SLT City Council candidates respond to more renewable energy committee questions

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Eight of the nine City Council candidates responded to a series of questions given to them by the 100% Renewable Energy Committee. On Sunday we printed their first responses - http://southtahoenow.com/story/10/08/2018/slt-city-council-candidates-respond-100-renewable-committe... - and here are the remaining questions and answers:

On April 18, 2017 the South Lake Tahoe City Council unanimously passed a resolution to do two things: Power the South Lake Tahoe community with electricity provided from 100 percent renewable sources by 2032; and reduce community carbon emissions from baseline by at least 80 percent by 2040. The 100% Renewable Committee was formed to help the City accomplish these tasks.

"We hope the responses will be of interest to voters seeking to elect leaders on this issue," said the committee.

4. Redevelopment and green building practices can play a major role in reducing carbon emissions. How do you think your policy stance on housing and redevelopment would impact our community’s carbon footprint?

Tamara Wallace: The high dollar condo projects should be encouraged and given incentives to follow green practices. It has become so expensive to build new projects here that projects fall short in attempting to improve the carbon footprint of their project. It takes so long to get permitted even for just a single-family home that they often have up to $70,000 gleaned from them before a shovel of dirt is turned. It comes down to money. If TRPA, the City, County and others were to lower their fees, I believe the proponents would be more likely to decide to do the right thing where it comes to green building. Frankly, I’m not certain how to encourage green building on workforce and affordable housing projects. The main reason we don’t have enough affordable housing projects is that they are far from penciling out. I do believe that the day is coming when the materials for green building will be lower in cost. I’m most certainly open to any and all ideas.

Hal Cole: California is pretty much doing this for us. Our building codes are constantly being modified to reduce the energy used.

Wendy David: I believe that at each and every step that we can have a priority to determine if a building project or redevelopment project has a positive outcome of reducing our carbon footprint, and then incentivize, encourage and have policies that support development that encourages green practices. Again, this would be a part of a long term strategic plan that would include our goals and commitments to our community’s environmental health and the air our children and our children’s children will breathe.

Austin Sass: I am and have been a big proponent of redevelopment. New projects must be near transportation systems. New construction must use best practices and if possible we should mandate solar energy.

Cody Bass: I am a member of USGBC and avidly support the green building movement. As a city we should be demanding new commercial and condo development be built to at least silver LEED standards, and we should be providing incentive for developers that meet the highest level of certification. LEED certification should be written into our current building code for large commercial development. Allowing developers to make millions on new developments, while not holding their feet to the fire on conscious sustainable building methods is wrong and a failure of our current city leadership.

Devin Middlebrook: Heating and powering our aging buildings are two of the three top sources of GHG emissions in the city. Environmentally friendly redevelopment can greatly reduce the emissions of buildings and provide a boost to our economy. As council member I would support developing strong incentives to encourage private developers to build green. This could policy driven and mandate that all new buildings need to reach a certain standard. Or you could incentivize it by offering streamlined permitting, reduced fees, or other levers.

Bruce Grego: We need to encourage residents and businesses to repair and upgrade their properties, and the City can participate by getting out of the way. As homes and businesses are brought up to date they will be more environmentally friendly. To make more regulations will only discourage renovations. I would strongly encourage the infill of lots in our residential neighborhoods. I would also encourage granny flats, helping our home buyers to be able to afford a home while also housing singles. Again, if we have a healthy community where people live, work, play and shop in the same place greenhouse gas emissions will decrease.
It is hard to identify anyone displaced by redevelopment that was happy with the outcome. I do not believe in eminent domain.

Tom Davis: I think if you look at our redevelopment projects the City has required the developers to use the Best Management Practices available. The City is in the process of reviewing its energy needs and how to reduce its carbon footprint.

5. Please add any other ideas you have to ensure the City successfully implements its resolution to: A. Power the SLT community with electricity from 100 percent renewable sources by 2032, and B. Reduce community carbon emissions from baseline by at least 80% by 2040?

