A coalition of federal lawmakers and advocates are looking to extend the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act, which is responsible for funding hundreds of projects to clean up the watershed.

KQED’s Alix Soliman reports it is set to expire in September.

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Congress passed the law in 2000, then renewed it with more than 400 million dollars for environmental restoration projects. 

Serrell Smokey is Chair of the Washoe Tribe. He says an extension would help restore the Lahontan cutthroat trout.

“These lands have given us life for thousands of years and it’s our goals and hopes that we can continue to maintain these lands so that they will continue to give us life for thousands of years to come.”

Congress has paid out only about a quarter of the restoration money — leaving hundreds of millions unspent. The coalition is not requesting more money, they just want another decade to use it.

For the California Report, I’m Alix Soliman.

featured photo by Rylee McIver / RR Partners