A federal water bill that includes $415 million for Lake Tahoe restoration passed Congress late last week, and is now on President Barack Obama’s desk.
Reno Public Radio’s Noah Glick reports.
The Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act, or WIIN, passed both chambers of Congress last week and is considered a victory for conservationists uncertain about the upcoming Trump administration’s environmental policy.
In a written statement, Nevada Senator Dean Heller said the importance of this legislation cannot be understated, and will be one of the greatest achievements to come out of Washington.
The bill includes $150 million for wildfire prevention, $113 million for stormwater management, and $80 million for environmental improvements throughout the Tahoe Basin.
The funding will be dispersed throughout the next seven years.
Retiring Nevada Senator Harry Reid voted against the bill, one of 21 senators to do so.