Conservation

As the keynote speaker at last month’s National Workshop on Large Landscape Conservation in Washington, D.C., U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Sally Jewell emphasized the central role collaboration must play for America to protect its natural resources, balance economic needs, and address emerging environmental challenges such as climate change.

“We are moving into an era of epic collaboration,” Jewell said, explaining that regional partnerships across jurisdictional boundaries are more important than ever for the federal department that manages 20 percent of our nation’s land.

With empty lots in the South Lake Tahoe area owned by various agencies and private owners, the public doesn't know who to report incidents or situations to unless they are marked.

In order to help the public, the California Tahoe Conservancy began posting property tags today to help the public better identify its lands on the South Shore.

If you have an absentee ballot and have not mailed it in, there is still a way to make sure your vote is counted! You can turn in your ballot at any precinct location on Tuesday. All precincts are open from 7 am to 8 pm. You can also hand deliver your ballot to the El Dorado County Elections Department, 2850 Fairlane Ct., Placerville or the El Dorado County Recorder-Clerk's Office, 3368 Lake Tahoe Blvd., Suite 108, South Lake Tahoe. Ballots must be received by the Elections Department no later than 8 pm on Tuesday.

Below is a list of all locations in El Dorado County's District V:

Environmental groups concerned that the 2004 Sierra Nevada Framework Forest Plan failed to protect old growth forests and associated wildlife species, was not consistent with national environmental laws so they filed suit.

A coalition of conservation organizations led by Sierra Forest Legacy and including the Center for Biological Diversity, Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club and The Wilderness Society have signed a settlement agreement with the U.S. Forest Service, ending the decade long battle.

Residents and businesses located in Nevada and California have joined efforts to remove graffiti and trash from Lake Tahoe which is known for its pristine water and incredible natural setting. On Sunday, October 12, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., organizers invite friends and supporters of Lake Tahoe to participate in this special multi-state effort. They will meet at 9:30 a.m. at Sand Harbor for a safety talk, graffiti and trash removal instructions and supplies.

9/28/14 10:00 p.m. update: 4,420 firefighters and support staff are still on the scene of the 97.099 acre King Fire which is now 89% contained.

After 4 days of precipitation with accumulations of 1-3 inches, fire spread has been halted, however heat remains in the heavier fuels and in the heavy duff sheltered from the rain under the dense timber canopy. As the weather turns warm and dry over the next several days, expect to see an increase in fire activity and smoke production; however spread potential is extremely low, doe to the successful suppression efforts.

In January, Governor Brown called for California residents to drop their water usage by 20% due to the drought. In July, urban water usage in the state was down by 7.5%. White this isn't the requested 20%, it still represents 17 billion gallons of water conserved. That is the equivalent of 25,755 Olympic-sized swimming pools or enough water for 1.7 billion people each to take a 5-minute shower.

The Sierra Business Council is hosting Peak Innovation, a conference for Lake Tahoe locals, small business owners, communities and local governments. During the conference, Dr. Peter Gleick, an expert in water issues especially in the context of economic and environmental justice, will be at the conference which takes place October 8-10 in Tahoe City. In a National Geographic science blog, Gleick recently repeated the common question, “Why, if the California drought is so bad, has the response been so tepid?”

A large scale disaster is about to hit South Lake Tahoe. Sirens are blaring, emergency personnel are responding to the airport, screaming people are seriously injured while others cannot be saved, a triage is set up and an incident command center has been set up in the City Council chambers. A large airplane has just crashed with hazardous cargo on board at the Tahoe Valley airport.

Premonition? No. It's a planned emergency drill that will take place on Monday, August 25.

If you own a home or business in the City of South Lake Tahoe you will soon be able to install renewable energy, energy efficiency, and water conservation improvements and pay for it with a voluntary lien against your property.

Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) is a volunteer program which will give property owners a chance to improve their properties. Figtree Financing and the California Enterprise Development Authority (CEDA) will facilitate the program in the city.

The City of South Lake Tahoe imposed a single use, plastic bag ban for grocery stores in the city limits in October of 2013. The original ordinance was for grocery stores to implement the new policy on January 15, 2014 and for all other retail outlets to begin on October 15. During the June 17th City Council meeting, three Council members decided that the ban on all other retail outlets should be postponed and the final vote on that will be during this week's Council meeting.

The Lake of the Sky Amphitheater evening programs at the Taylor Creek Visitor Center begin July 11, 2014, and continue every Friday evening through August.

The series kicks off Friday, July 11, with "An Evening with Mark Twain" featuring McAvoy Layne performing as Mark Twain live on stage at 7 p.m.

