TDPUD Sets Public Hearings for Water and Electric Rates; Unique-to-Tahoe Plant Needs Continued Conservation; More

TRUCKEE

The Truckee Donner Public Utility District’s board of directors continues the process of developing budgets for the next two years.

TDPUD’s board has been holding public meetings throughout the summer and into fall presenting to the community the process, independent analysis, and industry drivers behind the proposed 2026 and 2027 budgets and associated water and electric rate increases. Overall, staff are proposing balanced budgets with water rates for 2026 increasing an average 6.5% and for 2027 increasing 6.5%. For electric rates the proposed 2026 increase is an average 5%, and for 2027, 5%. These proposed rate increases are needed to address TDPUD’s aging infrastructure and invest in timely capital replacement projects.

CALIF. CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 3

Congressman Kevin Kiley (CA-03) is calling for swift congressional action to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program, which provides essential funding to public schools in rural communities across the United States, including those in California’s Third Congressional District.

The SRS program was created in 2000 to offset revenue losses for counties containing large areas of National Forest land, where timber sales have been dropping. These declines have directly impacted several rural counties in Kiley’s district, where local school budgets are heavily reliant on this federal support.

According to Amber Burke, Tahoe Truckee Unified School District’s (TTUSD) coordinator of district communications, TTUSD receives these SRS funds, which they call “Forest Reserve” funds. The Forest Reserve funds are added to the district’s general budget. Burke said they received $123,000 for the 2024/25 school year and $158,000 for the 2023/24 school year.

The most recent congressional authorization for the SRS program expired in September 2023, leaving a significant funding gap. Without reauthorization, counties in California’s Third District are set to receive just $4.49 million, a sharp drop from the $8.59 million they would receive under a fully funded SRS program, a shortfall of more than $4 million that jeopardizes the quality of education and essential services in rural schools.

This week, Kiley met with Future Farmers of America students who spoke about the cutbacks their program is having to make without SRS funding.

Both the House and Senate have worked in a bipartisan way to pass SRS funding but have yet to get it over the finish line.

~ Congressman Kevin Kiley press release/MR

TRUCKEE

The Truckee Donner Recreation and Park District has entered the third and final phase of its master planning process, which will conclude in December with the presentation of the comprehensive plan. Earlier this year, the recreation and park district began surveying the public and making plans for its new master plan meant to shape the future of Truckee recreation.

The first two phases involved collecting public feedback and input on how to best serve the district. During this final phase, its consultants, Design Workshop, are synthesizing the data and finalizing the draft of the master plan.

Recreation and Park District General Manager Sven Leff said this is the first master plan for the 250-square-mile district in a generation. Design Workshop will present the final master plan draft at the district board meeting on Dec. 11. A public comment period will last through Jan. 15, 2026, prior to the plan’s adoption.

The district’s Truckee River Regional Park master plan from 2020 will remain unchanged, though the 2025 district plan will take into consideration existing and new facilities, programs, activities, and customer satisfaction.

~ MR

CALIFORNIA

On Oct. 21, Sens. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), John Curtis (R-Utah), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) applauded the advancement of the Senate version of the Fix Our Forests Act through the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, setting the pivotal fire and forestry legislation up for a vote by the full Senate. The bipartisan legislation would help combat catastrophic wildfires, restore forest ecosystems, and make federal forest management more efficient.

The comprehensive Senate bill reflects months of bipartisan Senate negotiations to find consensus on how to holistically respond to the wildfire crisis, best improve forest management practices, accelerate efforts to protect communities, advance watershed restoration, and strengthen partnerships between federal agencies, states, tribes, and private stakeholders. The Senate version of the bill would also bolster coordination efforts across federal agencies through a new Wildfire Intelligence Center, which would streamline the federal response and create a whole-of-government approach to combating wildfires.

A one-pager on the Senate Fix Our Forests Act is available here. A list of provisions particularly impactful for California is available here.

~ Sen. Padilla press release

TAHOE/TRUCKEE

Each year, the Queen of Hearts Women’s Fund, a program of Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation (TTCF), leads a holiday campaign for local seniors. These older adults are neighbors, and they may not have loved ones who live nearby to spend the holidays with. To show them that their community values them and that they’re not alone, TTCF raises money to send them holiday cards and cheer.

