Feds bring the dollars to keep Tahoe blue

INCLINE VILLAGE - Federal officials used the platform of Tuesday's summit to tout their ability to allocate federal funds for Lake Tahoe-based scientific projects.

Since the Lake Tahoe Summit started in 1997 with former President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore in attendance, federal, state and local sources have contributed more than $1.5 billion.

A large part of the sum comes from the $424 million Lake Tahoe Restoration Act, passed in 2000. An eight-year extension of the act, which would authorize another $415 million, is pending in Congress

"Right now we're working to renew that legislation, which will bring in another $415 million and continue the work on invasive species, improving water clarity and helping to prevent the possible devastation from wildfires," said U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.

Much of the funding for scientific projects has come from the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act, which uses dollars collected from public land sales in Southern Nevada to fund environmentally focused projects in Northern Nevada.

Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., one of the primary architects of the SNPLMA program, cautioned those in attendance that land sales in the southern portion of Nevada have slowed, meaning funds will be more difficult to obtain.

Nevertheless, he affirmed the commitment to Tahoe-based environmental programs currently under way is secure - as is the commitment to providing money for future projects.

The renewal for the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act should come before the Senate for a vote in 2011.

Reid, Ensign and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., pledged support for the bill during Tuesday's summit.

Additionally, the states of Nevada and California have pledged $100 million each in support of the act, Feinstein said.