Joseph and Joan Truxler: Let's All Get Together and Make the Fireworks Better, Make Cleanup Better

They’ve been called unpleasant names that can’t be printed. They’ve received death threats. For a few days one may even assume they were hated. That was then.

They’re being called courageous. They’re being called heroes. They’re being thanked for caring about our environment and bringing the effect of fireworks in the lake to the forefront. That is now.

I sat down with Joan and Joseph Truxler and heard their tale of how they tried to get local and state agencies to listen to them about what the 4th of July fireworks show left behind in the lake and on the beaches. Their lawsuit against the LTVA and Pyro Spectacular saw the community take to social media and other communication avenues as no other local event has. It brought the community together and drew national attention to the Lake Tahoe fireworks show.

It may be easier to understand the Truxler's story and why they took the avenues they did if you read the timeline of events:

July 4 – Spectacular fireworks display set out over the lake off the shores by Edgewood Tahoe.
July 5-7 – Debris from the fireworks starts washing ashore at the Marla Bay/Pinewild beaches.
July 8 – Not knowing who to call, Joan Truxler calls the TRPA to alert them about what she found. The employee that answers the phone tells her everyone is on vacation and that the “4th of July is just a bunch of drunks” and that he wasn’t even in town. He offered to transfer their call to Steve Sweet where a voice mail was left. She also calls the Tahoe Daily Tribune and informed a staff member of the debris. They sent out a reporter and published a story on July 10. Channel 2 news from Reno also did a story the same day. KTVN interviews Jeff Cowan of TRPA during their July 10th story. This was the first LTVA hears of an issue with debris.
July 10 – Joan was in conversation via email with Jeff Cowan from TRPA. She was copied on an email from Executive Director Joanne Machetta to some staff members addressing the problem of fireworks debris in the lake. The email says “should we respond?”
July 10 – Joan also emails the League to Save Lake Tahoe. They reply in January of 2014.
July 11 – Truxlers receive an email from Cowan stating that he had been working with the LTVA since July 8. Said he talked with the Marla Bay Homeowner’s Association and that two live rounds were found there as well as other debris. Cowan says he was also discussing with Pyro Spectacular about their clean up process which involved dragging a net from Cave Rock and south.
July 12 – The Tahoe Douglas Fire Department sends 4 firefighters to their home to look at the collected debris. They also look at a firework the Truxler’s 3 year old grandson found on the beach. At first the family thought it was a live round, but TDFD found it to be not live.
July 15 – Joan calls the Sierra Club. Club Vice Chair Roger Rosenberger talks to her and said he didn’t think this was their territory and that water isn’t their main concern.
July 17 – Joan calls the California State Fire Marshalls Office to see if permits were required for fireworks. Because of the debris, pollutants and plastic involved she was told to contact the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). She filled out an online form to contact the EPA. She emailed Geoff Schladow, Director of the Tahoe Environmental Research Center. Joan said she was concerned about the debris and he thanked her for bringing this problem to light.
July 18 – Geoff said he’d follow up with TRPA. Said he’d ask about water quality monitoring. Joan emails Jeff Cowan and told him about how big of a collection of fireworks debris she had now accumulated.
Sept 1 – Labor Day Fireworks.
Sept 7 – Debris from fireworks is washing up on shore. A new 10 ft square pile is now accumulated by the Truxlers.
Sept 9 –Truxlers invite TRPA to come to their home and look at it in person. They don’t hear back.

They also never heard back from the EPA. The Truxlers say they “felt very let down by the agencies that are supposed to protect Lake Tahoe and the environment.” Jeff Cowan told South Tahoe Now, that in retrospect, they (TRPA) should have been better in letting the Truxlers know that they were indeed working on the situation with all concerned parties including the Tahoe Douglas Fire Department and the LTVA and looking into all reports of debris on the beach.

Joan Truxler has saved every email she sent and received, and shared them with South Tahoe Now. After weeks of trying to get someone in authority to respond to their complaints they felt they had no other choice than to tell the LTVA in September, 2013 that they were intending to sue. Once there is intent to sue the parties have 60 days to discuss.

In September, there was a settlement discussion between LTVA and the Truxlers but there was no outcome.

January 17 - there was a call with all attorneys as part of the voluntary dispute process. At this point in time, confidentiality agreements were made that neither side would speak about the details of the suit until settled. Carol Chaplin, Executive Director of the LTVA releases a statement to media on January 18 about how they felt a lawsuit was not the right avenue. She doesn’t disclose details of the lawsuit.
March 27 – LTVA Board meeting held with over 150 locals, politicians and other interested parties present to express their concern about the fireworks being canceled. The board votes to cancel fireworks on April 4 if the lawsuit isn’t settled by then. During the meeting someone passes out the Truxler’s phone number.

The Truxlers receive death threats and threatening phone calls. Trespassers were walking around their complex, asking neighbors “where do the Truxlers live?” This caused their homeowner’s association to hire an armed guard and law enforcement is looking into the significant threats.

Comments made at the LTVA board meeting suggested that the firework debris is from private shows, not the offical South Shore show. The debris laid out on the Truxler’s tables clearly show the typed name of Pryo Spectacular, the company who puts on the big South Lake Tahoe show.

March 31 – Agreement made between the LTVA and the Truxlers to dismiss the lawsuit.

Many people have accused the Truxlers of being in the lawsuit for the money, but that was never the case. Should any fines have been collected the Truxlers say they were going to donate everything to a local non-profit.

“We just want to move forward and have the fireworks,” said Joan. “Let’s all get together and make the fireworks better, make cleanup better. Make them good for the lake, good for tourism in the future.”

“We never wanted the fireworks to stop,” added Joseph.

As seen in photos in this story, firework debris is still washing up on shore. According to Geoff Schladow, the water currents in the lake will act in a circular motion running east to west along the south shore and turning in towards Marla Bay (and from east to west on the north shore and turning back to the east). This could be the reason that so much debris from fireworks ended up on the beach near the Truxlers. Debris may not be as bad every year and this year may have been an anomaly. Time will tell.

Since the lawsuit was dismissed the Truxlers have been visited by City of South Lake Tahoe officials, the Tahoe Douglas Fire Department and other concerned parties to see how everyone can work together to have fireworks in a more environmentally conscious way. “I feel very encouraged,” said Joan Truxler.

According to the Truxlers, “Tahoe needs to be the leader doing fireworks in the right way.”

Local business owner Jana Walker Spano reached out to the Truxlers and gave them a gift certificate to her Sealed With a Kiss Boutique to thank them for trying to protect our lake. Fireworks and the visitor revenue that come with them are very important to businesses such as Spano’s, but so is the environment.