U.S. EPA Administrator-Designate Lisa Jackson’s Confirmation Hearing

U.S. EPA Administrator-Designate Lisa Jackson invited SCDG’s President, Deeohn Ferris, to attend her January 14, 2009 confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate.  Deeohn was one of a select group of invitees to the hearing as one of Ms. Jackson’s inner circle of supporters.  Ms. Jackson is a chemical engineer with a host of environmental accomplishments including serving as chief of the State of New Jersey’s environmental agency.  She is the Agency’s first African American Administrator-nominee.  Ms. Jackson’s hearing was in tandem with the confirmation hearing of Nancy Sutley who will assume the Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality.  Both confirmations are on a U.S. Senate fast track.

Presidential Transition Team Diversity Meeting

SCDG’s President Deeohn Ferris was invited to the President-elect’s Transition Team meeting on diversity which was convened by the Team’s Energy and Natural Resources Cluster in Washington DC on January 12, 2009.  Nearly 100 participants, largely organizations headquartered in the nation’s capitol and those representing national

interests, included representatives from the Hispanic, African American and Asian Pacific Islanders Chambers of Commerce, civil rights groups, labor organizations, farmers and agriculture groups, Tribes, education and green jobs advocates, minority institutions of higher education and environmentalists.  Topics included workforce training, minority business development, federal procurement, investments in infrastructure and green jobs, energy efficiency, strengthening minority academic institutions, urban parks and youth, and sustainable development.

President-elect Barak Obama’s Economic Stimulus Address

SCDG’s Deeohn Ferris was invited to attend President’-elect Obama’s first nationally televised speech on his economic stimulus plan.  The President’s speech was delivered to a select audience at George Mason University on January 8, 2009.   Representatives from public interest, environmental, civil rights and faith based groups joined businesses, the President’s political team, governors and mayors from around the nation.

Presidential Transition Team Environmental Justice Meeting

Sustainable Community Development Group, Inc. served as the liaison to President-elect’s Transition Team helped organize and coordinated the Team’s December 16, 2008 Environmental Justice Meeting in Washington, DC with activists and advocates from around the nation.  We organized over 25 multiracial and multicultural organizations nationwide, coordinated nationally with environmental justice leaders, facilitated consensus, developed and delivered the meeting agenda, and managed the presentations. 

The Environmental Justice Transition Team Meeting was acclaimed a success by participants/invitees including the constituencies, US EPA Administrator-Nominee, Lisa Jackson, other federal nominees, and Presidential Transition Team members.  Afterwards we hosted a luncheon for the environmental justice leaders who traveled to the nation’s capitol for the meeting.  The meeting agenda, including recommendations, is available on request.  SCDG was represented by Deeohn Ferris, who facilitated the meeting, and Program Director Phillip Johnson.