EPA Appoints Commissioner Brenda Howerton to Local Government Advisory Committee

WASHINGTON – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the appointment of 15 new and 7 returning members to the Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC). The announcement came at a public meeting of the Committee, where members presented recommendations on the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Durham Board of County Commissioners Chair Brenda Howerton, one of the 15 new members, was chosen from a pool of more than 80 highly qualified candidates. 

“Our partnerships with local governments are critical to EPA’s efforts to tackle the climate crisis and ensure that investments from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act reach the communities that need them most,” said EPA Administrator Michael Regan. “The recommendations provided by the LGAC today demonstrate the pride we take in prioritizing local voices, and I look forward to working with the new members over the coming year.”

The 34-member LGAC will have an even split of female and male members, including 14 people of color, and representation from 29 different states and U.S. territories. The Administrator also appointed 12 new and 5 returning members to the LGAC’s Small Communities Advisory Subcommittee.

Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird of Lincoln, Nebraska will continue to as the LGAC’s chair, and Mayor Lucy Vinis of Eugene, Oregon will serve as the LGAC’s vice chair. Administrator Regan also appointed Ann Mallek, Supervisor of Albemarle County, Virginia, as co-chair of the SCAS. Mallek will join Commissioner Christine Lowery of Cibola County, New Mexico, who has held the position for the past year.

“I look forward to continued service on the EPA’s Local Government Advisory Committee and remain committed to the important work of advancing climate security, infrastructure development, economic opportunity, environmental justice, and quality of life for people here in Lincoln and across our country,” said Mayor Gaylor Baird of Lincoln, Nebraska.

Recommendations focused on the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants and included providing funding directly to local and tribal governments, prioritizing the decarbonization of buildings, supporting meaningful engagement with disadvantaged communities in climate planning, and coordinating IRA implementation across the federal family. Regarding the IRA Heavy-Duty Vehicles program the LGAC recommended that EPA support the decarbonization of government fleets and streamline applications. The recommendations will be finalized and sent to Administrator Regan later this month.

Members were chosen from a pool of more than 80 highly qualified candidates. Selections for the one- and two-year terms were made in accordance with the LGAC charter to achieve balance and diversity in terms of geographic location, gender, ethnicity, and stakeholder perspective.

The new and returning (denoted with *) LGAC members and their affiliations are:

• The Honorable Ras Baraka, Mayor, Newark, NJ*
• The Honorable Luke Bronin, Mayor, Hartford, CT
• The Honorable Sharon Broome, Mayor, Baton Rouge, LA
• Mr. Gary Brown, Director of Water and Sewerage Department, Detroit, MI*
• The Honorable Kimberly duBuclet, Water Reclamation District Commissioner, Cook County, IL
• Ms. Miki Esposito, Associate Director of Public Works, Los Angeles County
• The Honorable Sarah Fox, Councilmember, Vancouver, WA
• The Honorable Jacob Frey, Mayor, Minneapolis, MN
• The Honorable Jonathan Grieder, Councilmember, City of Waterloo, IA
• The Honorable Brenda Howerton, County Commissioner, Durham County, NC
• The Honorable Deana Holiday Ingraham, Mayor, East Point, GA*
• The Honorable Heather Kimball, Councilmember, Hawai’i County
• The Honorable Ann Mallek, Supervisor, Albemarle County, VA
• The Honorable Rachel May, State Senator, Syracuse, NY*
• The Honorable Christian Menefee, County Attorney, Harris County, TX
• The Honorable Douglas Nicholls, Mayor, Yuma, AZ*
• The Honorable Ron Nirenberg, Mayor, San Antonio, TX*
• The Honorable David Painter, County Commissioner, Clermont County, OH
• The Honorable Mary Lou Pauly, Mayor, Issaquah, WA
• Mr. Whitford Remer, Sustainability and Resilience Officer, Tampa, FL
• The Honorable Satya Rhodes-Conway, Mayor, Madison, WI*

The new and returning (denoted with *) SCAS members and their affiliations are:

• The Honorable Vincent DeSantis, Mayor, Gloversville, NY *
• Mr. Kevin Dumas, Town Manager, Mansfield, MA
• Mr. Dave Glatt, Director, Environmental Quality, ND*
• The Honorable Jonathan Godes, Mayor, Glenwood Springs, CO
• The Honorable Daniel Guzman, Tribal Councilman, Oneida Nation, WI*
• The Honorable Velma Jenkins, Mayor, Shuqualak, MS
• Ms. Meleesa Johnson, Director-Solid Waste Department, Wausau, WI
• Ms. Denise Koch, Deputy Director of Public Works and Engineering, Juneau, AK
• The Honorable Rey Leon, Mayor, Huron, CA
• The Honorable Ann Mallek, Commissioner, Albemarle County, VA*
• Mr. Tyler Palmer, Deputy City Supervisor, Moscow, ID
• The Honorable James Perkins, Mayor, Selma, AL
• The Honorable Hattie Portis-Jones, Mayor Pro Tem, Fairburn, GA*
• The Honorable Greg Puckett, County Commissioner, Mercer County, WV
• The Honorable Kimberly Rich, Alderman and Mayor Pro Tem, Willow Springs, MO
• Mr. Kevin Shropshire, Pretreatment Coordinator, Rockledge, FL
• The Honorable Sophie Swope, City Council Member, Bethel, AK
• Ms. Michele Zolezi, Town Vice President, Manchester Township, NJ

Background

Chartered in 1993 under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the Local Government Advisory Committee provides independent policy advice to the EPA Administrator on a broad range of issues affecting local governments. The Small Community Advisory Subcommittee was established by EPA in 1996 to advise the Administrator on environmental issues of concern to the residents of smaller communities.

For more information about the Local Government Advisory Committee, please click here.

For more information about the SCAS, please click here.