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