A bipartisan, bicameral bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei (R-NV) that will reauthorize federal funding to restore Lake Tahoe and its surrounding basin is headed to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law.
The U.S. House of Representatives on Sept. 24 approved the Lake Tahoe Restoration Reauthorization Act, S. 612, the identical bill to H.R. 1274, which is sponsored by Rep. Amodei. The U.S. Senate passed S. 612 on July 10.
“It is our responsibility to keep the environment around beautiful Lake Tahoe in quality shape for future generations to enjoy,” Rep. Amodei said. “The reauthorization of the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act will continue to provide the resources and oversight to do just that.”
Rep. Amodei introduced H.R. 1274 on March 1, 2023, alongside lead original cosponsor U.S. Rep. Susie Lee (D-NV), while U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-CA) sponsored S. 612 on the same date.
With the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act set to expire on Sept. 30, the newly approved version extends $415 million in funding through Sept. 30, 2034, for environmental projects that restore healthy water levels, mitigate the risk of wildfires, control invasive species, and maintain quality environmental standards in the Lake Tahoe Basin, located on the border of California and Nevada.
“I was proud to lead the effort in the House and am grateful to Sen. Cortez Masto for her bicameral partnership in securing this sufficient funding, which properly lays out program strategies to restore healthy water conditions, reduce wildfire threats, and extract invasive species threatening the Lake Tahoe Basin and its surrounding community,” said Rep. Amodei.
The bill is supported by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.