Climate Conscious Voting Guide For Truckee-Tahoe & Neighbors
Oct. 5, 2020
©Photography by Aubrey
I am a longtime environmentalist with undergraduate and graduate studies in environmental policy and sustainable business. My climate action volunteerism has ramped up this year, because, frankly, I am terrified and beyond disappointed in our elected officials. Volunteering for three different climate action organizations has given me poignant insight to the importance of this upcoming election. The stakes could not be higher and the need for our climate vote could not be more urgent. As such, I present the below voting guide for Northern California District 4, Truckee, and neighboring North State and Reno with an emphasis on where you can consider casting your climate vote. This is not about party affiliations. These voting suggestions are strictly based on choosing candidates that are poised to combat the climate crisis, both in Washington D.C. and locally.
In 2018, the IPCC warned the world of a global catastrophic climate crisis if drastic action was not taken in 12 years. We have 10 years left and our country has taken several huge steps backwards. In the last California state legislative session, three solid environmental bills hit the gauntlet: AB1080 and SB54, to reduce single use plastics, and AB345, to require a 2500' buffer between oil and gas drilling and homes, schools, and other sensitive locations. While not directly related to climate, these bills are evidence that even California, typically our nation's environmental leader, is caught in a special interest partisan war, where the only victim is our planet and our future.
VOTING PLAN
Both Gov. Newsom (CA) and Gov. Sisolak (NV) have ordered all voters to be mailed an absentee ballot. You can check the status of your voter registration here if you haven’t received your ballot yet. The California registration deadline for registration is October 19th (postmarked). California absentee ballots must be postmarked on or before November 3rd.
The Nevada registration deadline is October 29th for online registration and October 6th (postmarked) for by-mail registration. Nevada absentee ballots must be postmarked on or before November 3rd. Both states are offering early voting and same-day registration.
TRUCKEE-TAHOE REGION
Brynne Kennedy, California US Rep District 4
Kennedy lists Protecting Our Environment as her sixth issue on her website. Kennedy sides with science in acknowledging climate change and its direct impacts on our region. Kennedy advocates for clean energy investments in the name of economic opportunity and the creation of sustainable jobs in our district. Kennedy also advocates for forest management, to both sequester carbon and boost our region’s outdoor recreation economy. Our incumbent Congress person is Tom McClintock, a fervent climate denier. brynneforcongress.com
Elizabeth Betancourt, California State Assembly District 1
Betancourt has worked as a scientist for more than 20 years in resource management, protecting forests and water sources. Betancourt lists Forest Health & Wildfire Protection as well as Water as her top two issues. Betancourt advocates for science-based practices in managing natural resources and mentions local solutions for resiliency and climate change preparedness. betancourtforassembly.com
Pamela Swartz, California State Senate District 1
Swartz presents herself as someone that’s connected to nature and shares a passion for environmental protection. Schwartz’s top issues are Fire Resiliency, Preparedness and Recovery as well as Environment and Climate Change. Swartz speaks in favor of incentives and investment in renewable energy technology, both to curb greenhouse gases and to boost the North State’s local economy. pamelaforsenate.com
Jan Zabriskie, Truckee Town Council, Two Year Seat
Zabriskie lists Wildfire Protection and A Healthier Environment as his key issues. He outlines utilization of Truckee's 12% zoned resource conservation and open lands for local carbon storage by means of improved forestry and wetland practices. He also summarizes a preservation plan for the Truckee River riparian habitat, restoration of Donner Lake which is currently threatened by invasive species, and a regular assessment of Truckee's influence over the forest health and fire safety of surrounding lands by means of improved consultation with the county, district, conversation orgs, recreation groups and USFS.
zabriskie4truckee.com
Courtney Henderson, Truckee Town Council, Four Year Seat
Henderson is committed to local environmental stewardship. She advocates for 100% renewable energy resolution, prioritizes efficiency and sustainability, and, bonus, emphasizes trail development for both fire prevention and outdoor recreation.
courtney2020.com
Lindsay Romack, Truckee Town Council, Four Year Seat
Romack is comprehensive about environmental policy, from eliminating single-use plastic and styrofoam in Truckee to smart growth that protects open spaces. Romack also advocates for an even more aggressive 100% clean electricity commitment timeline than that of the 2017 energy resolution.
lindsayromack.com
Hardy Bullock, Nevada County Board of Supervisors, District 5
Bullock is running unopposed but rest assure, Bullock understands the threat of climate change and advocates for collective efforts among agencies, landowners, and state and federal resource agencies to protect the district from devastating wildfire.
bullockforsupervisor.com
David Diamond, Truckee Tahoe Airport Board
Diamond takes a regional and collective position on problem solving when addressing forest fuels reductions, aircraft carbon offsets and transportation. diamond2020.com
Jeff Bender, Truckee Donner Public Utility District
Bender is a local mechanical engineer and licensed general contractor. His business “focuses on energy efficiency, renewable energy, and mechanical and plumbing design.” Bender advocates for “a balanced approach to environmental and economic impacts of the TDPUD.”
facebook.com/Bender4PUD
Cathy Stewart, Truckee Donner Public Utility District
You may not see Stewarts name around town as much as other local candidates. Stewart has proclaimed to not be fundraising or spending any money on her campaign. Instead, Stewart leads with community and a focus on renewable energy sources and highest water quality possible.
cathystewartfortdboard.com
Ballot Measures
Vote YES for the TOT tax increase. This will raise approximately $700,000 annually from hotels and short-term rentals to be used for workforce housing, wildfire preparation, and open space protection.
NEIGHBORS
Audrey Denney, California US Rep District 1
Denney notes several environmental concerns as her top issues including forest health and fire prevention, public lands and water. Denney advocates for local management of ecosystems and for the safeguarding of public lands so they can be values by future generations. Denney does not address climate change specifically on her website. audreyforcongress.com
Patricia Ackerman, Nevada US Rep District 2
Ackerman is in favor of Nevada clean energy dependence, both in the name of economy and environment, with policies to boost geothermal energy and solar. Ackerman is endorsed by the Sierra Club and many other justice and environmental organizations. Incumbent Mark Amodei has a proven track record of voting against environmental protection and has sided with big business and military spending.
ackerman4congress.com
*More on local elections in Washoe County here.
RESOURCES, GRATITUDE & GETTING INVOLVED
GiveGreen’s Green Candidate Directory is a wonderful directory of candidates across the country that align with climate action and environmental policy. This is a great way to draw attention to climate candidates in states and districts where you may have family and friends. If you contribute to any of these campaigns via GiveGreen, then your contribution will be tracked as a “climate contribution” with the hope of holding the officials accountable for their climate commitments.
CA League of Conservation Voters endorses these California state measures (scroll to bottom).
Protect Our Winters has released a Voter Guidebook with personalized general election information and federal and state candidate scorecards for top environmental issues.
100% Renewable Truckee is a team of volunteers working to implement energy sustainability initiatives in our town. I appreciate this group’s goals and priorities. I am a volunteer for the Citizens’ Climate Lobby, supporting nonpartisan climate advocacy and the below Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. Our local chapter is CCL North Tahoe. New members are welcomed with open arms. I also volunteer with Climate Changemakers where, together with a team, we devote just an hour each week to actions that make the most impact. I enjoy the accountability, support and habit of this weekly hour-of-power.
STAY TUNED TO
The HR 763 Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act is a bipartisan climate solution that's effective, market driven, good for the people, good for the economy and revenue neutral. The bill was introduced to the House in 2019 and likely will be making moves after the November election.