Buckle up, Tahoe fam, our beloved landscape might be on the chopping block, and local leaders are NOT having it.

The Senate’s budget reconciliation bill is floating a wild proposal to sell off 3.3 million acres of public lands across 11 western states, with a significant chunk potentially impacting our pristine Tahoe region. But our local representatives are throwing down a serious challenge, making it crystal clear: Tahoe is not for sale.

A Battle for Local Voices

Rep. Kevin Kiley is leading the charge, demanding that any land sales decisions include meaningful local input. “Our district is home to breathtaking landscapes that provide clean water, jobs, and epic recreation,” Kiley emphasized, refusing to support legislation that sidelines local leadership.

El Dorado County Supervisor Brooke Laine didn’t mince words either: “Tahoe is not for sale! We urge the Senate to remove this language and work with local governments and Indian tribes on sensible land policy”.

Protecting Decades of Conservation

Tahoe Regional Planning Agency’s Julie Regan highlighted the potential policy reversal, noting that the proposed language would undermine 50 years of established land management strategies. The recent Lake Tahoe Restoration Act reauthorization and the bi-state compact have long protected these lands, and local leaders are determined to keep it that way.

A Unified Front

Cindy Gustafson from Placer County’s Board of Supervisors echoed the sentiment, stressing that local governments can’t be reduced to mere advisory roles in federal land decisions. While affordable housing is a shared goal, the current proposal threatens to disrupt carefully crafted local planning efforts.

For Tahoe’s outdoor enthusiasts and locals who breathe this mountain air, the message is clear: our public lands are more than just acreage, they’re our playground, our ecosystem, and our home. And right now, our leaders are drawing a line in the sand.

View the potential land sale map here