LAKE TAHOE, Calif. /California Newswire/ — In an historic joint appearance at the 2011 Tahoe Summit, Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. and Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval announced on Tuesday a renewed commitment to updating the Regional Plan for Lake Tahoe and enhancing the role of the two states in cooperating with the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA).
“Lake Tahoe is a world treasure, and it is our duty to ensure that its natural splendor is protected for future generations of Californians and Nevadans,” said Brown. “The best way to do that is by working cooperatively with the State of Nevada to promote policies that ensure both the environment and the economy of Lake Tahoe are protected in perpetuity.”
“Governor Brown and I agreed that while much has changed at Lake Tahoe since the Bi-State Compact was created in 1969, our two states’ dedication to the resource remain unwavering,” Sandoval said. “I look forward to working with Governor Brown on updating the Regional Plan.”
TRPA was created as a regional agency because the Lake Tahoe watershed crosses a number of state and local political boundaries. The Governing Board contains seven members from California, seven from Nevada and one non-voting Presidential appointee.
The 20-year Regional Plan that the Board is charged with supporting has not been updated since 1987 and is now four years overdue.
By personally attending the Tahoe Summit and bringing top officials from both states to the same table, Gov. Brown and Gov. Sandoval are making Lake Tahoe a top priority and seeking a new area of cooperation on issues affecting the lake.
