Katherine Levy recalls a childhood deeply connected to Lake Tahoe's natural beauty, water-skiing in summer and teaching skiing on snowy mountains in winter. She recently returned to retire on the north shore but was dismayed to discover a US government plan to spray herbicides, including the cancer-linked glyphosate, on national forest land near the lake. 'I was horrified,' Levy said.
Levy is among many residents and officials opposing the US Forest Service project aimed at restoring areas damaged by the 2021 Caldor fire. The wildfire burned over 200,000 acres, including land in the Lake Tahoe basin, where the Forest Service manages more than 156,000 acres.
Restoration plan sparks outrage
The agency's plan states that glyphosate and other herbicides are needed to clear shrubs and brush before replanting trees and to manage vegetation post-planting. Herbicides would be applied via backpack sprayers to minimize harm to non-target plants, and the Forest Service says it will reduce risks of pesticides entering waterways. However, locals remain concerned, and a town hall on June 11 strategized opposition. Social media groups like Lake Tahoe Locals and Keep Tahoe Blue have mobilized.
Similar fights over forestry pesticides are occurring nationwide, but Lake Tahoe has drawn attention from the Make America Healthy Again (Maha) movement, which lobbies the EPA to ban or restrict glyphosate. Maha leader Kelly Ryerson said the community is 'shocked' and organizing pushback.
Glyphosate controversy
Glyphosate, introduced by Monsanto in the 1970s and used in products like Roundup, was classified as probably carcinogenic to humans by the WHO in 2015. It also harms animals and could affect over 90% of endangered species, according to federal regulators. Bayer, which bought Monsanto in 2018, maintains glyphosate does not cause cancer. The EPA considers it 'unlikely' to be carcinogenic.
Water worries
Lake Tahoe, the largest alpine lake in North America and a popular tourist destination, sits in the Sierra Nevada on the California-Nevada border. About 75% of its watershed is national forest land, and proposed spraying areas include mountains above the lake, where snowmelt feeds tributaries directly into Tahoe. South Lake Tahoe Mayor Cody Bass expressed shock that glyphosate is still used on public lands. He sits on the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) board, which strongly discourages synthetic herbicides. The TRPA sent a letter to the Forest Service on May 27 requesting a meeting to minimize herbicide use.
Residents became aware of the plan after a Mother Jones article mentioned up to 75,000 acres affected by the Caldor fire were targeted for glyphosate spraying, including near ski resorts. A follow-up revealed spraying had already occurred at a resort south of Lake Tahoe in Eldorado National Forest.
Herbicide use on Forest Service land is widespread. From 2017 to 2020, nearly 939,000 pounds of pesticides were applied on 1.47 million acres of Forest Service land nationwide, according to data from the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD). CBD's Lori Ann Burd expects more spray projects, noting that the rationale often doesn't outweigh potential harms.
'Emergency' authorization
In March, Forest Service officials deemed restoration of 11,700 acres in the Lake Tahoe basin an 'emergency,' estimating 2,400 to 3,600 acres 'may be treated with herbicides' for reforestation. The agency says restoration involves targeted actions to facilitate post-fire recovery, enhance resilience, and support wildlife. The plan lists glyphosate and four other herbicides, but public outrage focuses on glyphosate's health and environmental risks.
Robert Lorens, the Forest Service's NEPA planner, acknowledged concerns but pointed to website information stating each herbicide is properly registered, biologically reviewed, and deemed the 'best tool' for forest health. The agency conducts a rigorous assessment of each chemical. Still, residents like Hannah Teter, who lives near the Caldor fire area and works at a wakesurfing charter, find the idea of spraying thousands of gallons of herbicides deeply troubling.
This story is co-published with the New Lede, a journalism project of the Environmental Working Group.
