Lisa Garcia opening statement: environmental justice experience and community engagement

Good morning, Commissioner Garcia.

I recognize you now make an opening statement.

Thank you.

Good morning, Chair Ong and members of the Committee on Rules, Privileges, Elections, Standards, and Ethics.

I'm Lisa Garcia, Commissioner for the Department of Environmental Protection.

I'm here today because I have the honor of being considered for the appointment to the New York City Land Bank Board of Directors.

Before coming to DEP, I served as Regional Administrator for the U.S.

EPA, the Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2, covering New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, the U.S.

Virgin Islands, and eight Indian nations, mainly upstate New York.

I've also worked in environmental journalism, environmental law, and advocacy.

Throughout my career, my focus has been on environmental justice, climate protection, and community outreach.

I have experience bringing stakeholders together in many different forums and venues to gather input and feedback on a variety of issues.

of challenging issues, all with the goal of trying to collectively find solutions.

Should I be appointed to the Land Bank Board of Directors, I would draw from my experience in government, academia, and non-for-profit organizations representing community groups.

My robust

background, I think, in environmental justice and community engagement would especially inform my work on the land bank.