The Regional Plan, initially approved in 1987, is comprised of many parts and is an extensive document that sets the stage for development and environmental restoration in the Lake Tahoe Basin. It includes many sections – Code of Ordinances, Transportation and Air Quality Plan, Goals and Policies, Water Quality Management Plan, Plan Area Statements, and the Scenic Quality Improvement Plan. Monitoring and capital improvements also are addressed by the Plan. The original Regional Plan had a 20-year scope calling for a review and update by the year 2007.

Many efforts are underway to support the development of an updated Regional Plan in 2007. Critical to this is the Environmental Threshold Carrying Capacities (threshold standards and indicators) update. Nine categories of Thresholds were adopted in 1982 (i.e., water quality, air quality, soil conservation, wildlife habitat, fish habitat, vegetation, noise, recreation, and scenic resources). Each Threshold category contains a number of specific indicators and standards that are used to track, evaluate, and report the status of each Threshold over time. Beginning in 1991, the nine Thresholds are evaluated every 5 years through assessment of the 36 Threshold indicators. Currently, an extensive Threshold Update is underway (with anticipated completion date in 2004), the results of which will set TRPA´s direction and lay the groundwork for the adoption of the next 20-year Regional Plan in 2007. The Regional Plan, in turn, will identify the actions needed to promote Threshold attainment and Lake Tahoe restoration into the future.