Lake Tahoe Electric Transportation Forum at LTCC

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The first annual Lake Tahoe Electric Transportation Forum will be held on September 29, 2023, at the Lake Tahoe Community College. Organizers are emphasizing that auto emissions and other air pollutants are a significant threat to the water quality of Lake Tahoe, as well as to human health and climate.

“We greatly appreciate the sponsors of this inaugural event who are accelerating the use of battery electric and fuel cell electric transportation at Lake Tahoe, the Sierras, and region,” said Kevin McGehee, a government affairs professional and forum organizer. “They’ve enabled us to convene local, regional, and national leaders who share a vision of making the Lake Tahoe Basin a world-renowned model of clean transportation. Together we can mitigate the air pollution that threatens the environment, quality of life, and sustainable economic development of the Lake Tahoe area.”

“We have an outstanding lineup of speakers on panels that will cover topics ranging from exciting new products such as electric watercraft and hydrogen fuel cell electric buses and ferries to new federal and state grants, tax credits, utility incentives, and other financing opportunities that significantly improve the economics of electrifying transportation,” said Lina Tanner, a Nevada energy and natural resources attorney serving as the forum’s moderator.

“In addition to great speakers, we have many other private and public sector participants who will share information and connections, building and enhancing relationships that will lead to more clean transportation at the lake and surrounding areas,” McGehee added.

The forum coincides with National Drive Electric Week and features a showcase of all-wheel drive electric vehicles, courtesy of the Sacramento Electric Vehicle Association the Eastern Sierra Electric Vehicle Association.

“Owners of several all-wheel drive EVs will be on hand to share their own electric driving experience,” said Guy Hall of the Sacramento Electric Vehicle Association. “We'll also have information about California, Nevada and Federal EV incentives, charging infrastructure and costs, road trip histories, and more.”

An electric school bus will also be on display in the morning, courtesy of the Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD).

“This forum is an important first step,” said McGehee. “Participants will help us plan for an event in 2024 that will include exhibits and demonstrations of electric sports and recreational products, ride and drives of electric cars, and demonstrations of electric and hydrogen fuel cell electric watercraft.”

“We thank our sponsors for getting a series of events off the ground, especially our Gold Level Sponsor, Liberty Utilities; our Silver Sponsors: the City of South Lake Tahoe, the Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County, NV Energy, and the Nevada Battery Coalition; and our Bronze Sponsors: the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA), the Tahoe Chamber, the El Dorado County Air Quality Management District, Washoe County, Sacramento Clean Cities Coalition, the (national) Electric Vehicle Association, the Sacramento Electric Vehicle Association, the University of Nevada, Reno Business Environmental Program, the Guinn Center, and the American Institute of Building Science,” McGehee said. “We encourage other government agencies, businesses, and organizations to get involved and help us develop future events and educational forums.”

Participation in the forum is $100 with registration at Eventbrite (HERE). A limited number of free registrations are available to students and volunteers. The showcase of all-wheel drive electric vehicles in the Community College’s parking lot is free to the public, but registration at the National Drive Electric Week website is required (HERE).

For more information or for sponsorship and exhibit opportunities, please contact Kevin McGehee at 775-240-7619.

Lake Tahoe Transportation Forum Agenda (as of 9-14-2023)

8:00 Registration and Showcase of All WheelDrive Electric Vehicles (AWD EVs)

Showcase Courtesy Sacramento Electric Vehicle Association the Eastern Sierra Electric Vehicle Association

Forum Moderator: Lina Tanner, Tanner Law & Strategy Group, Ltd.

9:00 Welcome—Joe Irvin, City Manager, City of South Lake Tahoe

9:10 Importance of Electrifying Transportation in Tahoe Basin
Video Message from U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV)

9:30 Perspectives of Lake Tahoe Leaders on Challenges and Opportunities

Moderator: Devin Middlebrook, Govt. Affairs Manager, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA)

Panel:
John Friedrich, Council Member, City of South Lake Tahoe
Alexis Hill, Chair - Washoe County Commission; Chair - Tahoe Transportation District
Matt Newberry, Transportation Electrification Lead, Liberty Utilities
Mike Glover, CEO, Tahoe Chamber
Angel Green, Senior Planner, Planning Service Division, Placer County

10:15 Break & Showcase of All Wheel Drive Electric Vehicles

Courtesy Sacramento Electric Vehicle Association the Eastern Sierra Electric Vehicle Association

10:45 Programs and Incentives to Electrify Transportation

Moderator: TBD; Panelists and primary topics:
Local Government, State, & Federal Grants
David Johnston, APCO, El Dorado County Air Quality Management
Ralph Troute, Deputy Director, Tech. Advisory and Research Clean Fuels and Infrastructure, CALSTART

Utility incentives & programs

Raheel Sadiq, Project Manager, Electrification, NV Energy
Matt Newberry, Transportation Electrification Lead, Liberty Utilities

Tax credits for vehicles and fleets
Greg Zegas, Senior Manager, Investments, Nevada Clean Energy Fund (NCEF)

Transportation as a Service (TAAS) Model
Tom Polikalas, Principal, New Energy Opportunity Network (NEON)

11:30 Advancing Local Electric Transportation

Moderator: Sara Letton, Sustainability Coordinator, City of South Lake Taho· George Fink, Transportation Services Director, Tahoe Transportation District (TTD)
Andrea Salazar, Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD)

Noon Lunch & Showcase of All Wheel Drive Electric Vehicles

1:00 Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Transportation and Infrastructure

Moderator: Paul Nelson, Government Affairs Officer, RTC Washoe County
Ron Wille, President and COO, All American Marine
Tim Taylor, Executive Director, Sacramento Clean Cities Coalition
Jim Gee, RTC Washoe County

2:00 Charging Infrastructure of the Future

Adam Grant, Director, Electrification & Energy Services, NV Energy
Tony D. Pastore, Gridscape Solutions

2:30 Break & Showcase of All Wheel Drive Electric Vehicles

2:45 Maritime Electrification: State of Technology

Moderator: Chris Lynch, Director, UNR Business Environmental Program
Veronica Cargay, Project Manager, Candela (invited)
Sam Seder, VP Operations, Navier (invited)
Scott Canning, VP, US Business Development, Aqua Superpower

3:30 Roundtable Discussion-Where Do We Go From Here?

Facilitator: Kristine Caliger, Assistant Director, The Guinn Center

4:00 Adjourn-Mixer on Patio

5:00 End Showcase of All Wheel Drive Electric Vehicles

Thanks again to the Sacramento Electric Vehicle Association the Eastern Sierra Electric Vehicle Association