Las Vegas, Nev. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today hosted the first-ever virtual and 24th Annual Lake Tahoe Summit, entitled “Resilient Tahoe.” During the virtual summit, Senator Cortez Masto was joined by members of Nevada’s and California’s congressional delegations, governors, front-line workers, tribal members, scientists and conservationists. The summit focused on the success of public-private partnerships to protect Lake Tahoe and convened discussions on the challenges confronting the Tahoe Basin during the COVID-19 crisis and in the future. The full video recording of the summit is available here.
“As the name of this year’s summit reminds us, Tahoe is strong and resilient. Born from a lava flow that cut off the Truckee River, the lake here is 24 million years old. It’s withstood flames and floods, drought and disaster. And the enduring beauty of this place is even more important as Americans cope with the coronavirus pandemic. But just because Tahoe is resilient doesn’t mean its strength is limitless. We need to strengthen the lake—and the communities that depend on it—so that it can endure the challenges of the future. That’s why I was glad to host the 24th Annual Tahoe Summit today and discuss what more I can do to support the frontline workers who call the lake home and the scientists and local leaders working to conserve its unique ecosystems. I’ll continue working at the federal level for the future of our natural spaces and the cultural treasures they contain in Nevada and throughout America.”
BACKGROUND:
The first virtual and 24th Annual Lake Tahoe Summit, entitled “Resilient Tahoe,” highlighted 50 years of bi-state cooperation and 24 years of bipartisan collaboration by stakeholders through a series of keynote speakers and panel discussions. In addition to Senator Cortez Masto, participants at the summit included U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.); Representatives Tom McClintock (D-Calif.-04), John Garamendi (D-Calif.-03) and Mark Amodei (R-Nev.02); and California Governor Gavin Newsom and Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak. Two-time Olympic medalist David Wise also participated as keynote speaker. The summit also included a conversation between Senator Cortez Masto and Dr. Monica Arienzo of the Desert Research Institute about threats facing Lake Tahoe and a tribute to the frontline workers who have worked to keep Tahoe communities safe and healthy during the coronavirus pandemic.
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