AT&T (NYSE: T) has agreed to remove approximately 107,000 pounds of lead from Lake Tahoe, specifically targeting around six miles of old telecommunications cables sheathed in lead. These cables, located on the lake’s West Shore between Rubicon Bay and Emerald Bay, have been a concern for locals who worry about potential lead contamination in the water, according to the San Francisco Examiner.
The settlement agreement, which was announced recently, requires AT&T to remove these cables by June 2025. This decision follows a lawsuit filed in 2021 by the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA) and concerned Lake Tahoe residents, which claimed the cables were discharging lead and posed a public health risk.
Chris Shutes, Executive Director of the CSPA, praised the settlement as a significant victory for environmental protection, public health, and the numerous individuals whose lives depend on Lake Tahoe. After initially agreeing to remove the cables in a 2022 settlement, AT&T later withdrew, prompting further litigation. However, the company has now recommitted to the removal process, the Examiner reported.
Despite AT&T’s assertion that the cables “are safe and pose no threat to public health or the environment,” the company has confirmed that the removal will proceed as planned. The grassroots group Tahoe Lead Removal Project, led by West Shore resident Evan Dreyer, has been active in raising awareness and securing permits for the cable extraction and will continue their efforts until the cables are entirely removed.
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