Team Tahoe on Capitol Hill in support of extending the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - It was the late California Senator Diane Feinstein who dubbed those who protect our beautiful lake "Team Tahoe." Since she and the late Nevada Senator Harry Reed hosted the first Lake Tahoe Summit, over $1B has been allocated through the bi-partisan Lake Tahoe Restoration Act (LTRA) in 2000 and 2016 for projects around Lake Tahoe to keep sediments from entering the lake, keep forests healthy, remove invasive species, along with other projects.

Even though over one billion dollars has been allocated, only $104.7M has been appropriated, or 27 percent of the initial authorization. Over 700 projects have been completed with this investment.

On September 30, 2024, the Act is set to expire and the bi-partisan group speaking at the 2023 Lake Tahoe Summit in Incline Village all pledged their support to renew. Nearly two dozen officials from Team Tahoe went to Washington, D.C. last week to illustrate how the extension of the Act is crucial to safeguarding the health, beauty, and public enjoyment of Tahoe for future generations. The new legislation, if passed, extends the act for ten years.

Last week was important as it is nearing the deadline to submit the final congressionally mandated report to Congress on the LTRA’s activities for fiscal year 2023.

"Lake Tahoe and the lands surrounding Lake Tahoe is not only the center of the Washoe people's existence but it is the heart of our livelihood," said Washoe Chair Serrell Smokey. "We continue to be the stewards of the land today."

The Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program (EIP) is an unparalleled partnership working to achieve the environmental goals of the Region. Local, state, and federal government agencies, private entities, scientists, and the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California have collaborated for more than 27 years to restore the environmental health of Lake Tahoe.

With nearly 80 percent of the Lake Tahoe watershed under federal ownership, the LTRA provides the federal investment for environmental restoration projects in the Basin, in partnership with California, Nevada, local governments, tribal, non-profit, and private partners.

In March 2023, a bill to extend the authorization was reintroduced by Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) in the Senate and Rep. Amodei (R-NV) in the House, and is supported by Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Senator Laphonza Butler (D-CA) and Representatives John Garamendi (D-CA), Dina Titus (D-NV), Susie Lee (D-NV), Steven Horsford (D-NV), Kevin Kiley (R-CA) and John Duarte (R-CA).

Team Tahoe coalition officials in D.C. last week included elected and community leaders from the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, the City of South Lake Tahoe, Calif., Washoe County, Nev., Placer County, Calif., U.S. Forest Service, North Tahoe Public Utility District, South Tahoe Public Utility District, League to Save Lake Tahoe, the Tahoe Fund, Lake Tahoe Community College, University of Nevada Reno, and the Tahoe Transportation District.

"It's up to all of us to continue to make sure this national treasure remains the extraordinary place for years and generations to come," said Kiley.

"I'm looking forward to getting this across the finish line, it's vitally important for the entire Tahoe region," said Kiley of the LTRA.