NEWS: Sen. Schiff Leads California and Nevada Senators in Upholding Bipartisan EXPLORE Act to Benefit Lake Tahoe Basin

Washington, D.C.– Today, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) led Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) inrequestingU.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins and U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary Doug Burgum to ensure Lake Tahoe Basin benefits from the bipartisanExpanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act,which was signed into law last Congress.
In the letter, the lawmakers urge the agencies to take action on the opportunities presented by theEXPLORE Act, which includes improving outdoor recreation access on U.S. public lands, supporting gateway communities, strengthening conservation efforts, and boosting outdoor recreation economy.
“Lake Tahoe is a beautiful, unique environment that both our states cherish and enjoy for its plentiful outdoor recreation opportunities and its precious natural resource value,”the Senators wrote.“We follow a line of previous California and Nevada Senators who have worked with numerous administrations across decades to preserve and protect Lake Tahoe for Californians, Nevadans, and the millions of people from beyond our states who visit Tahoe every year.”
The Senators request that USDA and DOI utilize theEXPLORE Actto implement the following in the Tahoe region:
The letter comes in advance of the 29th Lake Tahoe Summit, which will take place on August 6, 2025. The event ishosted by Senator Schiff.
Read the full text of the letterhereand below:
Dear Secretary Rollins and Secretary Burgum:
We write to you jointly as the four Senators representing the Lake Tahoe Basin to respectfully request that you work with us to ensure Lake Tahoe benefits from the bipartisan Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act enacted last Congress. We hope that you consider acting on the opportunities below to protect and enhance the jewel of the Sierra as we draw closer to the 2025 Tahoe Summit on August 6, 2025.
As you know, the EXPLORE Act, sponsored by Chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources Bruce Westerman, is a comprehensive bipartisan law aimed at expanding and improving outdoor recreation access on public lands across the United States. The law consolidates multiple outdoor recreation initiatives that expand and modernize outdoor recreation access and infrastructure on public lands, support gateway communities, and strengthen conservation efforts, all while boosting the outdoor recreation economy nationwide.
Lake Tahoe is a beautiful, unique environment that both our states cherish and enjoy for its plentiful outdoor recreation opportunities and its precious natural resource value. We follow a line of previous California and Nevada Senators who have worked with numerous administrations across decades to preserve and protect Lake Tahoe for Californians, Nevadans, and the millions of people from beyond our states who visit Tahoe every year. To ensure that we continue to balance the natural environment and the built environment that is needed to handle the visitation Tahoe receives, we request that you consider taking action on the following opportunities presented by the EXPLORE Act:
Thank you for your consideration of these opportunities to protect the Tahoe Basin. We respectfully request that your agencies provide a response that explains the agencies’ views on these items in advance of this year’s Tahoe Summit. We look forward to working with you to protect Lake Tahoe, one of America’s greatest natural treasures.
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