Lake Tahoe, Stateline, NV— The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) today applauded Congress for its passage of the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act.
“The importance of this bipartisan legislation for Lake Tahoe cannot be overstated. We would like to thank our congressional delegation for its strong leadership in the passage of this bill, and our many partners around the lake for their vocal support,” said Joanne S. Marchetta, executive director of TRPA.
Passed on Friday as part of the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act and now headed to President Barack Obama for his signature, the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act authorizes up to $415 million in future federal funding appropriations over the next seven years.
That federal funding will help leverage local, state, and private sector funding to maintain and build on the progress of the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program, one of the nation’s most ambitious and successful environmental restoration and conservation programs.
This reauthorization of the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act will help TRPA and its many partners around the Lake Tahoe Basin continue to work to address the biggest environmental challenges facing the lake, including water quality, forest health, and the harmful spread of aquatic invasive species.
Sponsored by Dean Heller (R-Nevada), Harry Reid (D-Nevada), Dianne Feinstein (D-California), and Barbara Boxer (D-California) in the Senate, and by Mark Amodei (R-Nevada), Tom McClintock (R-California), and John Garamendi (D-California) in the House of Representatives, the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act authorizes:
• $150 million for hazardous fuels reduction projects to improve forest health and reduce wildfire risk;
• $113 million for projects to reduce stormwater pollution and improve water quality;
• $80 million for other high-priority projects;
• $45 million for projects to combat aquatic invasive species;
• $20 million for the reintroduction of native Lahontan cutthroat trout;
• $5 million for performance and accountability tracking;
• And $2 million for land boundary adjustments for improved efficiency of public land management.
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency leads the cooperative effort to preserve, restore, and enhance the unique natural and human environment of the Lake Tahoe Region, while improving local communities, and people’s interactions with our irreplaceable environment. For additional information, contact Tom Lotshaw, public information officer, at 775-589-5278.