New tool gives insight to Lake Tahoe's environmental improvements

A new website puts comprehensive information about the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program at everyone’s fingertips, allowing people to easily learn more about “Lake-Saving Projects” completed in their own neighborhoods and all around Lake Tahoe.

The new Environmental Improvement Program Project Tracker is online at www.conservationclearly.org/tracker.

“The Environmental Improvement Program has delivered significant benefits for the environment and recreation at Lake Tahoe. The Project Tracker is a powerful new website that improves transparency and accountability and allows us to better showcase the great work being done,” said Kimberly Caringer, Environmental Improvement Program Division Manager at the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.

TRPA manages the Environmental Improvement Program (EIP) with more than 50 local, state, federal, and private sector partners. The capital investment program includes projects to restore Tahoe’s water clarity, reduce wildfire danger, protect against invasive species, and improve public recreation opportunities.

Partners have completed more than 450 projects since the Environmental Improvement Program launched in 1997. The program is one of the most ambitious and successful environmental restoration initiatives in the nation.

Projects have improved stormwater collection and treatment on 703 miles of roads, improved forest health and cleared hazardous fuels on 59,520 acres of forest, restored more than 16,000 acres of wildlife habitat, improved public access to 2,770 feet of Lake Tahoe shoreline, inspected 44,000 boats for invasive species, treated 38 acres of lakebed for invasive weeds and clams, and built or improved 143 miles of bike trails and pedestrian routes.

With so many Environmental Improvement Program projects completed, it has been challenging for the public to find information about them. The Project Tracker website eliminates that difficulty, providing information about all projects: Where and when they were completed, who paid for them, what their benefits are for the environment and communities, and what projects are planned for the future. People can also use the Project Tracker website to search projects by implementer, location, or category; view photos of projects; create maps and charts; and produce project fact sheets.

Created with grant funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, through the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act, the Project Tracker offers the public a new window to view the work of the public-private partnerships underway at Lake Tahoe.

“With the EIP Project Tracker, the average citizen has the opportunity to better understand how public dollars have been spent to restore the lake,” said Jesse Patterson, Deputy Director of the League to Save Lake Tahoe. “Transparency like this is critical to maintain the public’s trust and the goodwill we’ll need to secure long-term public funding to adequately Keep Tahoe Blue for years to come.”