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My view on protecting Lake Tahoe (Opinion)

Hayley Williamson TRPA Governing Board Chair

As an avid hiker and Lake Tahoe resident, one of my favorite views of the lake is from the top of Mount Tallac. From this vantage, Lake Tahoe impressively expands below granite ledges and alpine forests cradle the cobalt-blue waters that spread into the horizon.

I never tire of explaining to my kids and friends that Lake Tahoe is so deep its waters extend well below the elevation of the Carson Valley floor—a vertical marvel of more than 1,600 feet. My commitment to protecting this unique region runs just as deep, and it’s an honor to serve as the new chair of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Governing Board.

TRPA has been at the forefront of preserving Lake Tahoe’s iconic beauty and vibrant communities for more than five decades. By maintaining overall caps on new development and leading restoration through the Environmental Improvement Program (EIP), TRPA has catalyzed more than 800 projects that protect Lake Tahoe by restoring meadows and streams, building bike paths, and reducing stormwater pollution. Without these efforts, the views from Mount Tallac might look starkly different today.



Imagine if the Tahoe Rim Trail had instead been built as the multi-lane freeway originally planned to encircle the lake. Or if Lake Tahoe’s shores were now home to a city the size of San Francisco with a population of 750,000. Lake clarity and ecological health would have been compromised long ago.

The founding of TRPA in 1969 was a visionary act of collaboration. California and Nevada came together to establish a Bi-State Compact ratified by Congress with a singular purpose: protecting Lake Tahoe while supporting its communities. Lawmakers ensured this mission would endure by creating a 15-member Governing Board that reflects the diverse jurisdictions and stakeholders of the Tahoe Basin. As unpaid volunteers, we bring dedication and thoughtful discussion to every policy decision, working alongside TRPA’s experienced staff to preserve Lake Tahoe for this and future generations.



Looking Ahead to 2025

One of TRPA’s biggest priorities for the coming year is to advance the housing and sustainability goals of the Lake Tahoe Regional Plan. TRPA launched the Cultivating Community, Conserving the Basin project to make housing more accessible while improving environmental protections. The agency is bringing community members and partners together in a multi-year project to incentivize the type of housing our communities need while incorporating vital environmental improvements. The Cultivating Community, Conserving the Basin project is an opportunity to build the region’s capacity to deliver more affordable and workforce housing and to create lasting connections between community members and agencies.

Our board also has several critical decisions on the horizon. Next week, we will consider the much-anticipated application to amend the 2011 Homewood Master Plan. Homewood Mountain Resort holds deep cultural significance for the Lake Tahoe community, and TRPA staff has engaged extensively with all stakeholders to ensure transparency to amend the plan originally approved 14 years ago.

Transparency is also central to TRPA’s ongoing evaluation of whether we’re meeting Tahoe’s environmental goals, known as thresholds. Every four years, TRPA conducts a comprehensive review of the region’s environmental conditions. In 2019, 79 percent of these thresholds—covering areas such as air quality, water quality, and soil health—were in attainment. Since then, TRPA has strengthened protections, such as raising standards for rehabilitating sensitive stream environment zones, to further safeguard the lake. This year, staff will present updates from the latest Threshold Evaluation, offering a science-driven roadmap for continued progress.

Additionally, the agency is updating the Regional Transportation Plan this year. The plan is a visionary blueprint for improving Tahoe’s transportation system through 2050 that aims to increase safety, reduce congestion, and preserve Tahoe’s environment while creating a more connected, sustainable future for residents and visitors alike.

At the same time, TRPA remains committed to confronting ongoing challenges accelerated by climate change. Extreme droughts and storms continue to impact the transportation network and visitation patterns. Warming lake waters are increasingly susceptible to algae growth, aquatic invasive species, and reduced lake clarity. And longer catastrophic wildfire seasons are a threat this region knows all too well.

TRPA and partners are continuing to increase our region’s resilience to these impacts. Last year, the agency facilitated a $1.7-million federal PROTECT grant to help fire and emergency management agencies coordinate evacuation planning and address wildfire and extreme weather vulnerabilities in our transportation and communication infrastructure.

Collaboration is Key

From the summit of Mount Tallac, you can’t see the state and jurisdictional boundaries that crisscross the Tahoe Basin. That view reinforces what five years on the TRPA Governing Board has taught me: working together is essential—just as it was when TRPA was founded. As chair, I commit to respectfully facilitating discussions that allow us to collectively advance the restoration and protection of this incredible place.

Lake Tahoe’s future depends on our ability to collaborate, and I’m confident we can meet the challenges ahead.

Hayley Williamson is TRPA Governing Board Chair and Nevada At-Large Board Member.


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