Glyphosate in Tahoe and The TRPA - Herbicide in Margaritaville

Glyphosate in Tahoe and The TRPA
      Herbicide in Margaritaville
 

“Established in 1969, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency was the nation’s first bi-state regional environmental planning agency. Our mission is to lead the cooperative effort to preserve, restore, and enhance the unique natural and human environment of the Lake Tahoe Region, while improving local communities, and people’s interactions with our irreplaceable environment.” ~Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Mission Statement

On August 14, 2021, The Caldor fire started 34 miles away from Sierra-at-Tahoe ski resort in the Lake Tahoe region. The fire eventually reached the mountain and beyond before being controlled. Forest rejuvenation began with the plan to spray of glyphosate to deter overgrowth and more planned for 2028. The plan ignited criticism and social action, as more people learn of the dangers of the invasive chemical, and a rumor circulated that glyphosate would not be used.

    And then it was used. The US Forest Service used glyphosate anyway with plans to use more as reported in a motherjones.com article.

    Who is in control of the region? And who decides on using glyphosate? Not The US Forest Service. Not the federal government. And not California nor Nevada. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency is in control. Or is somewhat in control. You can visit their website at trpa.gov. It is a government institution with power.

    One of the major accomplishments of TRPA is the implementation of laws to maintain and perhaps eventually gain water clarity in the lake. This is certainly important for the lake and the biosphere that is the Tahoe basin, but it is important to point out we did not require scientific studies to implement the process, though studies have been done to measure the process. It was based on simple understanding that clarity was decreasing. We could see so.

    I remember watching the construction of Embassy Suites (now Margaritaville) exude runoff into the lake, starkest in the morning before the tourists arrived to look at the beautiful view. Most of the sediment stirred up is from institutional construction and not individual homes, of course.

    TRPA also focuses on keeping out invasive biological species from entering the region, in the lake and forests. We know clean water is good and we know invasive species can be bad. The TRPA is also involved in fire restoration projects but does not require permits for US Forest Service who approved the project.

“TRPA submitted comments on the project but does not direct or implement the planned restoration work. The Tahoe Basin is an area where jurisdiction is shared by multiple agencies. TRPA is a regional planning and regulatory agency that administers the Regional Plan and reviews projects for compliance with applicable TRPA standards within its jurisdiction. The U.S. Forest Service approved the Caldor Restoration Project, which did not require a TRPA permit.” ~TRPA

    The TRPA is unlike most any other institution in The USA. The TRPA has the power to make declaration and implement regulation in the entire area, secured by a Supreme Court decision that verified their right to delegate processes to “preserve, restore, and enhance” the region. The TRPA has regulation power to implement actions as well as to dictate actions and request spending in cooperation with other institutions including The Forest Service.

    The TRPA has government legislation power as well as the funds to direct and implement actions including reforesting and the use of the glyphosate in cooperative effort with US Forest Service. The introduction of the chemical is done to protect indigenous life of the “irreplaceable environment”, but something does not add up, as you might be aware.

    Introduction of herbicides, like glyphosate, is the introduction of an invasive chemical species-destroyer. Herbicides kill all plants it and disperse up the food chain and through the water table from there. And it does not take a scientific study to determine that one does want herbicide in the environment just as it did not take a scientific study to determine that water clarity is valuable and invasive species should not be introduced. And I don’t know about you, but I don’t need a scientific study to determine that I don’t want herbicide in my water, in my lake, or on my hike.

    The importance of people and community is in the TRPA mission statement. People do not need further scientific studies to know they do not want invasive chemicals in their environment and organ systems, the TRPA states people are important and the institution seeks to “enhance the unique natural and human environment of the Lake Tahoe Region, while improving local communities, and people’s interactions with our irreplaceable environment.”

    We don’t need further scientific studies to determine we don’t want more glyphosate in our water. It’s already in our blood. In fact, studies found alarming amounts of glyphosate in samples of human urine and blood. And it’s in our food. All genetically modified organisms as food, experiments that are arguably actually invasive or alien species, are bioengineered not to be more clear or more quality, but to be grown with glyphosate herbicide that kills all other plants and deters insects from eating the crops. So glyphosate is in us all already. And California has been using it up like there is no tomorrow, in ever-increasing amounts, almost as if getting rid of stockpile, that is going bad, maybe not expiring but being found out to be bad, toxic.

https://www.cornucopia.org/2012/07/glyphosate-found-in-human-urine/
 
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/u-s-forest-service-timber-companies-spraying-record-amounts-of-glyphosate-in-california

    So, do we need more scientific validation that introduction of an invasive chemical species-killer is counter to the mission at hand? We humans can see clarity with our own eyes just as we know the quality of herbicide, it kills. I called TRPA and they graciously and openly communicated with me. Now, my question to TRPA is essentially what we all are asking and what we all ought to ask of our institutions, effectively, how do your actions align with your words?

