Over 100,000 pounds of toxic cables to be cleared from Lake Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — AT&T has agreed to remove over 100,000 pounds of abandoned toxic cables from Lake Tahoe, following a lawsuit by the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA).

The lawsuit, filed in January 2021, alleged that the cables were contaminating the lake and posing a widespread risk of exposure.

As part of the settlement, AT&T will remove two cables running eight miles around the lake, one from beneath the water at Emerald Bay and the other along the west shore towards Rubicon Bay. Environmentalists have raised concerns about the harmful effects of lead on both the environment and people who drink and visit Lake Tahoe.

Jesse Patterson, chief strategy officer for Keep Tahoe Blue, said, "Everyone's incredibly excited. I mean, again, as soon as everyone found out about it, I think it was a little bit of shock that they were even there. But, of course, as soon as we found out we talked to AT&T leadership, they committed to removing them. The science community rose up. The regulatory community rose up."

AT&T plans to have the cables removed by November 30, weather permitting. If weather conditions delay the process, removal could be postponed until spring next year, as outlined in the lawsuit specifics.

A recent Wall Street Journal investigation revealed that AT&T, Verizon, and other telecom companies have contaminated water and soil across the U.S. with toxic lead cabling. The investigation included samples from nearly 130 underwater-cable sites, which were found to be toxic, including major bodies of water like the Mississippi River, the Detroit River, and the Willamette River.