HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES NO 81-79RESOLUTION NO. 81-79
A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
BAKERSFIELD SUPPORTING THE CREATION OF A LAKE
TAHOE NATIONAL RECREATIONAL AREA FOR THE PRE-
SERVATION OF LAKE TAHOE.
WHEREAS, Lake Tahoe, located in both California and
Nevada, is a recreational, wilderness and scenic area of national
importance; and
WHEREAS, Lake Tahoe is acclaimed as one of the world's
most unique mountain lakes with characteristics similar to only one
other lake in the world, and attracts more visitors per year than
any other recreation area of national significance in America; and
WHEREAS, over seventy-one percent of the land in the Lake
Tahoe basin is held in public ownership, meaning the Lake Tahoe
region belongs primarily to the people of the United States of
America as a whole; and
WHEREAS, the environmental quality of Lake Tahoe has
declined at an alarming rate over the past decade due to rapid and
almost uncontrollable urbanization which has caused federal clean
air quality standards to be violated frequently, water clarity to
be reduced by 16 percent since 1970, and over half the meadows in
the basin to be converted to urban use; and
WHEREAS, the deterioration of Lake Tahoe is predicted to
worsen dramatically because of the recent approval of four major
gambling casino projects which will double the current population
and subsequently multiply the threats to the fragile environment of
Lake Tahoe; and
WHEREAS, repeated attempts have been made by state,
regional and local governments to manage the competing interests
at the lake in the best interests of the Tahoe basin, but all have
met with dismal failure and continued irreversable harm to the
area; and
WHEREAS, the inability of these levels of government to
adequately protect and preserve the public's resources and invest-
ment in Lake Tahoe leaves no other choice except to ask for federal
intervention in the management of the Lake Tahoe basin; and
WHEREAS, the creation of a Lake Tahoe National Recreation
Area, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through
the U.S. Forest Service could protect Lake Tahoe by giving these
agencies authority for management, planning, acquisition and enforce-
ment of zoning and environmental standards in the basin.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City
of Bakersfield that the City support legislation to protect Lake
Tahoe from further environmental harm through the creation of a
Lake Tahoe National Recreation Area.
o0o
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution was passed
and adopted by the Council of the City of Bakersfield at a regular
meeting thereof held on the 31st day of October, 1979, by the follow-
ing vote:
CITY C n ~io Clerk of the
CounCil of the City of Bakersfield
APPRO: h :~ ~,,~d o£ October, 1979
~ , ~ o~ ~ake~s~LeZa