Tamara Wallace: If you don’t set the date you will never get married. The idea of setting the date does create a sense of urgency that should weigh on the minds of all concerned. I’m a little concerned that having set the date so far out could cause complacency on the part of future City Councils. I’m also concerned that because I witnessed the Council turn down the airport manager’s grant proposal that they weren’t as serious about their pledge as they should be. Future Councils may not feel bound by the promises of those who came before them. I think the way to get there is to continue to find incremental victories like the School District decision. As I pointed out STPUD has created a hydro electric generator using their downhill pipeline creating 381,000 kilowatts per year just using what they already had in place. That is an incremental victory that has come because of the community consciousness on this issue. I do not know for sure the exact dates we will succeed as much of our current power is from utility companies that come from several out of state sources. It will take diligence and the ability to show cost savings that exceed the returns of current sources. The pace of technology is advancing at such a pace that miracles can and do happen. In addition, our school systems locally as well as nationally have taught our children about the importance of resource conservation. They are now in key decision-making positions.

In conclusion, I believe that good ideas will always eventually have their day all over the world. With the advent of the internet the entire world can be informed for little cost. I was invited by Green Peace to Lake Baikal Russia in the Summer of 2000 to be a part of a U.S. Forest Service and South Lake Tahoe Chamber mission. The mission was to be part of an international conference on how a tourism economy could flourish in an environmentally sensitive environment. Lake Baikal is like Lake Tahoe used to be. Right from the inception they have reached out regarding how to protect that Lake while growing their economy. I was pleased to be a part of that incubator project to protect the environment of that lake. As I pointed out, our information capabilities can reach around the world. Thank you for the opportunity to share my views and interest in this subject.

Hal Cole: Electricity generation, fuel for our transportation and housing can no longer be supplied by burning fossil fuels. My view of how this whole transformation will be implemented relies greatly on the technology being researched and developed. The whole industrialized world realizes that, and the developers of these innovations will be greatly rewarded in the marketplace. History has shown that to be true.

Wendy David: A) As we replace our lights, go solar. Look to others, invite them to share solar energy ideas. I was just speaking to a motel owner who is very interested in using solar panels on his roof for his entire motel. He talked about some obstacles, one being funding. A solar loan program maybe for those that use a considerable amount of energy. Paid back with their energy savings? Incentives, education, partnerships, having many private parties, pair together for greater savings are all ideas. Collaboration and sharing of ideas, resources, etc. could be powerful. The City took many years to create and approve our design elements for building. We can do the same with our resolution for 2032, approve our green, solar, etc. elements as well for our City.

B) My ideas for this are included. I am not an expert or professionally trained in this area but what I can do as part of an elected body is to become educated on the collection of best practices and then encourage, direct, ask questions, strategically plan and vote on policies and ordinances that include our goals.

Austin Sass: Make sure staff is aware of the resolutions and implements contracts that meet that goal.

Cody Bass: A) Directing city staff to begin reviewing all of our current construction plans to ensure we are using the most energy efficient fixtures and appliances available, as the technology changes fast and some plans were approved many years ago. We should ensure that all new light post have solar panels attached. We should begin bringing each building to full NetZero power operation, if we accomplished one building a year, by 2032 all city owned buildings would be generating its own electricity.

B) That is a huge reduction, and something I believe can be accomplished! I believe the project of building a train could help reduce the emissions in the basin as many visitors would no longer rent a car. The city would need to have a fully electric fleet, snow removal equipment, all electric bus fleet, ask Vail to make the same electric fleet commitment, purchase a new electric snowcat fleet, if we adapt to these as a city we must ensure cal-trans, El Dorado County and any part of the State also adapt to these standards when working in the basin. This is a great goal, to accomplish this goal it will take major collaboration between two states, and five counties, complicated however it also provides many funding sources. These are all great goals that take lots of resources, however the investment into our planet, ensuring we have clean air to breath and water to drink should be the number one priority of our people, it certainly is to me.

Devin Middlebrook: The city, and the many community partners, are on the right path to reaching 100% renewable energy. The city needs to remain true to this commitment. To reduce carbon emissions by 80% will take innovative ideas and bold leadership. We must address transportation and gas (heating) usage in our community and work to reduce and electrify our system.

Bruce Grego: The City should be diligent in exercising its options in the government community and with appropriate agencies and to look to the private sector when opportunities arise. However, I would be satisfied if our electricity is substantially generated from renewable resources. It might be economically infeasible to achieve 100% as to any energy option, but my view could change based upon further development of renewable options. Ditto as to carbon emissions.

Tom Davis: The City can’t do this alone. We need to review new ideas and technology as it becomes available. I look forward to being part of this process, these are exciting times and I always look forward to new ideas and technologies that help us achieve our 2032 goals.