AT&T Reaches Settlement to Remove Cables from Lake Tahoe
AT&T has reached a settlement with the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA) over a lawsuit regarding two telecommunication cables in Lake Tahoe. As a result, the cables are set to be removed from the lake.
The lawsuit, originally filed in January 2021, raised concerns about the environmental impact of the cables. With the settlement now in place, AT&T will resume work with the League to Save Lake Tahoe to remove the cables from the lake.
In the summer of 2023, an investigation by The Wall Street Journal revealed high levels of lead in Lake Tahoe, specifically near areas where the underwater lead cables were buried. The testing conducted in Emerald Bay, a popular location within the lake, unveiled a sample containing lead levels that exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency’s limit for drinking water by a staggering 2,533 times.
AT&T contracted their own expert analyses, which concluded that the cables posed no threat to public health or the environment. Despite their findings, they agreed to remove them to avoid further litigation costs and distractions.
“While we’re confident in the strength of our case and the safety of the cables, this settlement represents an amicable resolution to litigation,” said Marc Blakeman, AT&T’s President for California. “Now that studies have confirmed the safety of the cables, we can return to our commitment to remove them.”
The project had been paused last summer to allow for additional expert analysis. With those studies now complete, AT&T is moving forward with the removal, working alongside the League to Save Lake Tahoe. Jesse Patterson, Chief Strategy Officer for the League to Save Lake Tahoe, praised AT&T’s decision to proceed.
“Lake Tahoe is a special place and deserves this kind of protective action to Keep Tahoe Blue,” Patterson said. “We look forward to continuing our work with AT&T to ensure the safe and timely removal of the cables.”
The cable removal is expected to be completed by the end of 2024, with 2025 as a backup if any delays occur due to weather or legal procedures.
