Keep Tahoe Blue Advocacy Update |
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Our advocacy and policy experts keep a watchful eye on projects and plans that may impact the health and clarity of Lake Tahoe.
We engage, collaborate and speak on behalf of the Lake to ensure we Keep Tahoe Blue. Scroll down to read about a few projects we're working on now.
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Supreme Court case could weaken protections for Lake Tahoe |
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The League is closely watching the U.S. Supreme Court Clean Water Act case Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency because of its potential to impact the League’s conservation, preservation and restoration work in the Lake Tahoe Basin.
Protecting Lake Tahoe’s water quality relies on ecosystem services from wetlands, which include natural carbon storage and water filtration that bolster Tahoe’s resilience in the face of climate change. Not only does this case consider narrowing protections for wetlands, but it brings into question the scope of the Federal Clean Water Act that has long protected the renowned clarity of Tahoe.
If protections are diminished then it may become more difficult to defend sensitive and important wetlands from development – the very areas crucial to protecting Tahoe from climate change. Regardless of the Supreme Court case’s outcome, the League will continue to protect Lake Tahoe with our agency partners and supporters like you.
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TACKLE INVASIVE SPECIES:
Year One of Control Methods Test Complete
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What is it? The Control Methods Test (CMT), which got underway this spring, is a three-year, science-based program to test a suite of treatment methods, alone and in combination, to control an infestation of aquatic invasive weeds in targeted areas within the Tahoe Keys. The results will guide a long-term strategy to address Tahoe’s most threatening invasive species infestation, stop its spread to Lake Tahoe, and help protect water quality and clarity across the entire Lake.
Where is it in the process? The CMT project team compiled the Summer 2022 Control Methods Test Implementation Special Report to share what happened in the first year of this three-year test. It focuses on the implementation and monitoring actions taken between May and September of 2022. While much work remains to be done, initial review shows promising outcomes from the tests.
Year one of the CMT concluded on September 22 with the removal of floating rubber barriers called turbidity curtains, which also ended boating restrictions in the Tahoe Keys. The curtains had been in place since May to confine test areas where EPA-approved herbicides were applied. The curtains came out after environmental monitoring revealed that remaining traces had dissipated. There will not be any additional herbicide application or boating restrictions for the remainder of the test, which will continue for the next two years.
What’s next? The project team is working to fully analyze tens of thousands of data points collected during year one, and anticipates releasing preliminary results and analysis in early 2023.
The test will resume in 2023 with trials of UV-C light, underwater aerators, hand-pulling and bottom barriers to determine what isolated or combined treatments work best to knock down the weeds and keep them from spreading.
What is the League’s position? SUPPORT
Aquatic invasive species are the single largest ecological threat to Lake Tahoe and must be put in check. For the better part of a decade, the League has pushed to find a solution for the infestation in the Tahoe Keys. We support the CMT because the status quo has failed to control the problem, the test will help inform a long-term invasive weed control strategy, and its design is firmly founded in the best available science.
Like all challenges to Tahoe’s long-term health and beauty, tackling the invasive species threat requires strong partnerships. Thus far, the CMT has shown exactly that sort of collaboration between the Tahoe Keys Property Owners Association, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, Lahontan Water Quality Control Board and the League. We anticipate more of the same in the final two years of the CMT.
Climate connection: Climate change is creating more hospitable habitat for aquatic invasive species in Lake Tahoe. Prolonged drought lowers Tahoe’s water level, expanding areas of shallow water that warm easily and allow invasive weeds to flourish. This nutrient-rich environment may allow for the additional growth of harmful algal blooms, which can make the water dangerous for people or pets.
More information:
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TACKLE INVASIVE SPECIES:
Early Detection and Rapid Response
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What is it? Aquatic invasive species (AIS) are the largest threat to Lake Tahoe's delicate ecology. If left unchecked, they threaten to damage the Lake's famed water quality and clarity. Marinas are prime habitat for aquatic invasive plants – given their shallow waters and high boat traffic – so the League, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and Tahoe Resource Conservation District (TRCD) have created a step-by-step protocol that calls on marina staff to help keep AIS in check.
The early detection and rapid response (EDRR) program asks marina workers to report all potential invasive species sightings to the League. Our staff then works with agency partners to follow up on reports and take the necessary steps to ensure new AIS populations are eradicated or controlled, saving the Lake from harm and avoiding costly, long-term control efforts.
