About the Sustainability Commission
The Providence Sustainability Commission is a community advisory board providing a diverse range of perspectives, expertise, and support on the City’s sustainability and climate agenda, including implementation of Providence’s Climate Justice Plan.
On May 20, 2021, the City of Providence passed Ordinance ORD-2021-18, ensuring that in addition to seats appointed by the Mayor (3), the City Council (3), and the Environment Council of RI (1), members of the Sustainability Commission would also be nominated and appointed by environmental justice organizations (2) and youth organizations (2).
Read the updated 2021 Sustainability Commission ordinance here. The ordinance also codified the Office of Sustainability and the goals of the Climate Justice Plan.
Role of the Sustainability Commission
By city ordinance, the responsibilities of the Commission are defined as follows:
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Work with the Department of Sustainability, the Mayor, the City Council and other city departments to coordinate the City’s environmental agenda and provide a level of accountability for the environmental initiatives the City is currently implementing or planning to implement.
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Communicate with the public important developments in the City’s environmental agenda. This will bring an extra level of transparency and accessibility to the City’s progress on important environmental goals.
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Include experts from the City and from the community to discuss and propose innovative, yet achievable, environmental initiatives which the City could adopt to further green the City of Providence.
The roles of a commission member include reviewing the agenda and any attachments in advance, attendance at the majority of meetings (to meet quorum), listening, providing feedback, and asking questions at meetings, and voting on any action taken. This comic demonstrates the flow of how voting takes place on a public commission such as the Sustainability Commission.
Ice Cream Motion
A Snapshot of the Sustainability Commission in 2020/2021
Monthly meetings
Meetings are held monthly, and due to Open Meetings Law, are held in-person in a conference room at City Hall. A Zoom link to the meeting is also provided for attendees or members of the public to tune in virtually.
Agendas and Minutes of the Sustainability Commission meetings are posted on the City’s Open Meetings Portal as well as the RI Secretary of State’s Open Meetings Dashboard. You can create an account to receive notifications when a meeting agenda is posted, which will include an updated meeting location and Zoom link.
City’s Open Meetings Portal
SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION MEMBERS
Julian Drix – Chair, City Council Appointment
Vatic Kuumba – Vice-Chair, Mayoral Appointment
Priscilla De La Cruz– Environment Council of RI Appointment
Catherine Van Amburgh – City Council Appointment
Jesus Holguin – Mayoral Appointment
Chandelle Wilson – Racial and Environmental Justice Committee Appointment
Justice Ameer Gaines- Racial and Environmental Justice Committee Appointment
Enza Cucitrone – Youth Appointment
Vacant – City Council Appointment
Vacant – Mayoral Appointment
Vacant – Youth Appointment
The Commission has compiled the following list of Providence-based Environmental Justice and Youth nominating organizations: Nominating Organizations.
How to Join the Sustainability Commission
Any member of the public may submit their interest in serving on the Sustainability Commission on a rolling basis using this Interest Form.
December 2022 update–>
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The Sustainability Commission is notifying and extending the opportunity for environmental justice and youth organizations to nominate and encourage members of their organizations and networks to consider serving on the Sustainability Commission. As part of the selection process, we ask that environmental justice or youth organizations provide a nomination letter for applicants.
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City Council and Mayoral Appointments are currently on pause as we transition to new Council and Mayoral leadership teams. Applicants not associated with environmental justice or youth nominations will be considered for these vacancies in early 2023.
