Letter: Fire preparedness, community and energy independence - Why I am running for the STPUD Board

Following the Caldor Fire, we can be under no illusion that fire is the single greatest threat we, as a community, face. My name is Nick Exline and I am running for re-election to the South Tahoe Public Utility District (STPUD) Board with fire preparedness as my top priority.

The vast majority of our water and sewer lines are over 50 years old. When these lines were originally installed they were only anticipated to last 50 years. Unfortunately, that means that most of our water and sewer system is past its anticipated life span with its replacement being under-financed for decades.

Upon being elected to the Board in 2018, I worked with STPUD staff to prioritize the replacement of the water lines that had the most significant benefit to our community’s firefighting capabilities. Balancing the need to replace our critical firefighting water lines, while minimizing the financial burden rates placed on our community members in these challenging

and changing economic times were my guiding principles during District rate and investment votes. In 2022, the STPUD Board utilized emergency rate stabilization funds to keep rates as low as possible, while ensuring our fire security.

As the District worked to prioritize and invest in our water lines, it became very apparent that there was not a dedicated inspection and maintenance program for our community’s fire hydrants. This needed to be corrected and we immediately worked to develop a system to ensure every fire hydrant was inspected and if needed repaired. Technological advancements now allow District staff to see the status of all fire hydrants. If a crew is working in a neighborhood, they can now check on the status of the surrounding hydrants and engage in any needed inspections or repairs. The expansion of the fire hydrant system was also of paramount importance. Meeting community members while knocking on doors, in all of our south shore neighborhoods, to raise awareness of what STPUD is working to accomplish has been a fantastic opportunity to meet so many in our community on their front porches. The replacement of our critical fire-fighting water lines and expansion of our fire hydrants will ensure that all of our neighborhoods are protected.

When we as a community were shocked, as the world began to shut down upon the outbreak of Covid, the District did whatever we could to help our community members and we froze rate increases for 2 years. We also developed programs to financially assist those most in need in our community. As we grappled with the lack of affordable housing, I worked in collaboration with STPUD staff and local housing stakeholders to develop a sewer connection fee structure that dramatically reduced the connection fees associated with affordable housing. This restructuring has saved ongoing affordable housing projects in our community huge sums of money. To further promote housing, the District Board unanimously voted to remove connection fees on the addition of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). As managing finances became ever more challenging, it was evident that the District’s quarterly billing made it difficult for many in our community to save for those quarterly bills. Starting January 2023, the District will move to monthly billing, which makes bills easier to plan for.

All of our power currently comes from the rural Nevada desert, which means our electricity has to be moved a long way before we can use it. The longer the electricity transmission line, the more expensive it is to maintain and upgrade, more places where a fire can start, and places where the power can be cut. This puts our community at risk and this is why we have to establish energy independence at STPUD. As we know, when the wind blows or fire comes, our electricity is cut leaving us all vulnerable. Without electricity, we will not be able to pump the water needed to fight fire. There was a recent instance in which STPUD received the very last diesel shipment to keep the Luther Pass pump station operational. Without this last shipment of diesel, we wouldn’t have been able to pump our sewage out of the Basin as is required by law.

This type of vulnerability puts our entire community at risk and is not acceptable. I spearheaded the installation of a 1 MW solar plant that will provide approximately 33 percent of the District plant's energy needs. This solar installation will not only provide a renewable redundant power source
for the District but will save the community millions of dollars. The installation will commence in May 2023. The size of the solar plant was limited by existing regulatory restrictions and we are now working collectively with our community partners to revise these regulations so we can achieve energy independence. This energy independence will save our community money and allow us to continue to pump water when a fire comes and our power is cut.

The decades-long historical under-financing of our water and sewer system coupled with the supply chain issues that plague all elements of our society has put our community at risk. I am running for re-election to the STPUD Board so we can collectively work to protect our community. We will work to develop the most robust firefighting system possible while ensuring we are not economically straining the most vulnerable among us. We will use all tools at our disposal to provide housing to the amazing individuals that make our community live and breathe and develop a billing schedule that makes financial planning more manageable.

We will develop an independent energy system that will protect our community in the event of an emergency or power cut, while saving the community money. Climate change is the single greatest threat we, as a globe, face. Our local energy independence will both mitigate our impacts to climate change by reducing our carbon footprint and allow us to adapt by establishing a renewable source of power to pump water to combat the increased fire risk climate change is bringing to our front doors. All this is alongside STPUD’s sole mission to provide our community with the most pristine water and efficient sewer system possible.

I am asking for your vote so we as a community can continue to work on our shared goals.

Thank you
Nick Exline
www.Nickexline.com
exline555@gmail.com