Tahoe bond money approved

The Nevada Senate on Tuesday approved $9.87 million in bonds for environmental and parks projects in the Tahoe Basin.

Sen. Bill Raggio, R-Reno, said the bonds are a continuation of the environmental programs at Lake Tahoe, which began with a major commitment by Nevada, California, the federal government, the Washoe Tribe and private citizens in 1997.

"On average over the last 30 years, Tahoe has continued to lose about a foot of clarity a year," he said. "But research shows the clarity has improved over the last several years and now is the best it has been in the last 10 years.

"This bill provides the funding to continue that very worthwhile program," he said.

The majority of the money will go into water quality, erosion control and stream restoration/enhancement projects -- $7.3 million altogether.

Senate Bill 46 also provides $1 million in the next two years for shorezone/stream restoration projects, $700,000 for forest restoration and $400,000 to finish the new Sand Harbor Visitor Center.

The remaining $470,000 would go into a contingency fund for any other environmental improvement project needed in the next two years.