BLM land sale money goes to Tahoe

Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2003 | 9:53 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Land auctions in the Las Vegas Valley will now help in preserving Lake Tahoe based on a new funding mechanism approved by the Senate Monday night.

Language added to the Interior Department spending bill by Nevada Sens. John Ensign, a Republican, and Harry Reid, a Democrat, amends the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act of 1998 so that money gained from land auctions can be used for restoration efforts at Lake Tahoe.

The act, created by Ensign when he was a House member in 1998, takes money paid by developers for surplus federal land in Clark County and uses it for conservation and other public efforts. The change will set aside $300 million over the next eight years for water clarity, erosion control, fire suppression and other projects at Lake Tahoe.

The Senate approved the Interior Department spending bill conference report Monday, which included $12.3 million for Tahoe environmental projects from Reid and $37.5 million from land sale proceeds for the lake from Ensign.

The lake will get an average of $37.5 million each year over eight years.