Tahoe Lead Removal Project’s Post

The lead is out of Lake Tahoe! Nearly 95 years after the 1st lead cable was laid, and following decades of inactivity, this legacy infrastructure has been removed from the #water. A profound potential #risk to the lake’s long term #sustainability has been mitigated. This landmark event was years in the making, with a broad range of stakeholders contributing to removal efforts and safeguarding Lake Tahoe for generations to come. Its been an honor to organize the Tahoe Lead Removal Project and achieve our singular goal: get the lead out! As we begin to express our gratitude, we would like to acknowledge: 🌱 First the foremost the #community. This situation languished for years in courtrooms and email inboxes, but was transformed in 2024 when hundreds of people came together to push for positive change in a productive way. While there had been advocacy, the collective voice across fronts generated momentum that culminated in success. Thank you to our 832 petition signers and all those who supported the efforts along the way. The power of people coming together is clearly shown in where we started the year vs. where we’re ending it 🌐 AT&T for upholding their commitment this fall, and following through with removal. This situation was a burden of the past, and it been inspiring to see those in a position of power today choose to take action. In the end they acted decisively, and brought in the premier marine contracting firm in the nation J.F. Brennan Company to carry out this important work 🏛️ This project would not have been possible without continuous engagement and support from the government agencies required to authorize including: Tahoe Regional Planning Agency California State Parks California State Lands Commission USDA Forest Service US Army Corps of Engineers State Water Resources Control Board California Department of Fish and Wildlife The complexity of this project across dimensions cannot be overstated. Each of these entities displayed #leadership and guided efforts towards the right outcome. We’re grateful for their time, and prioritization this fall when the window finally opened 🛠️ Our efforts would not have been possible without the drive of our organizers Zach Steeb, Kate Sawant and Jakob Henner, as well as the contributions of so many others including Lauren Murillo, Kyla Bowen, Ian Gilbert, and Adam Alpert 🏔️Lake Tahoe has tremendous people and organizations focused on its unique ecosystem. A wide range contributed to the right course of action: Restoring the Lake Depth, Tahoe Fund, Clean Up The Lake and Laura Patten at League to Save Lake Tahoe. 🙏🏼Finally, thank you to everyone who supported our efforts on LinkedIn. Support on this platform further energized our efforts and provided a forum to raise awareness. Many petition signers came directly from here, and we’re excited to share more as we close out our work. We look forward to celebrating this crucial moment in the history of Lake Tahoe in 2025!