Experience > Lake Tahoe Basin

Edgewood Hotel and Golf Course Realignment Project EIS, Lake Tahoe, NV
Tahoe Regional Planning Agency
Role: Prime Consultant, EIS Preparation
The Edgewood Hotel and Golf Course Realignment Project is located on the Edgewood Golf Course, Stateline, Nevada. The entire golf course encompasses approximately 237 acres of land located within the Edgewood Plan Area Statement (PAS) 070A in California and Nevada. A proposed new hotel, spa and wellness center, restaurant, banquet and meeting space would be concentrated on approximately 10 acres of land located entirely within the PAS 070A Special Area #1 (Tourist Area). Access to the project site is provided by Lake Parkway from U.S. Highway 50. The proposed project would include a new 230-unit hotel complex with a full-service spa and wellness center, restaurant and bar, and banquet and meeting space as well as accessory uses on undeveloped higher capability lands at the Edgewood Golf Course. Key issues for the EIS include land coverage, scenic quality, water quality, traffic, air quality, and noise.

Lake Tahoe Basin Biomass Facility EIR/EIS
Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and Placer County
Role: Prime Consultant, EIR/EIS Preparation
Ascent is preparing joint environmental documentation for Placer County and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) for the Lake Tahoe Basin Biomass facility. The proposed facility is a 1 to 3 megawatt (MW) wood-to-energy plant that would produce electricity and heat, and create indirect benefits related to fire fuels management and reduced potential for catastrophic wildfire. The facility would consist of an 80-foot by 80-foot two-story building and an open structure for biomass storage in the North Lake Tahoe area. The EIR/EIS will assess impacts of construction and operation of the facility, including land use, air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, noise, truck traffic, water supply and water quality, sustainable forest practices, and biological resources. Impacts to resources will be analyzed at both the facility site and the areas from which biomass fuel will be obtained. The joint environmental documentation prepared by Ascent will fulfill the environmental impact review requirements of CEQA, NEPA, and TRPA regulations.

Transportation Project Environmental Review Strategy, Lake Tahoe Basin, CA and NV
Tahoe Transportation District
Role: Prime Consultant, Environmental Strategy Preparation
Ascent was commissioned by the Tahoe Transportation District to evaluate the status of upcoming transportation planning and project proposals to identify the most cost-effective, defensible, timely, and beneficial approaches to conduct environmental review under CEQA, NEPA, and TRPA requirements. A paper was prepared and presented to the TTD Board discussing for options for environmental review approaches, including the use of programmatic environmental documents to help streamline later project reviews. The plans and projects involved in the strategy evaluation included the next Regional Transportation Plan (with its new requirement to include a Strategic Communities Strategy), TRPA Regional Plan Update, US 50 Stateline Corridor, Waterborne Transit, and the Nevada Stateline-to-Stateline Bikeway. Ascent recommended a hybrid approach to prepare a programmatic cumulative analysis that could help streamline project or plan-specific environmental documents.

Nevada Stateline-to-Stateline Bicycle Facility, South Demonstration Project Environmental Review, East Shore Lake Tahoe, NV
Tahoe Transportation District
Role: Project Manager, Environmental Document Preparation
For 3 years, Ascent team leaders led the preparation of a feasibility study to site a 30+-mile bicycle trail along the East Shore of Lake Tahoe. The absence of a bicycle facility on the East Shore is a key missing piece of the Lake Tahoe Basin’s bicycle network. The feasibility study area, from Stateline on the South Shore to Stateline at Crystal Bay on the North Shore contains many challenges for siting a separated bicycle path. Ascent team leaders are leading the environmental review for the first implementation phase of the East Shore bikeway, a 3-mile segment called the South Demonstration Project (extending from the state line in South Lake Tahoe to Round Hill Pines Beach). Ascent is managing the preparation of an Environmental Assessment pursuant to NEPA (for the U. S. Forest Service) and TRPA. Key issues include coverage, avoidance of cultural and SEZ resources, potential for conflicts with other recreation uses, scenic quality, wildlife, and water quality.