Interregional lake basin management: the case of Lake Tahoe

Abstract

The article provides an overview of the environmental conservation development in the lake Tahoe basin, located on the border of two US States. The geographical feature of the location made the process of managing economic activities on the lake more complex. The article highlights the role of local environmental organizations that contributed to public debate on lake pollution issues, which resulted in the formation of a unique Agency managing regional planning in the lake’s catchment area. The historical overview of the main events related to the activities of the Agency and environmental organizations in the region is also presented. The analysis shows that the organization of a single governing body has not brought rapid results in environmental protection; the contradictions between economic growth and environmental protection remain. Regulatory experience in the Lake Tahoe Basin shows that many restrictive measures can be challenged in litigation under the rule of law. The results also show that the achievement of the set environmental indicators, even if the Agency is established, is problematic; and the measures taken can lead to a significant reduction in the number of permanent local population and stagnation in certain sectors of the local economy.