September/October 2021 Newsletter

Dear Friends:

We hope you are all doing well amid the threats from the Caldor Fire and ongoing air quality impacts. We commend the excellent work of the firefighters and other emergency personnel for their diligent work in saving homes and mitigating the impacts of the Caldor Fire to our communities, including the West and South Shores of the Basin. Many members, supporters, and friends were evacuated and are enormously grateful to have homes to return to. For additional fire information, please visit: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7801/.

We have a few updates to share with you, however due to the Caldor Fire, many activities have been delayed or placed on hold for the time being. If any urgent matters arise before our next newsletter, as always, we will send Alert(s) out to keep you informed.

We look forward to your continued feedback and support, and encourage you to contact us with any additional ideas or questions you may have.

Sincerely,

Judith Tornese, President

Latest Updates

Meeks Bay Resort Restoration Project

A stakeholder meeting was held on 7/21 and an information-only presentation was made to the TRPA Governing Board on 7/28 (review meeting minutes here). Next steps include consolidating public comments to date, determining a preferred alternative (note: all alternatives will be equally evaluated), and then releasing the draft environmental review document for public review and comment (anticipated in October). Information from previous meetings and other materials can be accessed here.

Village at Squaw Valley

In a sweeping victory for Tahoe conservationists this past August, California’s Third District Court of Appeals sided with Sierra Watch and dealt a staggering blow to development plans for Squaw Valley (view Press Release).

A panel of three Justices based their decision on the project’s impacts on Lake Tahoe, fire danger, noise, and traffic. The ruling reverses a 2018 trial court finding. The developer, Alterra, “had sought to remake the region with a series of high-rise condo hotels, a 90,000 square-foot indoor waterpark—as wide as a Walmart and nearly three times as tall, and a rollercoaster.”

“Alterra was hell-bent on bringing Vegas-style excess to the mountains of Tahoe,” says Mooers of Sierra Watch. “It was a direct threat to everything we love about the Sierra.”

Highlights of the court’s findings include:

• The final environmental report did not discuss the importance of Lake Tahoe or its current condition;

• The estimation of evacuation times was misleading and inadequate;

• The review of noise impacts and traffic mitigation was flawed; and

• A key public governance law, the Brown Act, was not followed by Placer County.

Read here for more details. FOWS appreciates the hard work of Sierra Watch and congratulates them on this victory!

Regional Planning Updates

Trail Study for Cascade to Meeks Section of SR 89 Underway

Once complete, the study will identify the preferred routes for the trail, access points, and a cost/feasibility analysis.The study will take place in 2021-2022. During this time there will be opportunities for the public and key stakeholders to provide input on the project’s vision and goals, trail segments and access points.

A public meeting was originally scheduled for 9/14, however has been cancelled due to the Caldor Fire. For more information and to opt-in to receive future communication about the West Shore Tahoe Trail and the Trail Feasibility Study, www.westshoretahoetrail.com.

Support Our Work

We depend on your generous donations to help us research, represent, support, and inform the West Shore. We gratefully accept check, credit card, Apple Pay, PayPal, and Venmo. Click the Donate button to make a contribution and also learn how you can designate FOWS to receive donations from AmazonSmile and eScrips.

FOWS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. No goods or services have been provided. EIN#46-1356084

Get in Touch

We invite you to contact us to learn more, ask questions, or simply get to know the FOWS Board. 

Jennifer Quashnick, Conservation Consultant

Judith Tornese, President