    Now I’ll be completely honest with you, dear reader, the initial response to my question was, “at this time we do not have an answer for that question…” to which I interjected that the nonanswer to this question will be the answer then, and that could be the worst possible answer, implying that such nontransparency is always revealing in and of itself. All my other questions were addressed and answered. But this is the main question.

    I requested and received a formal answer to the question by email. Jeff Cowen and his assistant Eric agreed. We all want clarity and quality of our water, our words and our institutions. In fact, we demand clarity and quality from our institutions. And we have to demand clarity and quality from our institutions to obtain any semblance of clear and quality water it would appear. It would appear no institution wants to take responsibility or exhibit leadership for The Tahoe environment and community, not The Forest Service and not The TRPA.   

How does the use of glyphosate/herbicide in “our irreplaceable environment” in any way “preserve, restore, and enhance the unique natural and human environment of the Lake Tahoe Region” as your mission statement puts forth?

“The TRPA is remaining engaged with the U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit to better address community concerns and ensure monitoring and environmental safeguards are adequate. Although the project did not require a TRPA permit, in 2025, the agency provided comments (attached) on the project Environmental Assessment. Those comments reflect TRPA’s legal and environmental position on herbicide use, specifically that TRPA regulations discourage, but do not prohibit the use of EPA-certified herbicides. In response to our comments, the Forest Service addressed the agency’s requests to ensure that any herbicide use is managed in a manner that protects water quality, sensitive species, and recreation, in alignment with environmental threshold standards.
    When community members raised concerns, the agency followed up with a May 2026 letter to the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. In August of this year, TRPA gave the community and our Governing Board members the chance to learn about and speak on the project at the Governing Board meeting. The video is posted here.
    The management unit has stated that potential herbicide application for reforestation is not planned in the Tahoe Basin until 2028. TRPA is listening to the community’s concerns and will use this time to continue gathering information, listening, and coordinating with the Forest Service as their plans take shape.” ~TRPA

    So I guess our institutions will continue to listen. We have that going for us. The question is the crux of the matter. Perhaps it always is the question of all institutions. How do your words align with your actions? The lack of alignment of words and actions amplifies contention in any situation and particularly the introduction of more herbicide into the region of the oldest freshwater lake in North America and the third oldest in the world.

US Forest Service Motto: Caring for the Land and Serving People

    How do your actions align with your words? The question also haunts the collective sentiment in the current stream of national discourse. Individuals no longer trust institutions. And why? Individuals no longer trust institutions that make bold pronouncements, but then leave us hanging, in a poisoned, depleted, worsened environment. All so that they can maintain institutional control while individuals drink herbicide tainted water and eat herbicide grown food. The glyphosate situation is a microcosmic reflection of the national situation in which individuals no longer trust institutions, amplified by the lack of alignment of words and actions.  

    The TRPA has the opportunity to refine their position and to take a stand for community and become a heroic institution. There is no defeat in refinement of any position to maintain the mission. Simple engagement of the mission to value community and our water table is reason enough. No scientific studies are required to determine we need clarity and quality of our water and from the messages of our institutions.  

    The TRPA would represent heroic leadership if it cooperated with community. And we should all ask for the refinement to the answer. How do your actions align with your words? The TRPA has all the power to pollute with more herbicide. And all the power to stop it. Stop it for the oldest freshwater lake in North America. Stop the use of herbicides in nature, for the community who are asking for it simply because we don’t want to ingest more herbicide. The TRPA can “lead the cooperative effort” with the community to prohibit glyphosate/herbicide or continue to cooperative effort to use glyphosate as the least expensive way to regrow the least biodiverse forest – but mostly safe from more fires in short term.  

    The TRPA could make an easy decision and become one of the most trusted government institutions in a time where hope for such is bleak and examples are few. Let’s endorse what TRPA can do in becoming a leading government institution in The USA by asking the question about their mission and how using herbicide does not “preserve, restore, and enhance the unique natural and human environment.”

    And let’s remind The TRPA and other institutions that might hear there is no defeat in institutional refinement for your community and for your environment. The TRPA does not lose in the refinement of its position pertaining to the prohibition of the use of glyphosate/herbicide on public lands. We would all win. And let’s ask this question more often of our institutions, how do your words align with your actions?