2013 Lake Tahoe Summit: Governors Brown & Sandoval, Senators Feinstein & Reid in Attendance

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) introduced Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak and noted that this was the first time, ever, a Russian Ambassador has visited Lake Tahoe. Senator Reid described Russia's Lake Baikal as the most voluminous freshwater lake in the world, containing roughly 20% of the world's unfrozen surface fresh water, conservation efforts, and compared both Lake Baikal and Lake Tahoe as "two of the fairest places in all of the earth".

Al Gore offered "hope to win the battle for Lake Tahoe's future", amidst many challenges, and continued with:

"...there is a sense of hope... hope that is tempered by realization that much more needs to be done; but, hope none the less". - Al Gore, 2013 Lake Tahoe Summit

Vice President Gore related the good work of both states that began with Governor of California Ronald Regan (elected two terms 1966 and 1970) and Nevada Governor Paul Laxalt (Term 1967 to 1971) with the ongoing work of an "aggressive" Governor Brown together with "conservative" Governor Sandoval and what they have modeled together in cooperation for the future of Lake Tahoe.

Gore continued describing cooperation of past meetings with the Elders of Washoe People and Dept. of the Interior in effort to resolve long standing issues regarding the environmental protection of Lake Tahoe.

Al Gore referenced global warming by local example stating to expect sea levels to rise affecting waterways in Sacramento anywhere from 1.5 feet and 6.5 feet by the end of this century.

Gore added Lake Tahoe is ahead of the curve in addressing aspects, problems, and solutions regarding connections from global warning back to Lake Tahoe.

"It's harder to connect the dots but those dots connect right back to Lake Tahoe...all of the good that has been done could be overturned unless we come together and deal with problem of global warming..." - Al Gore