, and many more.
Mar 29, 2024
Members of Team Tahoe on the steps of The Capitol, Washington D.C. See names below.
March 13, 2024
Lake Tahoe leaders, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and partner agency staff, scientists, and representatives of the private, non-profit, and business communities attended a press conference March 13 in Washington D.C. hosted by U.S. Congressman Kevin Kiley (R-CA). The event was organized to show support for extension of the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act, which is set to expire in September of this year. Dubbed by the late U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein as Team Tahoe, the contingent of supporters united to visit legislators and share the importance of federal support to Lake Tahoe and its communities.
The Lake Tahoe Restoration Reauthorization Act provides funding for projects that support forest health, water for fire infrastructure, watershed restoration, water quality, aquatic invasives species control, Lahontan cutthroat trout recovery, and accountability. Since the Act’s passage in 2016, Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program (EIP) partners have implemented hundreds of projects, substantially leveraged the federal investment with state, local, and private funding, and supported 1,700 jobs per year. To learn more, read the fact sheet that accompanied the team on their legislative visits.
Pictured from left to right:
Top/back row
University of Nevada, Reno, Tahoe Science Advisory Council
Dr. Sudeep Chandra, Director of the Global Water Center; past Co-Director of the Lake Tahoe Science Advisory Council; Professor, University of Nevada, Reno
Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, City of South Lake Tahoe
Cody Bass, Governing Board Member, Mayor
Tahoe Regional Planning Agency
Devin Middlebrook, Government Affairs Manager
Barton Health, South Tahoe Transportation Management Association
Chris Proctor, Director of Community Benefit and Business Development
League to Save Lake Tahoe
Steve Spurlock, Board Chair
North Tahoe Public Utility District
Bradley Johnson, General Manager
USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Erick Walker, Forest Supervisor
USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Charles Clark, Legislative and External Affairs Staff Officer
Middle row
League to Save Lake Tahoe
Dr. Darcie Collins, Chief Executive Officer
Tahoe Regional Planning Agency
Kimberly Caringer, Chief Partnerships Officer/Deputy Director
Lake Tahoe Community College
Laura Metune, Senior Director of Government Relations and Grant Development
Tahoe Transportation District
Carl Hasty, District Manager
Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California
Serrell Smokey, Chairman
League to Save Lake Tahoe, South Tahoe Transportation Management Association
Gavin Fieger, Policy Director
Tahoe Fund
Caitlin Meyer, Chief Programs Officer
Bottom/front row
Sustainable Community Advocates
Steve Teshara, Principal
League to Save Lake Tahoe
Laura Patten, Natural Resources Director
South Tahoe Public Utility District
Shelly Thomsen, Director of Public and Government Affairs
North Tahoe Public Utility District
Sarah Coolidge, Board President
Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, Placer County
Cindy Gustafson, Governing Board Chair, County Supervisor
Douglas County
Sharla Hales, County Commissioner
Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, Washoe County
Alexis Hill, Governing Board Member, County Commissioner
Tahoe Regional Planning Agency
Julie Regan, Executive Director
Not pictured
Tahoe Regional Planning Agency
Meghan Hayes, Governing Board Member, U.S. Presidential appointee
Mar 22, 2024
By Julie Regan
Lake Tahoe has protectors just about everywhere in this great nation. Last week, TRPA representatives joined a coalition of Lake Tahoe supporters in Washington D.C. to urge the extension of a key piece of legislation that has been pivotal in Lake Tahoe’s preservation. The Lake Tahoe Restoration Act is set to expire in September of this year, putting a major source of federal funding at risk.
Nevada and California local elected officials, tribal leaders, TRPA board members, and public and private organizations gathered for meetings with members of Congress and the Biden Administration to stress the urgency of continuing to protect Lake Tahoe. “Team Tahoe” succeeded in drawing national attention to our numerous challenges, from historical environmental impacts to emerging threats posed by climate change. The call to protect Lake Tahoe has echoed from these mountainsides, throughout Nevada and California, and across America to bring attention to one of the country’s most treasured landscapes.
Lake Tahoe suffered severe environmental damage before strict protections were enacted under the first Lake Tahoe Regional Plan. In 1997, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) joined many public and private partners to launch the Environmental Improvement Program, or EIP. Under the initiative, more than 800 projects have been completed thus far to protect water quality, reduce the threat of wildfire, combat aquatic invasive species, improve transportation and trails, support science and research, and much more.
The historic announcement this week that the California Tahoe Conservancy is acquiring 31 acres on the Upper Truckee River in South Lake Tahoe is a poignant example of the determination we all share to remove outdated development from sensitive lands. The Motel 6 site restoration is yet one more instance of strong partnerships and epic collaboration, the hallmark of the EIP which has become one of the most comprehensive conservation programs in the nation.
Partners have treated more than 94,000 acres of forest to reduce hazardous fuels, inspected 110,000 boats for aquatic invasive species, and improved and connected 200 miles of bike and pedestrian trails. Importantly, water quality improvements made by private property owners and public agencies are keeping more than 600,000 pounds of stormwater pollution out of the lake every year so that future generations can enjoy Lake Tahoe’s world-famous stunning clarity.
Funding for the EIP comes from every sector as well. With nearly 80 percent of the Tahoe Basin a national forest, federal funding through the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act has been crucial to our progress. Since 2016, the act has provided more than $110 million and leveraged four times that amount in state, local, and private funding. For example, TRPA supported the California Tahoe Conservancy’s Motel 6 acquisition with $3.5 million in mitigation fees collected from thousands of private property owners who contributed to water quality funds through the TRPA permit process. This leveraging of public and private restoration dollars is a key strength of the EIP. With the Restoration Act set to expire in September, urgent action is needed to extend the legislation and continue the arduous work ahead. Lake Tahoe’s congressional delegation is steadfast in its support to fight for the lake amidst competing priorities in the nation’s capital.