One week into fundraising, and TTCF is only 10% of the way to its goal. The aim is to raise $12,000 by Nov. 14. So far, generous community members have donated $1,200 — please join them. Every contribution brings the fund nearer to ensuring each senior feels seen, valued, and cared for this holiday season.

This year, student volunteers are creating homemade holiday cards to accompany gifts.

By joining hands with TTCF and Sierra Senior Services, donations help:

• Provide personalized gift cards so seniors can choose what they truly need, from essentials to small comforts;
• Deliver holiday cheer to those who may not have family nearby;
• Spread joy through handmade cards created by local students; and
• Support independence and dignity for older adults in the region.

Donate here.

~ Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation press release

INCLINE VILLAGE/CRYSTAL BAY

With the arrival of moisture, higher humidity, and winter weather conditions, outdoor burning is permissible in Incline Village and Crystal Bay.

Permits for open burning of pine needles, slash piles, and recreational fire pits are available Monday through Friday.

To schedule an inspection and obtain a permit visit the website for more information. Call (775) 831-0351 ext. 8107 for any questions.

Guidelines for open burning are:

• Permit is valid for open burning only at the address listed and only for materials authorized.
• Permit holders shall visit nltfpd.org prior to any burning activity to determine if it is an approved burn day.
• No open burning is permitted on No Burn Days as determined by the fire district.
• Open burning starts at 6 a.m. and all piles must be extinguished by 3 p.m.
• Provide a 30-minute fire watch after extinguishing any fire.
• Have a charged garden hose and hand tools nearby.
• Keep pine needle and slash piles small and manageable.
• An adult must constantly attend fire.
• Clear a 25-foot radius noncombustible area around all fires.
• Keep fires away from any overhanging branches.
• Have a fire extinguisher, charged garden hose, and hand tools readily available nearby.

~ North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District press release

TAHOE/TRUCKEE

The Tahoe Forest Health System released its Community Health Needs Assessment in September. Partially based on community feedback, the data-driven assessment represents the health, behaviors, and needs of Tahoe Forest’s coverage area, with the goal of improving health and service accessibility.

“Every few years, Tahoe Forest conducts a statistically reliable Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) to better understand our community’s overall health experience and respond to evolving community and population health needs,” shared Population Health Analyst Lizzy Henasey, MPH, in a statement. “The 2025 CHNA included a local population survey, key informant insights, focus groups, and secondary data collection. We encourage you to check out the newly released 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment and/or watch the community forum video presentation.”

Top community health concerns were as follows: substance use; social determinants of health such as housing and food insecurity; mental health; access to health care services; oral health; disabling conditions; injury and violence; heart disease and stroke; and cancer.

The assessment also drew up comparisons with the health system’s primary service area, along with California, Nevada, and the U.S. for factors such as social determinants, access to healthcare, and more.

~ MR/Tahoe Forest Health System’s Community Health Needs Assessment

LAKE TAHOE

The fabrics that fill residents’ homes, from natural cotton towels and bedsheets, to clothes produced with synthetic materials, produce microscopic fibers as they break down over time. A new study uses citizen science to demonstrate how dryer vents also produce microfibers under normal household use.

The research, published Sept. 3 in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, estimates that household dryers are releasing more than 3,500 metric tons of microfibers each year in the U.S. alone (about 30 times the weight of the Statue of Liberty).

Desert Research Institute (DRI) scientists partnered with the environmental nonprofit the League to Save Lake Tahoe to recruit volunteers from the Lake Tahoe region for the study. Six volunteers installed a mesh catchment system on the outside of their home dryer vents for three weeks and reported information on the materials in each dryer load. The results demonstrated that household dryers are significant sources of both naturally-derived (for example, cotton) and synthetic microfibers, both of which can carry the chemicals and dyes used to treat them into the environment. DRI estimates that 2,728 metric tons are from natural fabrics while 460 metric tons are from synthetic fabrics.

Synthetic fabrics like polyester, nylon, and spandex break down into microplastics over time, and made up more than half of global fabric production in 2023. Both synthetic and natural fibers like cotton, wool, and silk can be treated with dyes, flame retardants, PFAS chemicals for water repellency, and formaldehyde for wrinkle-free fabrics. Scientists are still in the beginning stages of investigating the environmental and human health impacts of these chemicals, which include developmental and reproductive health effects.

