Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid released the following statement after the Senate passed the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act of 2015, which was included in the underlying text of the Water Resources Development Act. The legislation authorizes $415 million over 10 years for forest fuels management, environmental and watershed restoration, stormwater management and other projects. It now moves to the House of Representatives.

“The Lake Tahoe Restoration Act highlights our commitment to protecting this unique ecosystem and the economy that depends upon the lake’s clarity. Its passage is an important step, but it is meaningless unless Republicans are willing to step up and get it through the House of Representatives and onto the president’s desk,” said Senator Reid. “Last month, at my invitation, President Obama visited Lake Tahoe for the very first time to speak at the 20th anniversary of the Lake Tahoe Summit. At that event the federal government, the states of Nevada and California, local businesses, residents and philanthropists all rededicated ourselves to the work of protecting this unique and wonderful lake.  As the entire world saw last month, the beauty of Lake Tahoe is unparalleled. We must do everything we can to keep it that way.”

Sponsored by Senator Reid, California Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer and Nevada Senator Dean Heller, the legislation is designed to continue the ongoing effort to protect Lake Tahoe and the Tahoe Basin from invasive species and devastating wildfires, while restoring Lake Tahoe’s water clarity and protecting threatened species and wildlands. Reid organized the first Lake Tahoe Summit in 1997, helped pass the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act of 2000 and has led efforts to deliver hundreds of millions of dollars to the Lake Tahoe Basin for restoration and forest work. Senator Reid initiated and led the effort to include the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act in the Water Resources Development Act.