A new bill introduced in Congress aims to give federal agencies more flexibility in how they use funds to manage lands around Lake Tahoe.
The Santini-Burton Modernization Act would allow money originally earmarked for land purchases to also support ongoing conservation, wildfire risk reduction, and recreation management in the Tahoe Basin.
The bill, introduced by Rep. Kevin Kiley, revisits the Santini-Burton Act of 1980, which authorized the sale of federal land in Clark County to fund the acquisition and management of environmentally sensitive land around Lake Tahoe for conservation and public access.
That law led to the federal government acquiring more than 16,000 acres in the basin, helping protect the lake’s clarity and provide public recreation opportunities. Later changes under the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act limited the use of those funds to land purchases only, leaving out ongoing management.
The Santini-Burton Modernization Act would allow the U.S. Forest Service to once again use these funds to manage public lands, with an emphasis on protecting water clarity, reducing wildfire risk, and addressing recreation impacts. The bill also expands the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California’s authority to manage lands in the basin.
Lands conserved through Santini-Burton include sites like the Upper Truckee River, multiple entryways to the Tahoe Rim Trail, sections of Tahoe’s East Shore, Blackwood Canyon, and parcels in neighborhoods to foster open space and wildlife passage.
Reps. Dina Titus and Susie Lee, both of Nevada, are co-sponsoring the legislation. In the Senate, Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen of Nevada, along with Sens. Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff of California, introduced a companion measure.
“Protecting Lake Tahoe is a responsibility we all share,” Rep. Kiley said. “As a strong supporter of public lands, I believe we must be good stewards of the places Americans cherish most. Building on our bipartisan success last Congress with the Lake Tahoe Restoration Reauthorization Act, this legislation ensures that funds originally intended to conserve the Tahoe Basin can be used effectively to manage these lands, reduce wildfire risk, and preserve public access for future generations. I’m proud to continue working in a bipartisan way to keep Tahoe healthy and thriving.”
“Lake Tahoe is one of our nation’s greatest natural landmarks, and we must work together across state and party lines to protect this environmental marvel from climate change, pollution, and overdevelopment,” Senator Padilla said. “Our bipartisan, bicameral bill would keep Tahoe funds in Tahoe, repurposing existing funding streams to give our federal, state, local, and tribal partners in the Tahoe Basin more tools to address evolving long-term land management needs, including sustainable recreation and public access improvements.”
“Lake Tahoe is one of the crown jewels for both California and Nevada, and we must work together to preserve its natural wonders for future generations. This legislation ensures we have the federal resources and funds to address the core priorities in keeping Tahoe blue: protecting water clarity and lake health, updating and improving recreation sites, and reducing wildfire risk,” Senator Schiff said.
“The Lake Tahoe Basin’s stunning blue waters and surrounding evergreen forests are beloved by Nevadans and visitors from around the world,” Senator Cortez Masto said. “As stewards of this national treasure, it is our responsibility to ensure that state, local, and Tribal governments have the tools they need to preserve it for future generations.”
“Lake Tahoe is a crown jewel of Nevada and the West, and we must do everything we can to preserve it for generations to come. We’ve made tremendous progress mitigating the impacts of pollution and invasive species, but we can, and we must do more. I’m proud to continue this legacy by supporting legislation to ensure our local, state, and Tribal communities have all the necessary resources to help preserve one of Nevada’s most unique natural wonders for generations to come,” Senator Rosen said.
"The health of the land equals the health of the people. For many years we have been working to bring Washoe people back onto our homelands and become stewards of the land the way our ancestors have for thousands of years,” said Serrell Smokey, Chairman of the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California. “Updating the Santini-Burton Act will be a huge step for all of us to create the safe and healthy forests we all need."
“The original Santini-Burton Act resulted in the protection of thousands of acres of land in the Tahoe Region,” said Julie Regan, executive director of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. “Modernization will allow us to continue protecting those lands for future generations and ensure everyone can enjoy the lake in a safe and sustainable way.”
The full text of the bill is available online.
