Nevada panel endorses Tahoe environmental study funding

But before the $83,333 is released, board members want to see California's share of the funding.

Funding for many projects that go through the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency is supposed to be split by the two states - one-third from Nevada and two-thirds from California based on the percentage of the basin each state owns.

But in recent years the California Legislature has held up its part of funding for either general TRPA operations or specific projects.

The Nevada board, consisting of Gov. Bob Miller, Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa and Secretary of State Dean Heller, was told a funding request is before the California Legislature and is expected to win approval in June.

The board also approved spending $200,000 to purchase three more environmentally sensitive parcels in the basin. The purchases are being paid for by a $31 million bond approved in 1986 for land acquisition and erosion control.

The largest acquisition is a conservation easement designed to protect a meadow-marsh area in Glenbrook. The other two purchases are pieces of environmentally sensitive land in Washoe and Douglas counties.

Sarah Grable of the state Lands Division said the bond funds have been nearly exhausted - but owners of environmentally sensitive and unbuildable Nevada property should still contact the agency.

"We can put together the funds to buy one more," she added.

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