Several agencies are coming together on Saturday, June 21st for the first Wildfire Safety Expo in South Lake Tahoe.

The threat of wildfire is extremely high this fire season due to record drought conditions in the West. To provide information on creating home evacuation plans, preparing for fire, creating defensible space, the expo has been created.

The expo will be held in the TJ Maxx parking lot from noon to 3 p.m.

Heavenly Mountain Resort has upped the ante on summer fun, introducing new adventures at the top of the Heavenly Gondola for Summer 2014. Summertime guests will have the opportunity to swing through the trees and fly through the air on new experiences including the Boulder Cove and Black Bear Challenge Courses, the Discovery Forest Canopy Course and the 3,300 foot-long Blue Streak zip line. On Friday, June 13, Heavenly Mountain Resort will open these expanded offerings to the public seven days a week from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. through September 1.

In Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act, the Tahoe Area Sierra Club is sponsoring a Photo Contest.

The 1964 landmark conservation bill protected the most pristine wildlands for future generations. Today, there are nearly 110 million acres in the country that have been designated as wilderness. Desolation Wilderness, Mokelumne, Granite Chief, and Carson-Iceburg are all within a short drive of Lake Tahoe.

A coalition of all counties present at the lake along with residents, environmental groups, legislators and business groups were behind the Tahoe Regional Plan and urged its adoption in 2012. Since that time, the Sierra Club and "Friends of the West Shore" have sued (in February 2013) to oppose the plan, lost their motion (April 2014) and now, as of May 7, have filed an appeal to the court's decision to uphold the 2012 Lake Tahoe Regional Plan.

Be an informed voter on June 3 by attending events that feature the candidates so that you can hear their views and watch them in action.

One such event will be an El Dorado County Supervisor Candidate's Forum hosted jointly by the Tahoe Regional Youth Professionals and the Tahoe Chamber. The two groups will present the forum at the California Conservation Corps on May 6 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Representatives of the TahoeChamber Government Affairs Committee and TRYP will moderate the discussion in hopes to illuminate candidates' stances of key business issues.

The League to Save Lake Tahoe is inviting the public to its first Pipe Keepers Public Forum on April 17 at the Blue Angel Café in South Lake Tahoe, featuring five regional experts who will discuss stormwater problems and solutions in the Tahoe Basin. The event will feature free food and drinks, a free raffle, expert presentations and a question and answer session.

It will cost boaters $10 more to have their boat inspected prior to being launched in Lake Tahoe this summer.

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Governing Board approved the fee update for the watercraft inspection program to help sustain boater services after a reduction in their federal funding.

The changes the TRPA approved this week:

* The decontamination fee will increase from $25 to $35 dollars only charged to boaters who don’t arrive at the inspection station Clean, Drained and Dry. All other fees will remain the same.

Residents of Meyers and the surrounding South Lake Tahoe community have been actively participating in what is called the "Meyers Area Plan." During the last community meeting on February 26 several concerned citizens spoke about what they wanted, and didn't want, to see their in their town.

El Dorado County officials took the numerous public comments made both at the meeting and on-line and have created potential revisions to the Draft Meyers Area Plan.

An innovation in aquatic invasive species protection was unveiled last week at the Water Sports Industry Association’s 2014 Summit that could make Lake Tahoe and recreational water bodies around the nation safer from the spread of invasive species, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) said Friday.

On February 26th, from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., the Meyers Community Advisory Council (MCAC) will be hosting a community workshop to discuss and compare the existing Meyers Community Plan with the proposed Meyers Area Plan. All residents and businesses in the unincorporated area of El Dorado County on the South Shore are invited to actively participate in the realization of this vision and are encouraged to offer input.

An additional public workshop will be held on March 19th, from 6:00pm - 8:00pm, to review the Proposed Meyers Area Plan.

Lauri Kemper, Assistant Executive Officer of the Lahontan Water Board will present information on current bacteria standards in the Lahontan Region. How may this affect your future confidence in surface waters you fish, swim and depend upon for drinking?

Come find out! Join us at 7 p.m. 1195 Rufus Allen Blvd. We will also introduce the new members of the TASC executive committee and review the highlights of major conservation and wilderness issues.

Location

Lake Tahoe is one of California’s greatest natural treasures. It is a beauty to behold, with forested mountains surrounding the deep blue shimmering surface. It is famous for many recreational activities- snowboarding, skiing, hiking, mountain biking, boating, fishing, and sunbathing. But the clear blue waters of Tahoe are in trouble. Invasive species, climate change, and sedimentation all threaten the unique ecosystems of the lake.