Lake Tahoe, NV…With clear blue waters, long sandy beaches, rocky coves, and world-class views, Lake Tahoe is a one-of-a-kind natural and recreational wonder. Protecting and enhancing this majestic watershed centers on collaboration, stewardship, and support among public and private sectors, as well as individual contributions by community members. Today, nearly 21,000 Nevadans are contributing to Lake Tahoe’s protection through their purchase and annual renewal of their Lake Tahoe license plates. This year, the Nevada Division of State Lands (NDSL), within the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, is providing approximately $350,000 in Lake Tahoe License Plate (LTLP) program funds to support vital environmental preservation and restoration projects in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

Projects range from water quality initiatives and state park improvements, to research and monitoring studies, invasive species surveys and removal, and public education efforts. In 2019, the LTLP Program is providing funding for the following projects:

· Lake Tahoe Aquatic Invasive Plant Control: Nevada Shoreline Rapid Response, Tahoe Resource Conservation District

· Spooner Lake Trailhead Facility and Amphitheater, Nevada Division of State Parks

· Lake Tahoe Basin Education and Outreach at UNR’s Museum of Natural History, University of Nevada – Reno

· Stormwater Tools Phase 3 Improvements, Nevada Division of Environmental Protection

· Enhancement of TRPA’s BMP Handbook Shorezone Section, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency

· Long-term Dynamics of Aspen Stands Across the Lake Tahoe Basin: Drivers of Forest Health and Identification of Restoration Priorities, University of Nevada – Reno

The LTLP program has benefitted Lake Tahoe’s natural resources for more than two decades. Since the first license plates were sold in February 1998, the program has generated more than $8.5 million through sales and annual renewal fees, funding over 150 preservation and restoration projects on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe.

Now, with the passage of Assembly Bill (AB) 93 in May 2019, NDSL will be able to provide LTLP program grants to nonprofit organizations in addition to public agencies. Prior to AB 93, LTLP funds were only available for projects completed by public agencies. This is a landmark change that recognizes the critical role nonprofit organizations play in the collaboration and implementation of environmental improvement projects at Lake Tahoe.

You can help preserve and protect beautiful Lake Tahoe, too! Nevada residents can purchase a new Tahoe license plate for $62 with an annual renewal fee of $30. To learn more, please visit http://www.dmvnv.com/platescharitable.htm. Thank you for your support!

To learn more about the projects funded by the LTLP program, go to http://lands.nv.gov/resource-programs/tahoe/water-quality/tahoe-license-plate-program