In a recent statement issued to regional leaders, a united coalition blasts the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency’s (TRPA) ‘lack of discipline’ in implementing its regional plan. The group points as evidence to recent approvals of: 1) thousands of new buoys and over 100 new piers; 2) the conversion of a well-established campground to luxury timeshares; and 3) a new residential subdivision on raw land beside a stream, exceeding established limits for paving in its watershed. In addition, the group says, 75 percent of the basin’s environmental standards are not in compliance and the 2009 State of the Lake Report indicates ‘the overall long-term [clarity] trend has shown a significant decline.’
The coalition of organizations called on the region’s congressional delegation to demand that the TRPA demonstrate significant progress towards, and be accountable for, achieving the environmental standards of the bi-state compact. Those that signed the statement include: the League to Save Lake Tahoe, the Tahoe Area Sierra Club, North Tahoe Preservation Alliance, Friends of Tahoe Vista, Friends of the West Shore, Friends of Crystal Bay/Brockway, Friends of Burke Creek, Washoe Meadows Community and the California Watershed Network.
‘The TRPA has a straightforward mission – to establish environmental standards and then adopt and implement a plan to achieve them,’ said the League’s Rochelle Nason. ‘Instead it puts its energy into promoting still more timeshares and subdivisions in the name of ‘smart growth.’ There’s nothing smart about paving over Lake Tahoe in order to save it.’
According to the statement, the federal and state governments should require three things from the TRPA. First, a science-based, basin-wide plan to achieve the environmental standards must be developed and adopted. It must assure steady and substantial progress on meeting environmental standards, especially those not in attainment, such as water quality, soil conservation and scenic thresholds.
Second, federally-funded Environmental Improvement Projects need to be prioritized and chosen for the greatest benefit to the public interest in restoring Lake Tahoe. Restoration of Tahoe’s creeks and meadows must be a top priority; there are abundant opportunities for such restoration on public lands. Third, development projects should be approved only if they will make significant measurable contributions towards achieving these same environmental standards.
‘We are still losing clarity, just not as fast. And the shoreline is a mess,’ said Tahoe Area Sierra Club spokesman Michael Donahoe. ‘Yet TRPA continues to approve projects that contribute to clarity loss.’
~ Press Release