Where is it in the process? This summer, the League led the effort to formalize the EDRR process for both marinas and the responding agencies (League, TRPA and TRCD). The program partners created and circulated step-by-step guides so marinas know what to do when they spot AIS, and so agencies can react quickly and effectively. The League’s Eyes on the Lake program supports the EDRR by providing AIS identification training for staff at all Lake Tahoe marinas. Since 2016, the training has been a requirement for all public marinas on the California side of Lake Tahoe. Thanks to a strong partnership with the Lake Tahoe Marina Association, participation has been consistently high.
In 2021, the EDRR process was triggered by a report from Homewood High & Dry Marina staff. The protocol worked as intended and prevented a new aquatic weed infestation from establishing and spreading.
What’s next? The League will continue to work with marinas and partner agencies to tackle any new infestations and prevent harm to Lake Tahoe.
What is the League’s position? SUPPORT
The League strongly supports AIS education and an active, informed network of marina staff and volunteer citizen scientists at Tahoe. With Eyes on the Lake and an effective EDRR in place, Tahoe will have a better chance of keeping invasive species in check. We will continue to work with public and private marinas, TRPA and TRCD to ensure that Lake Tahoe is protected from ecological and other threats.
Climate connection: Warmer lake temperatures and lower lake levels, driven in part by climate change, increase the potential for new aquatic invasive species infestations to establish and spread rapidly – another reason the League formalized this process to tighten the net around AIS and stop new infestations in their tracks.
More information:
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COMBAT POLLUTION:
Single-Use Plastic Water Bottle Ban Passes in South Lake Tahoe
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Photo: Recycling Magazine |
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What is it? On October 4, the South Lake Tahoe City Council voted to approve a ban on all single-use plastic water bottles under one gallon. This policy puts South Lake Tahoe among a small group of jurisdictions nationwide who have taken this bold action to combat one major source of plastic pollution, despite well-funded industry groups spreading misinformation to local residents leading up to the final vote.
The League is proud that our advocacy work helped contribute to the Council’s decision, just as it did when the City passed a plastic bag ban in 2013 and polystyrene (Styrofoam) ban in 2018. Statistics gathered during nearly a decade of Keep Tahoe Blue cleanups revealed that single-use plastic water bottles are a common and persistent type of litter found on Tahoe's beaches, forests and trails. Unless they're removed, these bottles can break down into microplastics that threaten wildlife and enter the Lake's blue waters where they are all but impossible to remove.
The ban does not affect the sale of plastic bottles over one gallon, nor boxed and canned water. In addition, Tahoe boasts some of the cleanest and best-tasting tap water in the country, which you can take advantage of by using refillable water stations around the Lake. We encourage you to Drink Tahoe Tap.
Where is it in the process? With the ban formally approved, it will go into effect in two phases. Single-use plastic water bottles under one gallon can’t be sold or distributed:
- at city facilities, permitted temporary activities and special events starting on Earth Day 2023, and
- from any store in the City beginning in April 2024.
What’s next? To offset any impacts the new rules may have on local businesses, the City will install new water refill stations at key locations and provide marketing materials to assist with education. The League is helping the City as it ramps up for the ban's rules to take effect by:
- assisting with grant applications to fund the new refill stations,
- identifying low-cost, reusable water bottle options, and
- jointly creating a business-targeted outreach and education plan about all the City’s litter-abatement policies.
What is the League’s position? SUPPORT
While volunteer litter cleanups remove thousands of pounds of pollution from the Tahoe environment each year, they are not a sustainable, long-term solution. However, the litter data gathered through those efforts provides compelling evidence to support policies that stop litter at the source. The League supports effective litter-prevention policies and is proud to contribute to groundbreaking efforts to Keep Tahoe Blue and litter-free.
Climate connection: Littered plastic water bottles can break down into microplastics that damage the Lake’s delicate ecology, threaten its wildlife, and further exacerbate other impacts from a changing climate.
More information:
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COMBAT POLLUTION:
Microtransit Gains Momentum on South Shore
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What is it? Earlier this year, a new, app-based, on-demand microtransit service called Lake Link launched on Tahoe’s south shore. The service delivers free, shared, door-to-door rides between the bottom of Kingsbury Grade at Stateline to the Lake Tahoe Community College/Al Tahoe neighborhood in South Lake Tahoe, along both US 50 and Pioneer Trail (map). TART Connect is the north shore's version of Lake Link, which launched in 2021 with the League's backing.
