On March 1st, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Dianne Feinstein, along with Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D- Nevada) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nevada) introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation (S. 612) to extend the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act (the Act) through 2034. The companion bill (H.R. 1274) was introduced by Representative John Garamendi (D-Richvale), and Nevada Representatives Susie Lee, Dina Titus, and Steven Horsford. The Act was first passed in 2000 and, at the time, authorized $300 million for the restoration of the lake and surrounding basin. In 2016, when the Act was reauthorized, the fund increased to $415 million. $300 million is still available to spend; however, with the current authorization set to expire in 2024, reauthorization is necessary this year to prevent an interruption in conservation and restoration.
