Reid secures commitments for Tahoe funding

A federal funding bill contains $10.5 million to improve the quality of Lake Tahoe, Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., announced Wednesday.

He said that he secured the funds for restoration efforts in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

"The overall health of the Lake Tahoe Basin plays an important role in our efforts to improve the clarity and water quality in Lake Tahoe," Reid said.

Mark Schuermann, spokesperson for Reid, said he expects restoration funds to be available sometime during fiscal year 2001.

As part of the restoration, the U.S. Forest Service will purchase environmentally sensitive land, close or refurbish federal roads that contribute to runoff and thin vegetation to prepare areas for controlled burning.

The Nevada Department of Transportation, the Division of State Lands, and possibly other state agencies will conduct erosion control and water quality improvements along roads in the Tahoe Basin.

Lake Tahoe advocates applauded the project.

"This is a big step forward for the federal government," said Rochelle Nason, executive director of the League to Save Lake Tahoe.

"This would be significantly increased funding for these programs and would really help us move forward with protecting the lake."

The U.S. Forest Service will manage the Tahoe project money, said David Cherry, press secretary to Reid.

Cherry said the Forest Service will distribute $3 million to Nevada state agencies for their restoration efforts.

Besides the Tahoe funds, Reid secured another $1.3 million for public lands projects around the state.

These projects include environmental research on the Lake Mead watershed, restoration of the cutthroat trout and preservation of ancient Native American petroglyphs in Sloan near Las Vegas.

"The Sloan petroglyphs are a one-of-a-kind legacy for the people of Nevada and an important link to the area's Native American heritage," Reid said.

Reid snagged the funding commitments during a June 21 Senate subcommittee meeting on the 2001 Interior Department spending appropriations bill.

Cherry said there's been no political opposition to the funding and he doesn't expect any.

"We feel we got more than what's in the president's budget for Lake Tahoe," he said. "We feel this is a good package for Nevada and the lake."