Owner/Client: Tahoe Transportation District
To improve mobility in the Lake Tahoe area, the Tahoe Transportation District is planning a new north-south, public passenger ferry. The ferry would include a terminal in South Lake Tahoe and Tahoe City with water taxi and bus transit connections. Ascent is preparing a joint EIR/EIS/EIS for the proposed Lake Tahoe Passenger Ferry Project to comply with CEQA, NEPA, and TRPA requirements. The NEPA document is following the Federal Transit Administration procedures. Improvements involve development of ferry terminals, passenger loading facilities, mooring locations, maintenance facilities, and ferry vessels to provide year-around transit service between the North Shore and South Shore of Lake Tahoe. Key issues include impacts to Lake Tahoe near shore and shorezone areas, lake water quality impacts, scenic quality of the shorezone facilities, traffic and parking at ferry terminals, and protection of fish resources. One goal of the project is to make use of existing facilities as much as feasible. Coordination among the regulatory agencies with jurisdiction over the Lake will be essential.