Award given “For the visionaries whose actions redefine the possible, setting new benchmarks in sustainability”
Portland, Ore.— Two staff members from the Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability received awards for their visionary work at the sixth annual “Model the Way Awards.” Chief Sustainability Officer Vivian Satterfield and Sustainability and Climate Commission (SCC) coordinator Elaine Livingstone were honored by the Lloyd EcoDistrict for their work on the City of Portland’s future SCC.
The Sustainability and Climate Commission will be a new governance structure for climate action in Portland and serve as the official climate connection to other governance bodies at the City of Portland. It will also guide City climate action and sustainability goals as a new governance structure and champion body for current and future climate work.
“We are building this to serve as a voice for all Portlanders in the new form of government,” said Vivian Satterfield, BPS’s Chief Sustainability Officer. “This commission creates opportunity for the community to work collaboratively with government to ensure climate priorities are always considered in City work.”
Satterfield and Livingstone have worked to develop the framework for the new SCC over the past year. They researched similar commissions in other jurisdictions and gathered input from public, private and nonprofit sectors, community feedback from the City charter reform process and SCC in-person and virtual events, public comment, and workshops. A proposed ordinance is now scheduled to be heard by Portland City Council on April 24, and the public is invited to give testimony by May 8, 2024.
The Lloyd EcoDistrict’s Model the Way Awards are “a celebration of exceptional groups and individuals who embody leadership and inspire others to follow suit.”
About the City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability
The Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) develops creative and practical solutions to enhance Portland’s livability, preserve distinctive places and plan for a resilient future. BPS collaborates with community partners to provide comprehensive land use, neighborhood, district, economic, historic and environmental planning, and urban design; research, policy and technical services to advance green building, energy efficiency and the use of solar and renewable energy, waste prevention, composting and recycling, and a sustainable food system; and policy and actions to address climate change.