(D) cleaning up methyl tertiary butyl ether
contamination; and
(E) the management of vehicular parking
and traffic in the Lake Tahoe Basin Manage-
ment Unit, especially—
(i) improvement of public access to the
Lake Tahoe basin, including the promotion
of alternatives to the private automobile;
(ii) the Highway 28 and 89 corridors
and parking problems in the area;
(iii) cooperation with local public
transportation systems, including—
(I) the Coordinated Transit Sys-
tem; and
(II) public transit systems on the
north shore of Lake Tahoe.
(c) MONITORING.—The Secretary shall provide for con-
tinuous scientific research on and monitoring of the imple-
mentation of projects on the priority list, including the sta-
tus of the achievement and maintenance of environmental
threshold carrying capacities.
(d) CONSISTENCY WITH MEMORANDUM OF UNDER-
STANDING.—A project on the priority list shall be conducted
in accordance with the memorandum of understanding
signed by the Forest Supervisor and the Planning Agency
on November 10, 1989, including any amendments to the
memorandum as long as the memorandum remains in ef-
fect.
(e) REVIEW OF PRIORITY LIST.—Periodically, but not
less often than every 3 years, the Secretary shall—
(1) review the priority list;
(2) consult with—
(A) the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency;
(B) interested political subdivisions; and
(C) the Lake Tahoe Water Quality and
Transportation Coalition; and
(3) make any necessary changes with respect
to—
(A) the findings of scientific research and
monitoring in the Lake Tahoe basin;
(B) any change in an environmental thresh-
old as determined by the Planning Agency;
(C) any change in general environmental
conditions in the Lake Tahoe basin; and
(D) submit to Congress a report on any
changes made.
(f) CLEANUP OF HYDROCARBON CONTAMINATION.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall make a
payment of $1,000,000 to the Tahoe Regional Plan-
ning Agency and the South Tahoe Public Utility Dis-
trict to develop and publish a plan, not later than 1
year after the date of enactment of this Act, for the
prevention and cleanup of hydrocarbon contamina-
tion (including contamination with MTBE) of the
surface water and ground water of the Lake Tahoe
basin.
(2) CONSULTATION.—In developing the plan, the
Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and the South
Tahoe Public Utility District shall consult with the
States of California and Nevada and appropriate po-
litical subdivisions.
(3) WILLING SELLERS.—The plan shall not in-
clude any acquisition of land or an interest in land
except an acquisition from a willing seller.
(g) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is
authorized to be appropriated, for the implementation of
projects on the priority list, $20,000,000 for the first fiscal
year that begins after the date of enactment of this Act and
for each of the 9 fiscal years thereafter.
SEC. 7. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT PAYMENTS.
Section 2 of Public Law 96–586 (94 Stat. 3381) is
amended by striking subsection (g) and inserting the fol-
lowing:
‘‘(g) PAYMENTS TO LOCALITIES.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agriculture
shall, to the extent and in the amount provided in ad-
vance in appropriations Acts, make annual payments
to the governing bodies of each of the political sub-
divisions (including any public utility the service
area of which includes any part of the Lake Tahoe
basin), any portion of which is located in the area de-
picted on the final map filed under section 3(a).
‘‘(2) USE OF PAYMENTS.—Payments under this
subsection may be used—
‘‘(A) first, for erosion control and water
quality projects; and
‘‘(B) second, unless emergency projects
arise, for projects to address other threshold cat-
egories after thresholds for water quality and soil
conservation have been achieved and maintained.
‘‘(3) ELIGIBILITY FOR PAYMENTS.—
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—To be eligible for a
payment under this subsection, a political sub-
division shall annually submit a priority list of
proposed projects to the Secretary of Agriculture.
‘‘(B) COMPONENTS
OF
LIST.—A priority
list under subparagraph (A) shall include, for
each proposed project listed—
‘‘(i) a description of the need for the
project;
‘‘(ii) all projected costs and benefits;
and
‘‘(iii) a detailed budget.
‘‘(C) USE
OF
PAYMENTS.—A payment
under this subsection shall be used only to carry
out a project or proposed project that is part of
the environmental improvement program adopt-
ed by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency in
February 1998 and amendments to the program.
‘‘(D) FEDERAL
OBLIGATION.—All projects
funded under this subsection shall be part of
Federal obligation under the environmental im-
provement program.
‘‘(4) DIVISION OF FUNDS.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The total amounts ap-
propriated for payments under this subsection
shall be allocated by the Secretary of Agriculture
based on the relative need for and merits of
projects proposed for payment under this section.
‘‘(B) MINIMUM.—To the maximum extent
practicable, for each fiscal year, the Secretary of
Agriculture shall ensure that each political sub-
division in the Lake Tahoe basin receives
amounts appropriated for payments under this
subsection.
‘‘(5) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—In
addition to the amounts authorized to be appro-
priated to carry out section 6 of the Lake Tahoe Res-
toration Act, there is authorized to be appropriated
for 
making 
payments 
under 
this 
subsection
$10,000,000 for the first fiscal year that begins after
the date of enactment of this paragraph and for each
of the 9 fiscal years thereafter.’’.
SEC. 8. FIRE RISK REDUCTION ACTIVITIES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—In conducting fire risk reduction
activities in the Lake Tahoe basin, the Secretary shall, as
appropriate, coordinate with State and local agencies and
organizations, including local fire departments and volun-
teer groups.
(b) GROUND DISTURBANCE.—The Secretary shall, to
the maximum extent practicable, minimize any ground dis-
turbances caused by fire risk reduction activities.
SEC. 9. AVAILABILITY AND SOURCE OF FUNDS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Funds authorized under this Act
and the amendment made by this Act—
(1) shall be in addition to any other amounts
available to the Secretary for expenditure in the Lake
Tahoe basin; and