The full study is available at doi.org/10.1093/etojnl/vgaf222.

~ Desert Research Institute press release

LAKE TAHOE

On Oct. 22, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) recognized five individuals for their outstanding dedication to protecting and restoring Lake Tahoe as this year’s Lake Spirit Award recipients.

Established in 2011, the Lake Spirit Awards shine a light on individuals who go above and beyond to safeguard Lake Tahoe’s unique environment. Nominated by their peers, these community leaders embody stewardship through leadership, volunteerism, and everyday actions that make a lasting difference in the region. The following are this year’s awardees.

Citizens:

• Tim Kosier: A decade-long volunteer with UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center, Sierra Watershed Education Partnerships, and Tahoe Institute for Natural Science, Kosier has dedicated countless hours educating others about the science and stewardship of Lake Tahoe.
• Sydney Morrow: As Glenbrook Homeowners Association director and FireWise coordinator, Morrow has shown exceptional leadership in protecting her community and Lake Tahoe from wildfire risk through proactive planning and collaboration.

Agency Representatives:

• Tom Berndt: Lead roving inspector with the Lake Tahoe Aquatic Invasive Species Program, Berndt has been instrumental in protecting the lake from invasive species through community education and in-person outreach at popular beaches and paddle spots.
• Kirstin Guinn: Marketing director for North Tahoe Community Alliance, Guinn is an innovative communicator leading collaborative education and outreach in the regional shift to destination stewardship and helping create a tourism economy that gives back.

Lifetime Achievement:

• Jim Baetge: Baetge’s leadership as former executive director of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency from 1994 to 2002 has left an enduring mark on Lake Tahoe. Under Baetge’s leadership, TRPA spearheaded the ban on carbureted two-stroke boat engines, cutting polluting gasoline compounds in the water by 90%. He was also the visionary of the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program (EIP), laying the foundation for decades of collaborative restoration surpassing $3 billion in investments to date. The EIP is now heralded as one of the most successful landscape-scale, public-private conservation initiatives in the United States.

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~ Tahoe Regional Planning Agency press release

TRUCKEE/TAHOE

The Office BOSS announced that Chris Barbera, CEO of Mountain Lion Aviation, has been named the 2025 Best BOSS for the Truckee/Tahoe region.

Barbera was nominated by five of his dedicated employees: Gretchen Wagenbach, Dave Tranquilla, Chad Lehmann, Sarah Wittlinger, and Hilary Cereghino, whose heartfelt nomination stood out among an impressive group of local leaders

They highlighted Barbera’s hands-on leadership and approachable personality and his dedication to his employees’ well-being and growth.

Nathan Gamett, who organized this year’s Best BOSS competition, expressed his admiration for all the nominees and extended his congratulations to Chris.

The Best BOSS Competition is an annual celebration hosted by The Office BOSS, honoring exceptional leadership in the Truckee/Tahoe community. Each year, employees are invited to nominate their bosses who exemplify outstanding leadership, compassion, and commitment to their teams.

~ Office BOSS press release

UNITED STATES

Alterra Mountain Company and Responder Alliance are joining forces to enhance mental well-being and resilience in the ski industry. Together, they are launching a three-year training initiative to provide cutting-edge stress resilience training and incident support tools to Alterra destination patrol teams and heli-ski guides.

As the mountains’ first responders, ski patrollers and heli-guides routinely face stressful and potentially traumatic situations, scenes, and events. After a successful two-year in-house training initiative, Alterra Mountain Company decided to expand the program and seek out the globally recognized Responder Alliance to bolster patrollers and heli-guides’ well-being.

Over the next three years, Alterra’s ski patrollers and guides will be working with Responder Alliance to train on industry-leading skills for stress mitigation. They will begin training on Psychological First Response for Rescue this fall, then move onto more advanced skills on Stress Injury Awareness and Incident Support over the coming seasons. These skills will ensure Alterra’s teams are among the best equipped in the industry for recognizing and responding to stress on the mountain for themselves, each other, and guests.

This initiative raises the bar for stress resilience training for ski patrollers and guides across North America and showcases Alterra’s deep commitment to its employees’ mental well-being. The result will be a more resilient workforce prepared to recognize and mitigate stress impacts over the course of their careers.

~ Alterra Mountain Company press release