TAHOMA, Calif. – The draft environmental assessment for the Lake Tahoe West Restoration Project is now available for public consideration. The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit will accept comments on the draft Environmental Assessment for 30 calendar days following publication of the legal notice in the Tahoe Daily Tribune on Friday, May 30, 2025. Comments should be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m., PST on June 30. The Environmental Assessment focuses on proposed restoration activities for approximately 44,270 acres of National Forest System lands on Lake Tahoe’s West Shore. View the interactive Lake Tahoe West project map. 

“The Lake Tahoe West Restoration Project seeks to improve forest and watershed health, which supports neighboring communities through wildfire risk reduction and the local economy by improving public access for recreation and other uses,” said Forest Supervisor, Erick Walker.

Restoration of the West Shore ecosystem is essential to reducing wildfire risk to communities; improving forest health and resilience; returning beneficial fire to the landscape; protecting and enhancing habitats that support native plants and wildlife; and protecting stream flows and lake clarity.

Past land use practices have resulted in overly dense forests and excess vegetation (fuels) accumulations, low quality wildlife habitat, and degraded watersheds that are less resilient after disturbance. Aspen, meadow, riparian, and Whitebark pine habitats are particularly at risk from reduced resiliency.

The Lake Tahoe West project includes restoration actions developed by the Lake Tahoe West Restoration Partnership. This collaborative effort formed in 2016 and has included input from land management and regulatory agencies, conservation groups, fire protection agencies, the recreation community, homeowners, businesses, scientists, local government and others with a stake in the resilience of the West Shore. The Partnership aims to increase the resilience of forests, watersheds, recreational opportunities, and communities on the west side of Lake Tahoe.

The draft Environmental Assessment can be found on the Lake Tahoe West Pinyon Public project webpage. All electronic comments must be submitted through the comments email inbox at comments.ltbmu@usda.gov or via the U.S. Postal Service.

For more information on this project or how to comment, contact Assistant Vegetation Management Staff Officer, Brian Garrett by email at brian.garrett@usda.gov.