News Releases from Region 09
Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Council Member Mervin Wright, Jr., named to national EPA advisory committee, subcommittee
SAN FRANCISCO – Today, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the appointment of Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Council Member Mervin Wright, Jr., of Nixon, Nev., to the Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC). The 33-member LGAC helps EPA develop strong partnerships with local governments to provide more efficient and effective environmental protection at the community, state, and federal level.
Council Member Wright has also been appointed to the Small Community Advisory Subcommittee (SCAS), which helps EPA develop robust partnerships with small communities to address environmental and public health issues.
"EPA’s efforts to protect public health and the environment are most effective when the Agency works cooperatively with state and local governments," said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “I look forward to working with the committee members on important environmental issues while developing stronger and more robust partnerships across states, tribes, and local communities."
“Council Member Wright has deep knowledge of the environmental issues facing tribal governments in the West,” said Alexis Strauss, Acting Regional Administrator for EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. “His many years of experience working on these issues are a tremendous asset.”
Council Member Wright has dedicated his career to promoting water quality issues. He also serves on the tribal council, has served on a variety of committees that focus on tribal and environmental issues and was awarded the Nevada Indian Commission American Indian Community Leader of the Year in 2010. Council Member Wright currently represents the interests of tribes from Nevada on EPA’s National Tribal Caucus.
“I am pleased with the selection to serve the EPA Local Government Advisory Committee,” said Council Member Mervin Wright, Jr. “I am committed to our responsibility to protect the environment and to assure effective logical scientific application with the decision-making process.”
EPA is committed to collaborating with states and local governments in the spirit of cooperative federalism to build on their work to achieve cost reductions and better allocate resources. Improvements to public health and the environment are best achieved when EPA works together with states, tribes, and communities to address environmental issues through trust, collaboration, and partnership.
The new committee members were selected based on their demonstrated leadership experience, proven record of service to their communities, and involvement in effective environmental protection services and programs at the community, state, and federal level.
Chartered in 1993 under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the Local Government Advisory Committee provides independent and objective policy advice to the EPA Administrator. The Small Community Advisory Subcommittee was established by EPA in 1996 to advise the Administrator on environmental issues of concern to the residents of smaller communities. It is a subcommittee of the Local Government Advisory Committee. The committee and subcommittee intend to meet in early summer to begin their work.
For more information and to see the full list of newly appointed LGAC and SCAS members, please visit https://www.epa.gov/ocir.
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