U.S. EPA gives $1.1 million to Help Restore Lake Tahoe

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded more than $1 million to the state of California to help protect and restore Lake Tahoe.

The Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board will use the money to evaluate new approaches and technologies to control pollution in the Lake Tahoe area.

Wayne Nastri, administrator of the EPA's Pacific Southwest region, announced the grant today at the Lake Tahoe Summit, an annual event held in Incline Village, Nev. where federal, tribal, state and local officials highlight efforts to protect the sensitive environment in the Tahoe area.

"We are extremely fortunate to have one of the world's most famous lakes right in our own backyard," said Nastri. "The federal government remains committed to working with our state partners to provide the technical expertise, monitoring and research that are crucial to protecting this precious natural treasure."

Lake Tahoe, which is more than one quarter of a mile deep, has been degraded by environmental problems that include air pollution, contaminated storm water runoff and erosion.

The lake is losing about one foot per year in water clarity because of airborne and runoff pollution from a variety of sources. The money will be used to fund projects aimed at improving Tahoe water quality, including a study to determine how air pollution is affecting the clarity of the lake.

The regional board, located in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., will work with the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection on the project.

Source: EPA