Lake Tahoe Restoration Act money included in Water Resources Development Act

Sen. Dean Heller says the House and Senate have agreed to include the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act in the final version of the Water Resources Development Act.

“This is a monumental step in the legislative process for the Tahoe Basin,” said Heller, R-Nev.

He said it was a bipartisan team effort by the Nevada and California delegations to get the funding and send “a clear message that Lake Tahoe is once again a national priority.”

Heller, a Republican, was joined in the effort by fellow Nevada Sen. Harry Reid and California Sens. Barbara Boxer and Diane Feinstein, all Democrats.

The language provides a total of $415 million in the Tahoe Basin over the coming seven years.

That includes $150 million for wildfire prevention focused on fuel reduction and forest restoration. It has $80 million for environmental improvements ranging from new bike trails to creek restoration.

The invasive species management program has $45 million to prevent the introduction of harmful species such as watercraft inspections.

Another $113 million will pay for storm water projects such as erosion control and watershed restoration and runoff control.

It allocates $20 million to the Lahontan Cutthroat Trout recovery program. Finally, there’s $5 million in the bill to improve accountability and oversite of projects and $2 million to cover costs of land exchanges and sales in both states.

Heller said the funding ensures the important work to preserve Tahoe for future generations will advance.