Alex Spehr
for EBMUD Board ward 5
Why care?
East Bay Municipal Utility District. What do they do? That’s water and sewage. We have some of the best tasting water around and I want to keep it that way.
Sewage is important too: did you know that too much nitrogen put into the SF Bay from sewage can cause algae blooms which lead to mass fish die-offs? Recently local advocacy succeeded in pressuring the SF Water Board to require a 40% reduction in nitrogen levels over the next 10 years. Let’s speed that up!
My goals
I want to find a balance between:
I have a background in physics and climate science. I understand what the threats are and can read technical papers. I’ve done some advocacy and awareness raising for salmon and the Delta, and lots for native plants. I love planting native plants in my yard, since you can see instant results. Plant some California Fuschia and you will have hummingbirds in your yard every day it is in bloom. I find water and ecosystems fascinating and fun.
Why are you
doing this?
About me
I lived in Oakland for 11 years, both downtown and in Adam’s Point. Before that I lived in San Francisco’s Mission District for 7 years. I was a renter, and I never saw a water or utility bill. But I was paying for it through my rent.
Now I live in Alameda. You’ll often find me volunteering in the school garden, teaching kids about lifecycles. I’m on the PTA board, and am a member of the Alameda PTAC greenspace committee.
I’m also on the Alameda Point Restoration Advisory Board, which provides citizen oversight of the Navy’s cleanup of the old Alameda Navy Base. Their biggest current project is an experimental treatment remediating PFOS/PFAS (aka “forever” chemicals) in groundwater, and catching the chemicals before they can reach the estuary.
Email me your concerns and questions!
Donation and volunteer link live soon.
info @ alexforalameda.org
Endorsements
Charlene Wang for Oakland City Council
Deirdre Des Jardins, Director, California Water Research*
Jay Morgan, past president of AFSCME Local 2019*
Joanne Robinson, Relay for Life Organizer*
* denotes an organization name for identification purposes only