Authorization Granted by US Army Corps of Engineers!

Since June, we've had the pleasure to engage with the US Army Corps of Engineers. As "Waters of the United States" (WOTUS), Lake Tahoe has regulatory oversight conducted by this key group within the Department of the Army. One of the world's largest engineering, design and construction management agencies, the US Army Corps of Engineers plays a vital role in public works across the nation including administration of the Clean Water Act Section 404 program. We're grateful for their time reviewing our project, they were one of the first agencies to respond to our outreach back in May, and have been tremendous partners not only regarding their application process but in navigating across agencies.

This moment was an inflection point for our community efforts, as it formally established that government agencies are receptive to our approach and willing to authorize us to take action. For transparency, we would note the following on our authorization:

• Activities are subject to Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act, and determined authorized by Nationwide Permit Number (NWP) 57, Electric Utility Line and Telecommunication Activities

• Formal notifications are required 10 days prior to initiation of activities, and 10 days following completion

• No interference with the public's right to free navigation on Lake Tahoe

• Contingencies related to Federal Endangered Species Act, Section 401 Water Quality Certification, and best management practices as previously established

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Coast Guard, NOAA, TRPA, California State Lands, California Department of Fish & Wildlife, and Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board were all alerted to this action

The most critical component of this authorization is duration: the verification is valid until March 14, 2026, aligned with existing NWPs. This aspect establishes a clear deadline for our efforts, and going forward all our activities will be aligned to ensure that this project is completed by then.

We look forward to pressing forward with the permitting progress across agencies!