The reauthorization of the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act (LTRA) extends existing funding of approximately $300 million through 2034.
The Act now heads to Biden's desk for his signature before the bill expires on Oct. 1.
The approval will maintain federal support for priority projects to protect and restore Lake Tahoe, said Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, one of the bill's sponsors.
“Passing the Lake Tahoe Reauthorization Act was important to continue to give the tools and resources to both California and Nevada to protect what we love so much, which is Lake Tahoe, protect its water quality, the surrounding area and continue the work that we need,” Cortez Masto said.
Since the Act was authorized in 2016, $122 million in federal funds have supported Tahoe partners in reducing wildfire risk, protecting biodiversity and the lake’s clarity,
These federal funds have been matched by $500 million in state, local, tribal, and private matching funds.
Over 830 projects have been completed since 1997, including wetland restoration, bike trails, forest fuel reduction, and invasive species control.
Team Tahoe is a partnership of more than 80 public, tribal, and non-profit organizations that have assisted in the mission.
This is a big win for anyone who loves Lake Tahoe, said Amy Berry, CEO of Tahoe Fund.
“We're just so grateful to all of our champions in Congress for their tremendous bipartisan support of this. We look at the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act as absolutely critical to improving the Tahoe environment for all to enjoy,” Berry said.
This funding will also restore a fish species of great value to the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, said Devin Middlebrook, government affairs manager for the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.
“The Lahontan cutthroat trout was really at the center of their culture and one of their main food sources in the lake. TRPA and many partners are working to reintroduce that native trout into Lake Tahoe and the Lake Tahoe ecosystem,” he said.
Another goal is to be transparent with the public about how these dollars are spent, Middlebrook said.
