TRPA seeks shoreline plan funds

The head of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency asked lawmakers Thursday for $250,000 to implement the newly-adopted shoreline plan.

Joanne Marchetta told members of the Assembly Ways and Means and Senate Finance committees approval of the plan was, “a seminal bi-state accomplishment in October last year after literally three decades of public outreach.”

She said that has been historically the most contentious and controversial issue in the Tahoe Basin.

Marchetta said TRPA needs the funding from Nevada and a proportionate share from California because they have to go out and validate the permits of all existing moorings across the lake and find illegal moorings and buoys. She said there’s also educational outreach including ensuring boaters know they must go slow when close to shore and invasive species control elements in the plan.

Asked about forest health in the basin, she said California reports there are 400,000 dead trees on its side of the Tahoe Basin alone and added “fire does not respect state lines.”

She said over the past decade, TRPA and its partners have worked to reduce fuel loads on 75,000 acres of wildland-urban interface. Now, she said they’re looking at much more acreage in the upper areas of the forest.

“So rather than 200 acres at a time, we’re now planning projects of 10, 15 and 20,000 acres at a time.”

Assemblywoman Robin Titus, R-Wellington, asked who was going to pay for mitigation and fuel load reduction. Marchetta said they’re working with Forest Service and private sector partners on how to build markets for those fuels that are harvested. She said the goal is to “reinvigorate” those biomass facilities.

The shoreline plan enhancement would be in addition to the $2.3 million of Nevada’s share of TRPA’s budget. California’s share is about $5 million and, with grants, federal funds and fees, the total agency budget is about $14.3 million for the coming biennium.