SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – In a major milestone for efforts to Keep Tahoe Blue, the League to Save Lake Tahoe announced that the removal of lead-sheathed telecommunication cables from below Lake Tahoe’s waters is complete.

This accomplishment for the Lake’s preservation is the culmination of a multi-year effort. The League is proud to have served as both environmental watchdog and partner to AT&T in the removal process.

“This is a major milestone for Lake Tahoe,” said the League to Save Lake Tahoe’s Chief Strategy Officer Jesse Patterson. “We are grateful that AT&T did the right thing for the Lake Tahoe environment and honored that the League could play an instrumental role to Keep Tahoe Blue for all.” 

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The cable removal project was carefully crafted with multiple layers of environmental safeguards and was conducted by AT&T’s specialty marine services contractor, J.F. Brennan Company. The League was closely involved from the early planning stages to the actual removal work, both on and off the water, sharing its assistance and expertise. Additionally, a professional team of consultants, including divers, biologists and archaeologists, helped ensure the cables were removed from the Lake bottom without disturbing water quality, aquatic life, or Tahoe’s natural setting. The removed cables are being transported out of the Tahoe Basin to be recycled.

A number of organizations contributed to the effort to remove the cables along the way. The cables were first brought to the League’s attention by the environmental non-profit Below the Blue. The two organizations worked together to map the extent of the cables in Lake Tahoe. The League coordinated with local, state, and federal agencies to help secure permits and approvals for the cable removal.

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“This is a great day for Tahoe, and the Tahoe Keys Marina is proud to have played our part,” said Katie Linton, general manager of the Tahoe Keys Marina, which provided the staging area for the removal equipment. “We worked hand in hand with the cable removal team, especially the League to Save Lake Tahoe who made sure all the operation’s complex moving parts fit together perfectly.”

This achievement is a testament to the importance of Lake Tahoe as one of the United States’ most unique natural resources, the second deepest lake in the country, and the third oldest lake in the world. The Lake is an Outstanding National Resource Water, a rare federal designation that affords it the highest protection against degradation.

Removing the cables honors Lake Tahoe’s national importance and helps Keep Tahoe Blue, so it can be enjoyed for generations to come.