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- 83rd Session (2025)
Senate Bill No. 83–Committee on Natural Resources
CHAPTER..........
AN ACT relating to the Lake Tahoe Basin; requiring the issuance of
general obligation bonds to carry out certain environmental
improvement projects included in the second phase of the
Environmental Improvement Program for the Lake Tahoe
Basin; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.
Legislative Counsel’s Digest:
The Environmental Improvement Program was implemented in 1997 to carry
out projects to improve the environment in the Lake Tahoe Basin. The costs of the
Program are apportioned among the Federal Government, the States of Nevada and
California and local governments and owners of private property in both states. In
1999, the Nevada Legislature authorized the issuance of not more than $56.4
million in general obligation bonds to pay for a significant portion of Nevada’s
share of the costs of the first phase of the Program. (Chapter 514, St atutes of
Nevada 1999, at page 2626)
In 2009, the Nevada Legislature authorized the issuance of not more than $100
million in general obligation bonds to pay for Nevada’s share of the costs of the
second phase of the Program beginning on July 1, 2009, and ending on June 30,
2020. (Section 3 of chapter 431, Statutes of Nevada 2009, at page 2417) Issuance of
those bonds requires the approval of the Legislature or the Interim Finance
Committee. ( Id.) In 2017, the Nevada Legislature extended the deadline for t he
issuance of the remainder of the general obligation bonds that were authorized in
2009 for the second phase of the Program from June 30, 2020, to June 30, 2030.
(Chapter 32, Statutes of Nevada 2017, at page 137)
Of the $100 million in general obligatio n bonds authorized to pay for Nevada’s
share of the costs of the second phase of the Program, the Nevada Legislature
required the issuance of: (1) not more than $4.42 million of those bonds in 2009;
(2) not more than $12 million of those bonds in 2011; (3) not more than $8 million
of those bonds in 2019; (4) not more than $4 million of those bonds in 2021; and
(5) not more than $13 million of those bonds in 2023. ( Section 1 of chapter 431,
Statutes of Nevada 2009, at page 2416; section 1 of chapter 437, Statutes of Nevada
2011, at page 2638; section 1 of chapter 167, Statutes of Nevada 2019, at page 891;
section 1 of chapter 215, Statutes of Nevada 2021, at page 1008; section 1 of
chapter 99, Statutes of Nevada 2023, at page 501)
This bill requires the issuance of not more than $10.5 million of the $100
million in general obligation bonds authorized in 2009 to provide money to carry
out certain environmental improvement projects included in the second phase of the
Environmental Improvement Program and al lows the use of interest accrued on the
proceeds of the general obligation bonds for the Program.
EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.
WHEREAS, The Lake Tahoe Basin exhibits unique
environmental and ecological conditions that are irreplaceable; and
WHEREAS, This State has a compelling interest in preserving,
protecting, restoring and enhancing the natural environment of the
Lake Tahoe Basin; and
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WHEREAS, The preservation, protection, restoration and
enhancement of the natural environment of the Lake Tahoe Basin is
of such significance that it must be carried out on a continual basis;
and
WHEREAS, In October 1997, Governor Bob Miller, on behalf
of the State of Nevada, signed a Memorandum of Agreement
between the Federal Interagency Partnership on the Lake Tahoe
Ecosystem, the States of Nevada and California, the Washo e Tribe
of Nevada and California, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and
interested local governments, in which the parties affirmed their
commitment to the Tahoe Regional Planning Compact, to the sound
management and protection of the resources within the Lake Tahoe
Basin and the support of a healthy, sustainable economy and to
achieve environmental thresholds for Lake Tahoe, and agreed to
cooperate to carry out, including, without limitation, providing
financial support for, the Environmental Improvement Program; and
WHEREAS, The costs of carrying out the Environmental
Improvement Program have been apportioned among the Federal
Government, the States of Nevada and California and the local
governments and private property owners within both states; and
WHEREAS, The cost of carrying out the second phase of the
Environmental Improvement Program for the State of Nevada and
its political subdivisions is $100,000,000; and
WHEREAS, Section 3 of chapter 431, Statutes of Nevada 2009, at
page 2417, authorized the State Board of Finance to issue general
obligation bonds of the State of Nevada in a total face amount of not
more than $100,000,000 to provide money to carry out the second
