California Legislature unanimously passes compromise bill

The League to Save Lake Tahoe applauds the California Legislature for unanimously passing SB630, which implements a compromise between California and Nevada to preserve the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.

“This legislation was always about preserving one regulator at Lake Tahoe,” said Darcie Goodman-Collins, the League’s executive director, according to a news item on its Keep Tahoe Blue webpage. “This provides certainty for Tahoe’s communities so they can move forward with revitalization. Without the TRPA, we risked having different environmental ordinances and regulators in each of the two states, five counties and one city that share the lake. Now all these jurisdictions will be working in unison toward the goal of preserving Tahoe while enhancing its communities.”

SB630 was supported by a host of environmental leaders, including veteran environmental lawyer and TRPA board member Clem Shute, pre-eminent environmental lawmaker Senator Fran Pavley, Senator Dianne Feinstein and Secretary of Natural Resources John Laird. In Nevada, the companion bill, SB229, was passed with broad support, including Senator Harry Reid and the state's top environmental group, the Nevada Conservation League.

“This compromise means Nevadans won’t be left in the dust without a strong environmental regulator at the lake,” said Kyle Davis, political director of the NCL. “Nevadans spoke out in favor of protecting Lake Tahoe during our last legislative session. We’re thrilled to see California’s part of this compromise pass unanimously in the Assembly.”