Environmental Quality Commission

Upcoming meeting

Members

Name Email
 Phone
 Term expires
Susannah Hill Email Susannah Hill n/a April 30, 2025
Brian Kissel
 Email Brian Kissel n/a April 30, 2027
Nancy Larocca Hedley Email Nancy Larocca Hedley  n/a April 30, 2026
Zachary Meyer  Email Zachary Meyer n/a April 30, 2028
John McKenna - Vice Chair Email John McKenna 650-776-8548  April 30, 2029 
Eduardo Pelegri-Llopart Email Eduardo Pelegri-Llopart
 n/a April 30, 2027
Jeff Schmidt - Chair Email Jeff Schmidt  n/a

April 30, 2026

 

Roles and responsibilities

The Environmental Quality Commission is committed to helping the City of Menlo Park to be a leading sustainable city that inspires institutions and individuals and that is well positioned to manage present and future environmental impacts, including the grave threat of climate change. The Environmental Quality Commission is charged primarily with advising the City Council on matters involving climate change, environmental protection, and sustainability .

Commission priorities

  • Climate Action Plan - Advise and recommend on the implementation of the climate action plan.
  • Climate Resilience and Adaptation - Ensure that our most vulnerable communities have a voice in policies and programs to protect their communities from environmental impacts.
  • Urban Canopy - Leverage best practices to advise/recommend on the preservation of heritage trees, city trees and expansion of the urban canopy; and make determinations on appeals of heritage tree removal permits.
  • Green and Sustainable Initiatives – Support sustainability initiatives, as needs arise, which may include city-led events, habitat protection, healthy ecology, environmental health protection, healthy air, surface water runoff quality, water conservation and waste reduction.

Meetings, agendas, minutes and videos

The Environmental Quality Commission meetings are generally held on the 3rd  Wednesday of the month starting at 6 p.m. Meeting dates and times are subject to change.

The city website provides meeting agendas, minutes and videos for public review. For regular meetings, agendas will be posted no later than 72 hours in advance; agendas for special meetings will be posted no later than 24 hours in advance. Meeting minutes are available following approval. Videos are typically posted within 24 hours after the meeting.

City Council liaison

Betsy Nash

Staff liaison

Rachael Londer
 Sustainability Manager
Email

650-330-6765

Ori Paz, LEED AP BD+C
Management Analyst II
Email

650-330-6711

 

 

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