Aviation View | Volume 1, Issue 2

21 AVIATION VIEW VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2 property. The meadow helps filter water from the river before it enters Lake Tahoe. “When we put down things like asphalt or concrete, our impervious surfaces eliminate that, and we reduce the functionality of the meadow,” says Gibbs. “Removing those surfaces allows more groundwater and filtration to be retained in the meadow, rather than being discharged into Lake Tahoe, and that affects the world famous clarity of the lake.” Environmental concerns are taken into account with any project at Lake Tahoe Airport, and that’s why solar panels were installed in 2019. Thanks to a valuable relationship with Staten Solar, about 95 percent of the airport’s energy now comes from solar power. That has resulted in an annual reduction of about 385 tons of Co2 emissions. In terms of economic impact, the solar panels are saving the city of South Lake Tahoe more than $300,000 over a 20-year term. LAKE TAHOE A I RPORT