sfenvironment.org

Environment Commission

Legislation & Initiatives Commissioners Subcommittees History

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The Commission on the Environment sets policy for the Department of the Environment and advises the mayor and Board of Supervisors on environmental matters. Appointed by the mayor, the seven-member commission develops policies and programs in recycling, toxics reduction, environmental justice, energy efficiency, commute alternatives, climate change, and the city's urban forest.

The commission meets on the fourth Tuesday of January, March, May, July, September, and November at 5:00 P.M., unless otherwise noted, at City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 416. All meetings are open to the public.

The Commission on the Environment office is at 11 Grove St., San Francisco, California, 94102.

Legislation & Initiatives

Resolutions

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Commissioners

Matthew Tuchow (President)
Matt Tuchow was appointed in January 2008 by Mayor Newsom. Mr. Tuchow serves as Vice-President of Global Compliance and Ethics and Assistant General Counsel at McKesson Corporation. Matt has focused his career on corporate responsibility, compliance and ethics, working in both the private and public sectors. Prior to joining McKesson, Mr. Tuchow served as Senior Advisor for Global Affairs for Congressman Levin in Washington, D.C. He has also taught at the University of Geneva (Switzerland) and at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. In San Francisco, Mr. Tuchow has served on the Transportation Authority Citizens Advisory Committee and on the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Advisory Committee. He currently also serves on the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee and on the California Democratic Party's Platform Committee where he chaired the Sustainable Communities' Plank. Mr. Tuchow attended Harvard Law School and Yale College.

Ruth Gravanis (Vice President)
Appointed to the commission in July 2006, Ruth Gravanis has more than 10 years of experience teaching in the public school system and has worked as an environmental consultant and as a volunteer in the areas of education and the environment. Her environmental advocacy has earned her awards from San Francisco Tomorrow, the Sierra Club, and the Golden Gate Audubon Society. Her most recent focus of attention has been the effort to maximize sustainability in the redevelopment of Treasure and Yerba Buena Islands.

Angelo King
Entrepreneur and administrator Angelo P. King directs the Southeast Neighborhood Jobs Initiative Roundtable, a workforce development program that has forged a relationship with UCSF that led to employment, contracting, and other crucial partnering opportunities for San Francisco's Southeast communities. Mr. King also helped organize tenant associations to stop illegal evictions and improve the habitability of dwellings owned by AIMCO, leading to a lawsuit filed by the City and County of San Francisco against AIMCO to improve and repair units deemed in poor condition.

Jane Martin
Jane Martin is founding director of Plant*SF, a non-profit which provides education, outreach and advocacy for citywide permeable landscaping's benefits to sustainable infrastructure and neighborhood beautification. She is principal of Shift Design Studio, specializing in the creation of buildings, interiors and landscapes since 1997. Ms. Martin has developed, administrated and taught studio based art, design and architecture classes at California College of the Arts and the University of California, Berkeley. She received a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies from the University of Illinois, Urbana/Champaign and a Master of Architecture from Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, MI.

Alan Mok
Born in Macau and a citizen of USA, Mr. Mok graduated from North London University in 1980, major in Statistics and Computing Science. He has extensive experience in both computer and film industries, and his achievement in Chinese entertainment industry is well recognized. He won numerous Annual Outstanding Chinese Journalist Awards and Certificate of Honor for his outstanding service and leadership by California Governors, San Francisco City Council, San Francisco Mayors, and numerous non-profit organizations. He is the 4-time President of Northern California Chinese Media Association (NCCMA), Commissioner of the San Francisco Environment Department, Commissioner of San Francisco Immigrant Rights Commission, Marketing Chair of San Francisco Chinatown Development and the Committee on Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

Paul Pelosi, Jr.
Paul Pelosi, Jr. currently serves as an advisor to the Director of NASA Ames Research center working on internal policies to define, document and communicate environmental effects regarding the implementation of sustainability development plans, recycling programs, environmental clean up, and bio-fuel utilization. He also works in conjunction with local agencies, helping them implement the most effective techniques and methods to prevent, control, and abate environmental pollution while protecting natural and cultural resources.

He is a founding member of Connected Urban Development, a partnership between Cisco and environmentally conscious cities to create urban communications infrastructures, demonstrating how network connectivity can reduce carbon emissions in urban environments.

Pelosi serves on the board of Airpatrol, a Wireless Threat Management solution that protects information technology infrastructure against wireless originated threats. He also serves on the board of Astrobotic Technology, working closely with Chairman and Chief Technical Officer Dr. William "Red" Whittaker, a leading world expert on intelligent robots, and a recipient of more than 80 contracts from NASA, the U.S. Energy Dept. and the Defense Dept. The Astrobotic team is a contender for the $30,000,000 Google X Prize.

He received his BA (cum laude) and JD/MBA from Georgetown University.

Johanna Wald
Johanna Wald was appointed to San Francisco's Commission on the Environment in 2003 and chairs the commission's Planning and Policy Committee. A senior attorney in the Natural Resources Defense Council's San Francisco office and director of the organization's Land Program, she is a recognized expert on a variety of federal land management issues, including national parks, energy development, and wilderness. Ms. Wald is a member of the Board of Directors of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, chairs the board of the Campaign for America's Wilderness, and for some 10 years, served on the board of the San Francisco League of Conservation Voters.

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Subcommittees

Policy Committee: Johanna Wald (Chair), Jane Martin, Ruth Gravanis
The Policy Committee oversees long-term planning and policy development for the department, including the assessment of environmental conditions and the development, updating, and review of plans for the long-term environmental sustainability of the city. The committee focuses on the goal of zero waste to landfill by year 2020, and explores the issues of water conservation and toxics reduction. It also works with the Operations Committee and the director of the department on the restructuring of environmental programs and activities among city agencies and departments.

The Policy Committee meets on the second Monday of the month at 5:00 P.M. with the exception of October when it meets on the fourth Monday at 5:00 P.M.
Agendas and Minutes

Operations Committee: Alan Mok, Paul Pelosi, Jr., Matt Tuchow (Chair)
The Operations Committee is responsible for the budget, financial planning, and operations of the Department of the Environment. The committee also oversees public education and community outreach on environmental issues.

The Operations Committee meets on the third Wednesday of January, April, July, and October at 5:00 P.M. at 11 Grove Street, San Francisco.
Agendas and Minutes

Department Director Search Committee: David Assmann, Deputy Director, Commissioners Matt Tuchow and Johanna Wald
The Department Director Search Committee is responsible for facilitating the search for a Department Director and will meet as required.
Agendas and Minutes

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History

The Commission on the Environment was created in December 1992 to advise the Board of Supervisors on legislation and policy related to the city's environment and ecology. Its 15 voting members and three ex officio non-voting members were representative of the environmental and ecological interests of all segments of the population and all geographic areas of the city.

A new city charter made effective in July 1996 created the current Commission on the Environment. Mayor Willie L. Brown, Jr. appointed the first commission members on October 5, 1996.

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