2026-09-10 TRPA Takes Landmark Action on Plastic-Shedding “Monopine” Cell Towers

New Lake Tahoe rules discourage plastic camouflage on wireless towers and require stronger monitoring, maintenance and corrective action

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. — The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) has adopted new rules addressing plastic pollution from faux-tree wireless cell towers commonly known as “monopines,” following years of citizen advocacy and federal litigation documenting plastic debris around tower sites in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

The amendments to Chapter 36 of the TRPA Code of Ordinances took effect August 24, 2026. They establish a policy preference against plastic screening materials where practicable and impose additional documentation, monitoring, maintenance and corrective-action requirements when such materials are used.

The action follows more than five years of pro bono litigation and advocacy by attorneys Robert J. Berg and Julian Gresser, CEO of the Broadband International Legal Action Network, as well as Lake Tahoe residents, environmental advocates and legal volunteers.

Monopines are wireless towers camouflaged to resemble pine trees. Their artificial needles are typically made from PVC and their branches from fiberglass-reinforced plastic. Advocates documented extensive accumulations of broken plastic needles and branch material beneath and surrounding multiple monopine towers around the Lake Tahoe Basin.

Exposure to ultraviolet radiation, wind, snow, ice and large temperature swings makes these materials deteriorate and detach. Advocates raised concerns that fragments can migrate into surrounding soil, drainage systems and waterways around the Lake Tahoe Basin.

TRPA staff acknowledged those concerns in recommending the amendments, citing the “long-term durability” of plastic screening materials, their potential deterioration under Basin climatic conditions, and their potential to create debris over time.

“This problem was hiding in plain sight,” said attorney Robert J. Berg, co-counsel in the federal litigation. “Communities required these towers because they believed artificial trees would protect scenic views. But when the plastic camouflage deteriorates and disperses into the surrounding environment, the attempted solution creates another environmental problem.”

The issue has particular significance at Lake Tahoe, where microplastic pollution is already a serious concern. Research comparing 38 freshwater lakes and reservoirs worldwide has reported unusually high concentrations of microplastics in Lake Tahoe. Researchers at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory have also examined the potential contribution of deteriorating monopine materials to the Basin’s overall plastic pollution burden.

The TRPA amendments emerged following constructive discussions between the agency and plaintiffs in federal litigation challenging approval of a proposed monopine near Heavenly Valley in South Lake Tahoe. The parties ultimately resolved the remaining litigation after TRPA moved forward with the new regulatory protections.

“The significance extends beyond monopines,” said attorney Julian Gresser. “At a time of deep public polarization, this is a valuable example of citizens, lawyers and government finding common ground around a higher shared purpose—protecting an extraordinary environmental treasure—and then implementing a practical remedy.”

A Potential Model for Communities Nationwide

Tens of thousands of faux-tree wireless cell towers have been installed throughout the United States, particularly in scenic and environmentally sensitive communities.

TRPA’s new approach does not impose an outright ban. Instead, it encourages alternative designs and requires greater scrutiny and accountability when plastic camouflage materials are proposed.

That balance may offer a replicable model for municipalities seeking simultaneously to protect scenic resources, accommodate telecommunications infrastructure and reduce avoidable plastic pollution.

“TRPA has demonstrated that plastic shedding from faux-tree towers is an environmental issue regulators can address,” Berg said. “Communities across the country should examine the full life cycle of these materials and ask whether better alternatives are available.”

Advocates hope the Lake Tahoe action will encourage municipalities nationwide to review existing faux-tree telecommunications facilities and reconsider the use of plastic camouflage in future installations.

For interviews, documentation, photographs or additional information, contact Robert J. Berg at robertbergesq@aol.com or Julian Gresser at juliangresser77@gmail.com.

Background information is available here.