Removing decades-old telecom cables from Lake Tahoe

Two submarine telecommunications cables were installed in Lake Tahoe’s waters decades ago. AT&T has begun the process of removing the cables from Lake Tahoe with help from Keep Tahoe Blue. 

AT&T and its contractors began removing the cables in early November, once all permits and regulatory approvals were complete. The work will continue—weather permitting—until the cables are removed, ideally before the end of November. 

This project is expected to last through the end of November. If the project is delayed by weather or other conditions, they will resume work in 2025.

The primary contractor for the work in the Lake is J.F. Brennan Company, a specialty marine contractor with extensive experience in submarine cable projects. 

J.F. Brennan Company, a specialty marine contractor, will use barges to winch and remove the cables from the Lake. The cables will be cut into segments on the barge for transport and appropriate off-site disposal and recycling. The cables will be removed safely, working with appropriate agencies and in accordance with all required permits and approvals.  Water quality experts will perform water testing during the removal project. 

The cables will be transported off-site for disposal and recycling at appropriate facilities. 

The cables will be removed safely and in accordance with all required permits, approvals, and applicable laws.

The League has been working behind the scenes with AT&T, their environmental consultants, and others over several years to push the removal operation forward. We funded an underwater survey of the cables, accelerated the permitting process by working with our contacts at the agencies who oversee Tahoe, and we secured a staging area for the equipment needed for the operation. Now that the removal operation is underway, we are coordinating closely with the company and their contractors to ensure the work is completed safely and quickly.

The project will involve heavy equipment and scuba divers, and will be an active area. To keep yourself safe and help the operation go smoothly, please steer clear of the project site and let the crew focus on their important work. The goal is to remove the cables safely and quickly. The fewer interruptions, the faster the work can be completed.