THE WAY FORWARD
The Gift of Tahoe Sierra Clean Air
There are tangible ways to protect Tahoe Sierra clean air.
Here’s how you can help:
Wood Chipping Equipment to Replace Burning
Chip Don’t Burn Campaign
20 Large Diameter Wood chippers at a cost of 150,000 each bulk pricing
$5,040,000 total clean air investment
Each chipper will be donated for public benefit to public agencies by the Tahoe Sierra Clean Air Coalition or leased at a nominal fee to privately owned fuels reduction contractors. 30 of the chippers will be placed inside the entire Tahoe Basin and 10 will be placed in or near the surrounding communities of Douglas County, West Washoe Valley, Galena, Nevada and the California communities of Truckee, Alta and Markleville. The chippers will be utilized exclusively as a healthy alternative to burning fuels reduction piles/slash. Each chipper that is put into service enhances the health and safety of our communities. Even one operational chipper will help eliminate toxic smoke by decreasing slash pile burning and will reduce the risk of out-of-control pile burns that can become a fire that destroys our forest and homes in the Tahoe Sierra Region.
Mt. Rose & Granite Chief Wilderness Clean Air
Campaign to Achieve EPA Class 1 Clean Air Protection Status
Funding for an educational and public awareness program campaign to help attain EPA Class 1 Clean Air Protection Status for the Mt Rose and Granite Chief Wilderness areas surrounding Lake Tahoe (Mt Rose 31,194 acres / Granite Chief 25,111 acres).
$5,040,000 total clean air investmentAlternative Energy Solutions Study
Create Power – Reduce Emissions
2 year study for the purpose of identifying and determining alternatives and workable feasibility of region wide large scale bio-waste electrical generating solutions for the Sierra Tahoe Region, and surrounding California and Nevada communities. Study cost includes $75,000 toward an initial 3rd party Request for Proposal for a grant in the amount of $1,500,000 from the Tahoe Sierra Clean Air Coalition.
$1,575,000 total clean air investmentFeasibility team to consist of electrical generating producers from the region working together with economic councils, air quality representatives and waste management/recycling representatives from Washoe County, NV, Lyon County, NV Douglas County, NV, Placer County, CA, Eldorado County, CA, Alpine County, CA and Plumas County, CA. The study will identify and design workable solution options to reduce the effects of agency created burn smoke on the Lake Tahoe Basin and surrounding Sierra Communities by producing workable benchmark bio waste process solution recommendations. This includes large scale, workable pollution reduction bio mass electrical generating alternatives. The study and final report will be prepared by a qualified, scientific research organization. The meeting schedule, facilitation and program coordination will be facilitated by The Tahoe Sierra Clean Air Coalition.
Legal Fund
Hold Burn Agencies Accountable for Violating the Law, such as the
Clean Air Act and/or National Environmental Policy Act.
Funding to maintain a strong legal foundation in support of our goals and programs.
$550,000 total clean air investmentOur Legal Fund also provides readiness for potential legal action that the Tahoe Sierra Clean Air Coalition may necessarily undertake to help protect our clean Sierra air against the practices of burn agencies that violate the Clean Air Act and/or the National Environmental Policy Act. While the Coalition’s ultimate goal is to collaborate in partnership with local, state and federal burn agencies to create healthy and safe alternatives to current burn practices, we acknowledge that legal action is sometimes the most effective way to align incentives and guarantee accountability. Our effectiveness must not be limited – we must be effective on all fronts to protect the health and safety of our communities from the toxic smoke being created by burn agencies that affects us all.