While we can celebrate significant progress under the EIP, it is imperative to recognize much more needs to be done, especially in the face of climate change. As the lake warms and the region is beset by more extreme weather events, we must increase the pace and scale of forest resilience projects to reduce wildfire risk, accelerate projects to upgrade water systems for firefighting, and ramp up the fight against aquatic invasive species. To continue improving the lake’s extraordinary clarity, more projects are needed to restore meadows and wetlands and reduce stormwater pollution. In addition, fostering a sustainable population of Lahontan cutthroat trout in the watershed is essential to restore the native ecosystem and is of great importance to the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California.
The breadth of support Lake Tahoe has received over the years shows clearly that none of these challenges are insurmountable. Partnerships at every level are crucial to continue Lake Tahoe’s restoration journey. Together, we can ensure a sustainable future for Lake Tahoe and our communities. For more information on the Environmental Improvement Program, visit eip.laketahoeinfo.org.
Julie Regan is Executive Director of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.
Mar 19, 2024
Partners celebrate the drive to remove development from environmentally sensitive land to restore the Upper Truckee River and protect Lake Tahoe’s clarity.
South Lake Tahoe, Calif.—The California Tahoe Conservancy joins with its funding partners—the California Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB), Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA), California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), Tahoe Fund, and League to Save Lake Tahoe—to announce the Conservancy is acquiring 31 acres of environmentally sensitive land along the Upper Truckee River in South Lake Tahoe.
“This environmental acquisition may be the most important in a generation to protect Lake Tahoe,” said California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot. “By reconnecting the most important wetland that filters water flowing into the Lake, this investment protects the Lake’s precious water quality and also provides an important corridor for local wildlife. This project demonstrates the great value of the California Tahoe Conservancy, to work diligently over years—sometimes decades—to see important environmental improvements to fruition.”
“We are grateful to our funding partners for making this possible,” said Conservancy Board Chair Adam Acosta. “This historic acquisition of the Knox Johnson and Motel 6 property achieves a decades-old goal and brings one of the last privately held sections of the river corridor under public ownership.”
About the land acquisition
- 25 acres of mountain meadow and wetlands.
- 4 acres of former floodplain.
- One-third of the Lake Tahoe Basin drains into the Upper Truckee River.
- 96 percent of the lower section of the Upper Truckee River is in public ownership after this purchase.
- 6 funding sources including nonprofit donations and permit mitigation fees.
- Connects hundreds of acres of public marsh and meadow lands.
This Conservancy acquisition includes 25 acres of mountain meadow and wetlands, a two-acre single-family homesite, and four acres of former floodplain. Lake Tahoe lost nearly 30 feet of its famed water clarity following the development boom of the 1950s and 60s and damage to the Lake’s natural water filters. The four acres of floodplain is now occupied by Motel 6, a vacant restaurant building, and a paved parking area. The property also abuts the Conservancy’s 560-acre Upper Truckee Marsh property to the north. Tahoe Resource Conservation District’s (Tahoe RCD) 206-acre Johnson Meadow property lies across U.S. Highway 50 to the south.
The Conservancy will remove the 1970s-era motel and vacant restaurant and retire or transfer the property’s development rights and coverage for future use on town center redevelopment. The Conservancy will preserve the surrounding mountain meadow and wetlands. The acquisition presents opportunities to restore wetland habitat on the newly acquired property itself as well as future restoration at the Upper Truckee Marsh.
“This landmark acquisition shows the incredible progress coming from collaborative partnerships we have been building for more than 50 years,” said Julie Regan, executive director of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. “Today, the Lake Tahoe Region is taking a giant step forward in improving lake clarity and increasing public access for all.”
Healthy functioning wetlands act as a natural pollution filter for Lake Tahoe, preserving its famed clarity. In the Upper Truckee watershed, EIP partners have completed many projects over decades to restore streams, rivers, wetlands, floodplains, and wildlife habitat. This acquisition amplifies the value of past restoration projects, while allowing the Conservancy and the adjacent public landowner partners, such as Tahoe RCD and the USDA Forest Service, to closely coordinate future ecosystem restoration and management efforts. TRPA provided nearly $3.5 million in water quality and land coverage mitigation fees for the acquisition. These development mitigation fees collected through the TRPA permit process represent thousands of private property owners who are aiding the initiative to restore sensitive land and limit development under the Regional Plan.
The land protected by this acquisition is part of the homeland of the waší∙šiw (Washoe people—the people from here). The waší∙šiw are the aboriginal stewards of the land in and around the Lake Tahoe Basin. As a sovereign nation, the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, as it is known today, continues to advocate for the protection and preservation of waší∙šiw ɁítdeɁ (the Washoe people’s homelands).
“The Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California is supportive of the incredible work being done by the Conservancy,” said Washoe Tribe Chairman Serrell Smokey. “The Conservancy has been a great partner and their work to protect, preserve, and re-establish healthy ecosystems within the Tahoe Basin should be celebrated. Addressing decades of overdevelopment in very delicate and fragile ecosystems, such the Upper Truckee, is not something that happens overnight. While we celebrate this as a huge victory for the Tahoe Basin, it is also important to acknowledge that this will have profound and far-reaching impacts as we continue to imagine a healthy future for the Tahoe Basin with Washoe Culture and Peoples at the center.”
Acquiring the property protects its critical wetland and meadow habitat, while presenting future opportunities to improve climate resilience and public access and to restore the river corridor for Lake Tahoe’s largest tributary.
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