This is why FOWS will continue to advocate for responsible planning that incorporates current environmental conditions, adequately addresses public health and safety, and better anticipates and adapts to the impacts of climate change. Concerns include increased traffic and congestion, wildfire danger and emergency evacuation and access, and the environmental impacts to Lake Tahoe and the West Shore from both extreme weather and increased population/visitation.

As always, we will keep you updated on West Shore activities and other projects in our bi-monthly newsletters. 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,

Homewood Mountain Resort

No updates have been provided regarding the future plan for Homewood. However, next week TRPA will be addressing the developer’s proposed privatization plans for the resort. FOWS believes that this change, along with other modifications (such as the new architectural design that does not reflect what was approved) were not evaluated - let alone even contemplated - by the Master Plan and associated environmental analyses and thus warrant comprehensive review and public engagement. We recommend you email your concerns and questions about the proposed privatization to TRPA’s Special Project Manager, Paul Nielsen at pnielsen@trpa.gov by Monday morning so your feedback can be considered by TRPA.

Meeks Bay Resort Restoration Project

In the meantime, the TRPA staff will be presenting an update on the Meeks Bay project to their Advisory Planning Commission on January 11, 2023. This will be an informational item only and no formal action will be taken. The meeting will be held at the TRPA office at 128 Market Street, Stateline, Nevada with a virtual option available and begins at 9:30am (note there are other items that will be heard by the APC first). Agenda and additional information can be accessed here.

Meeks to Cascade Lake Pedestrian/Bike Path

According to a recent TRPA staff report, the consultant team completed the draft feasibility report on December 9, 2022. Once the agency Steering Committee provides feedback on the report, a final draft will be prepared and shared with the public. An update will be provided to the TRPA APC along with the Meeks Bay Project (noted above).

Winter Recreation and Over Snow Vehicle Travel Management Project

The US Forest Service (USFS) recently sent out an update regarding the status of the Winter Recreation and Over Snow Vehicle Travel Management Project, which aims to designate areas and trails open to OSV (e.g. snowmobile) use and address various other winter recreational activities related to parking lots, access roads, snow play areas, and grooming for motorized and non-motorized trails.

FOWS last provided information and updates in 2019 and 2020. Although the USFS does not anticipate releasing the Environmental Assessment until late 2023, the email states: "We recognize that some time has passed since the last opportunity for public comment. The Forest Service plans to provide additional information to the public this winter about the comments that were received, as well as the general suite of alternatives that are being considered. Information on the format and time/date of this information will be distributed to this email list once it has been confirmed.” Read the USFS email for additional details and how to join their email distribution list.

Tahoe Basin Area Plan Amendments

In the last schedule provided by Placer County, the proposed amendments were anticipated to be heard before the Board of Supervisors and TRPA’s Governing Board sometime between January - March. We will send an Alert to advise you if hearings are scheduled prior to our next newsletter.

Hazardous Algae Blooms

Beginning in our March/April 2022 newsletter and throughout the year, FOWS began reporting on efforts to conduct research related to the levels of toxic Hazardous Algae Blooms (HABs) or ‘cyanobacteria’ in our water and air. The results are in: researchers have detected the presence of toxic cyanobacteria in the water and air samples that were collected this summer. Recently, involved citizens and researchers reached out to agencies including the TRPA and Lahontan Water Board to report the results and request additional research and monitoring. The report can be accessed here. Citizens also submitted this letter regarding the HABs and application of herbicides in the Tahoe Keys. More information can be found on the Tahoe Area ALS/MDN Research Library page.

Olympic Valley (formerly Squaw Valley)

As expected, Alterra has re-applied for the same project that was just overturned by the courts. A “Partially Revised Draft Environmental Impact Report” (RDEIR) was released in November claiming to address the deficiencies the court found in the previous EIR. Yet it’s still the same project AND the RDEIR is based on outdated information and conditions (2011), failing to account for the worsened traffic, more extreme wildfire threats, increased population, decreased water supplies, and other major changes that have occurred in the last 12 years.

Comments on the RDEIR are due by Jan. 30th. A meeting will be held on Jan. 19 online and in person in Kings Beach. The time is yet to be determined.

Attend in Person:

North Tahoe Event Center, 8318 N. Lake Boulevard, Kings Beach, CA.

Attend Online:

Zoom Webinar, https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84463664666, Webinar ID #844 6366 4666. ‘Raise hand’ to comment.

You can learn more about the background and current status and view talking points for public comments on Sierra Watch’s website and access the RDEIR here. FOWS encourages you to submit comments and/or attend and comment at the 1/19/2023 meeting.