Last month, I was honored to speak at the 30th annual Lake Tahoe Summit alongside federal, state, and local leaders, including Chairman Serrell Smokey of the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California.
We have come so far since the Summit began. Since 1997, stormwater infrastructure has been installed along 800 miles of roads to prevent run-off from contaminating the lake, and hazardous fuels have been reduced across more than 100,000 acres to help prevent wildfires.
And in 2024, I passed the reauthorization of the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act so we can continue to protect the ecosystem and build sustainable infrastructure in the Basin.
Our public-private partnerships have allowed us to accomplish so much together for Lake Tahoe, but I know there is still work to be done. We remain committed to combating the increasing danger of wildfires, improving our transportation infrastructure, and balancing the ability to welcome visitors with maintaining a livable community and environment.
Photo: the author, US Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, Nevada, from Facebook
This year, I introduced legislation to continue investing in Tahoe for generations to come: the Santini-Burton Modernization Act. This bill would use revenue from specific land sales in Clark County to address long-standing land management needs, like supporting sustainable outdoor recreation, environmental conservation,
and public infrastructure.
None of the progress we have made so far would have been possible without the partnership of the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California. The Tribe has been instrumental in spearheading efforts to restore the landscape, reduce wildfire fuels, and reintroduce native plants. I’ll keep working alongside my Tribal partners to confront the challenges Lake Tahoe faces.