Thanks to residents, workers and visitors like you, Lake Link has been a startup success, allowing people to keep their personal cars parked. In little more than two months, the service has racked up some impressive statistics:
- Rides provided: 16,624
- Miles traveled: 27,583
- Passengers carried: 27,291
Nearly half of those rides helped the south shore’s employees get to and from work. The remainder of rides were split between outdoor recreation, shopping, dining and events. Initial results from user surveys are informing how many personal car trips were avoided through Lake Link.
Where is it in the process? The debut of Lake Link is the culmination of a multi-year effort by the League to bring microtransit to the south shore, which started with the launch of Tahoe's first such service in 2018. Read more about it in this prior e-newsletter.
Lake Link launched to the public on July 22, 2022 and has provided free rides every day since. The service is managed by the South Shore Transportation Management Association, a group of local business, nonprofit and government leaders focused on improving mobility for residents and visitors. The SSTMA hired an experienced program manager for Lake Link who is focused on fundraising to expand the service, electrifying its fleet of vehicles so they are emissions-free, and keeping the vans running year-round.
What’s next? Free rides will continue through the fall and winter. Program managers are currently analyzing data from the summer season to determine if shoulder season service changes are warranted. The SSTMA is also coordinating with Heavenly Mountain Resort to improve transit access to its lodges and facilities for the upcoming winter.
The SSTMA is also pursuing government grants and other funding sources to broaden Lake Link’s service area, electrify its fleet of vehicles and ensure the service runs reliably throughout the year.
What is the League’s position? SUPPORT
Alternative transportation options allow people to get around without their personal cars, and fewer cars on Tahoe’s roads means less traffic, tailpipe emissions and pollution from overused asphalt harming the Lake’s water quality and clarity. Microtransit is one tool that can help alleviate Tahoe’s transportation challenges. The League pushed for Lake Link using advocacy, financial support and through several staff members serving on the board of the South Shore Transportation Management Association.
Climate connection: One of the League’s transportation goals is an emissions-free system for getting to and around the Basin. Our plan to electrify Lake Link is a first step to achieving that mission and minimizing the local contribution to the climate crisis.
More information:
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COMBAT POLLUTION:
Tahoe Events Center Update
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What is it? The Tahoe Events Center, formerly known as the Tahoe South Event Center, is a 6,000-seat, multi-purpose meeting and events venue under construction at the intersection of Lake Parkway and US 50 at Stateline, Nevada. If you’ve driven through the casino corridor lately, you will have noticed the building taking shape.
The League was heavily involved during the project’s planning stages to ensure its design and ongoing management minimize new traffic, parking strain and pollution. Through our advocacy, the Events Center is providing significant funding for Lake Link – the south shore’s free, on-demand microtransit service – and other traffic-reducing elements such as more frequent Tahoe Transportation District bus service and parking management.
Where is it in the process? The project has slipped behind its original construction timeline due to supply chain challenges. The latest building activity involved improving sewer infrastructure and building sidewalks, which created lane closures on US 50 in the first several weeks of October.
Our policy and planning specialists at the League are monitoring the project closely to ensure the permit conditions we negotiated are being fulfilled in order to mitigate strain on the environment and community.
What’s next? The venue is scheduled to open in the summer of 2023 and is currently taking reservations from conferences, sporting events and other attractions. The League will continue in our role as environmental watchdog for the project. Our staff will sit on a project advisory group along with the California Attorney General's Office and others to ensure the project is meeting its environmental requirements.
What is the League’s position? SUPPORT with caveats
The project will provide the necessary protections to minimize impacts from increased traffic and, through the funding it is required to deliver for Lake Link and other traffic mitigations, create a foundation for future transportation improvements for the entire south shore.
Climate connection: Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) is a measure of how much automobiles are used to travel within the Tahoe Basin – and how much pollution those trips create. Future patrons to the Tahoe Events Center have the potential to add VMT, and thus damage Lake Tahoe. The traffic mitigations added to the project encourage visitors to take shared rides or other alternative transportation options to get to the venue, thus minimizing additional VMT and tailpipe emissions that fuel climate change and damage Lake Tahoe’s water quality.
