The 2024 reauthorization includes no new money — there is nearly $300 million left in the fund — but extends the time to spend it by another 10 years.
The bill passed the Senate in July by unanimous consent, and the House by voice vote Tuesday.
A bill to keep federal funds flowing to Lake Tahoe for another 10 years is now awaiting the president’s signature after successful passage in both chambers.
The Lake Tahoe Restoration Reauthorization Act, introduced by Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) in March 2023 and co-sponsored by Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and the senators from California, is the third iteration of the original Lake Tahoe Restoration Act of 2000.
That bill, championed by the late Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Harry Reid (D-NV), established a $300 million fund for restoration projects around the lake, including invasive species removal, new trails and wildfire resilience activities. Critically, as an authorized program, these projects don’t have to go through the annual appropriations process and are not subject to the whims of partisan control or budgetary priorities. The funding is already in place — an authorization just allows those funds to continue to be used.
In 2016, spearheaded by then-Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV), a reauthorization was passed and $415 million appropriated. That reauthorization was set to expire Sept. 30.
The 2024 reauthorization includes no new money — there is nearly $300 million left in the fund — but extends the time to spend it by another 10 years.
The bill passed the Senate in July by unanimous consent, and the House by voice vote Tuesday.
“I’m proud of our bipartisan work to deliver funding for vital programs that keep the lake clean, support local jobs, and support our tourism economy,” Cortez Masto said in a statement. “It is an honor to help lead Team Tahoe and fight for the resources the basin needs to thrive.”
In the House, the bill was supported by all four Nevadans and Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA), who represents the California side of the lake. Rep. Mark Amodei (R-NV), who led the effort in the House, said the coalition intentionally used the Senate version of the bill that had already passed in order to eliminate any administrative delays.
“We took the Senate bill, so you don't have to go back and forth,” he said.
Tahoe advocacy has always been a bipartisan undertaking. The annual Lake Tahoe Summit, a tradition that began in 1997, traditionally features speeches from lawmakers of both parties and both states.
Tahoe advocates testified on behalf of the bill in front of a House subcommittee earlier in September. They noted that the federal funding is a critical piece of the conservation program, which has undertaken more than 830 projects since its formation in 1997.
“In the thick of election season, the successful bipartisan effort to pass the Lake Tahoe Restoration Reauthorization Act is something the whole country can celebrate,” Darcie Goodman Collins, the CEO of League to Save Lake Tahoe, said in a statement. “In every conversation we have with lawmakers, we hear nothing but commitment to protect this national treasure.”