phase of the Environmental Improvement Program beginning on
July 1, 2009, and ending on June 30, 2020; and
WHEREAS, Section 2 of chapter 32, Statutes of Nevada 2017, at
page 138, extended the deadline for the State Board of Finance to
issue the remainder of the general obligation bonds of the State of
Nevada that were authorized in 200 9 for the second phase of the
Environmental Improvement Program from June 30, 2020, to
June 30, 2030; and
WHEREAS, Section 1 of chapter 431, Statutes of Nevada 2009, at
page 2416, granted approval to the State Board of Finance to issue
$4,420,000 of thos e general obligation bonds to provide money to
carry out certain environmental improvement projects included in
the second phase of the Environmental Improvement Program; and
WHEREAS, Section 1 of chapter 437, Statutes of Nevada 2011, at
page 2638, grante d approval to the State Board of Finance to issue
an additional $12,000,000 of those general obligation bonds to
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provide money to carry out certain environmental improvement
projects included in the second phase of the Environmental
Improvement Program; and
WHEREAS, Section 1 of chapter 167, Statutes of Nevada 2019, at
page 891, granted approval to the State Board of Finance to issue an
additional $8,000,000 of those general obligation bonds to provide
money to carry out certain environmental improvement p rojects
included in the second phase of the Environmental Improvement
Program; and
WHEREAS, Section 1 of chapter 215, Statutes of Nevada 2021, at
page 1008, granted approval to the State Board of Finance to issue
an additional $4,000,000 of those general obligation bonds to
provide money to carry out certain environmental improvement
projects included in the second phase of the Environmental
Improvement Program; and
WHEREAS, Section 1 of chapter 99, Statutes of Nevada 2023, at
page 501, granted approval to the State Board of Finance to issue an
additional $13,000,000 of those general obligation bonds to provide
money to carry out certain environmental improvement projects
included in the second phase of the Environmental Improvement
Program; and
WHEREAS, The general obligation bonds authorized by chapter
431, Statutes of Nevada 2009, may only be issued with the prior
approval of the Legislature or the Interim Finance Committee and
pursuant to a schedule established by the Administrator of the
Division of S tate Lands of the State Department of Conservation
and Natural Resources; now, therefore,
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN
SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Money to carry out the Environmental
Improvement Program for the Lake Tahoe Basin established
pursuant to section 1 of chapter 514, Statutes of Nevada 1999, at
page 2627, must be provided by the issuance by the State Board of
Finance of general obligation bonds of the State of Nevada in a total
face amount of not more than $10,500,000 pursuant to NRS 349.150
to 349.364, inclusive. The proceeds of the bonds issued pursuant to
this section and any accrued interest thereon must be deposited in
the Fund to Pr otect the Lake Tahoe Basin created pursuant to
section 2 of chapter 514, Statutes of Nevada 1999, at page 2628,
and, except as otherwise provided in section 2 of this act, must be
used for the following activities related to the Environmental
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Improvement Program to be carried out by the State Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources:
1. Continued implementation of forest health, restoration and
fuels management projects;
2. Control and prevention of invasive terrestrial and aquatic
species;
3. Enhancement of recreational opportunities;
4. Protection of sensitive species and improvement of wildlife
habitat; and
5. Water quality, erosion control and stream restoration and
enhancement projects of the Environmental Improvement Program
to be carried out pursuant to grants and project agreements.
Sec. 2. The Division of State Lands of the State Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources may use money authorized
pursuant to section 1 of this act for an activit y other than an activity
listed in section 1 of this act if the Interim Finance Committee
approves such a use in writing before the Division of State Lands
engages in the activity.
Sec. 3. The Legislature finds and declares that the issuance of
securities and the incurrence of indebtedness pursuant to section 1
of this act:
1. Are necessary for the protection and preservation of the
natural resources of this State and for the purpose of obtaining the
benefits thereof; and
2. Constitute an exercise of the authority conferred by the
second paragraph of Section 3 of Article 9 of the Constitution of the
State of Nevada.
Sec. 4. This act becomes effective on July 1, 2025.
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