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ADVANCE RESTORATION:
Citizen Science Data Supporting Advocacy
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What is it? Last summer’s Caldor Fire burned 10,000 acres in the Tahoe Basin, killing trees, removing ground cover and heat-hardening soils. Combined with rain or snow, those conditions are highly likely to lead to erosion, which washes tiny particles off of burned hillsides and into streams that empty into Lake Tahoe, damaging its clarity. A group of dedicated citizen scientist volunteers visited ten sites downstream of the fire scar every month from October 2021 to May 2022, gathering quantitative and qualitative data. That data will now be used to help prioritize impacted areas for restoration projects.
Where is it in the process? Our Caldor Fire Stream Impact Monitoring program gathered its final samples in May, following the end of the winter wet season and peak spring snowmelt.
While we are still comparing our measurements to historic and agency datasets, initial data analysis shows there were consistently elevated levels of turbidity (i.e., degraded water clarity) and nutrients in stream flows connected to areas of higher burn severity. In other words, where the Caldor Fire burned most intensely, more tiny soil and ash particles washed away and into waterways flowing to the Lake.
We have funded a separate wildfire smoke and ash impacts study that will help determine whether the higher nutrient and turbidity levels are from runoff or from smoke and ash created by the fire. We expect to have more conclusive findings in the coming months.
What’s next? The League’s staff scientists will share our data and analysis with land managers, agency partners and research experts at the Tahoe Science Advisory Council to determine next steps, including additional monitoring sites and prioritized restoration efforts in the affected areas.
What is the League’s position? SUPPORT
It is critical to understand how wildfires can directly and indirectly impact Lake Tahoe. Citizen science efforts like the Caldor Fire Stream Impact Monitoring program have proven effective at broadening the reach of trained scientists by accelerating and expanding data collection, as well as adding valuable visual and qualitative assessments. The League will continue to enlist Tahoe Blue-Gooder volunteers to support a “science to solutions” approach for protecting Lake Tahoe.
Climate connection: Climate change is encouraging increasingly intense and frequent wildfires in the Sierra Nevada, as we’ve plainly witnessed in recent years. Combined with other climate-induced impacts – longer droughts, warmer temperatures, more erratic weather – we have to help Tahoe’s ecosystem be as resilient as possible so it can withstand these shocks and stay blue now and into the future.
More information:
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WE'RE KEEPING AN EYE ON IT:
Upcoming Projects and Programs
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The League is involved with all important issues in Tahoe from start to finish. Here’s a list of programs and initiatives we’re tracking closely.
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The South Tahoe Public Utility District just kicked off a process to evaluate alternative uses for the south shore's wastewater. In the 1960s, the League successfully advocated for the end of sewage effluent dumping in Lake Tahoe because scientific research demonstrated that the effluent would add nutrients to Lake Tahoe's waters and turn them green. This resulted in the export of all wastewater from the Basin. Just as we were involved nearly 60 years ago, the League is a stakeholder in the newly started process to ensure environmental protection remains the top priority.
- Earlier this year, JMA Ventures, owner of Homewood, said it would transition the ski area to a semi-private model. Access would be limited to members of several west shore homeowners associations and people who purchase new homes that are part of an approved development plan, which could build a new hotel, lodge and 185 homes. The first phase of development under the plan consists of constructing several new housing units.
- Nine47, a 40-unit luxury development in Incline Village, is slated to break ground in 2023. The project is located at the intersection of Tahoe and Southwood boulevards in Incline's town center.
- The former Wells Fargo bank property, located on the northwest corner of US 50 and Lake Parkway in the south shore's casino corridor, is planned to become approximately 40 luxury condos. The League is eyeing a report on the development's projected traffic impacts closely.
- Plans to redevelop the property are expected this fall. An environmental review process, with the opportunity for public review and comment, will follow.
- The property's new owner, EKN Development Group, is expected to submit revised plans to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency later this month. EKN bought the property with approved project plans and is hoping to reconfigure the design without exceeding any limits under the prior approval.
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A better blanket for fall frolicking |
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With cooler temps coming your way, it's time to trade the beach for some quality fall camping.
For your next trip, be sure to pack one of our lightweight, compact and incredibly warm blankets from Rumpl. Get yours from our store.
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Each blanket is made from 100% post-consumer plastics and ensures you're 100% cozy. All proceeds benefit our efforts to Keep Tahoe Blue. |
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Since the League was founded in 1957, our efforts to Keep Tahoe Blue have depended on the generosity of our members and supporters. They still do. Help us celebrate our 65th anniversary by making a donation. Thank you. |
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