Bipartisan, bicameral legislation to extend the authorization of the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - Today, U.S. Senator Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) introduced her bipartisan, bicameral legislation to extend the authorization of the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act. This law has delivered millions of dollars in federal funding to Lake Tahoe since the original law passed in 2000, supporting environmental protection and habitat restoration programs across the basin.

This legislation is supported by Senators Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Representatives Mark Amodei (R-Nev.-02), John Garamendi (D-Calif.-03), Dina Titus (D-Nev.- 01), Susie Lee (D-Nev.-03), and Steven Horsford (D-Nev.-04).

“We’ve made incredible progress in preserving Lake Tahoe for future generations, but there is still more to do to protect the lake from the impacts of pollution, the threat of invasive species, and the increasing number of visitors who come to enjoy the lake each year,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Reauthorizing this critical legislation will ensure the communities around Lake Tahoe continue to have the resources they need to support local jobs, welcome tourists, and combat climate change.”

League to Save Lake Tahoe CEO Darcie Goodman Collins joined other Lake Tahoe advocates in Washington, D.C. this week to urge the electeds to push the restoration act's reauthorization forward.

“The two prior Lake Tahoe Restoration Acts have fueled so much good work to Keep Tahoe Blue,“ said Goodman Collins. “We’re thrilled the new bill is supported so broadly by Tahoe’s federal delegation. The League will continue pushing for this new LTRA to become law, just as we did to help pass the 2000 and 2016 Acts.”

“As Lake Tahoe continues to be affected by extreme weather events and the deepening impacts of climate change, extending the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act is pivotal to our collaborative restoration work,” Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Executive Director Julie Regan said. “Federal support leverages ongoing state, local, and private investments that not only provide jobs in our region but also ensure this national treasure is protected for future generations.”

Senator Cortez Masto is a longtime champion for Lake Tahoe, leading efforts in the Senate to conserve the region and protect the Lake. She secured nearly $17 million in funding for the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, in addition to critical resources to address microplastic pollution in the Lake and to improve transportation options to and from Reno.

“Lake Tahoe is a California treasure and we must do everything we can to protect it for future generations,” said Senator Padilla. “As the threats of climate change severely escalate, we must reauthorize the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act to provide critical funding to preserve Lake Tahoe and protect it against pollution, invasive species, and wildfires.”