Sierra Club - Falls of the James Group

How Federal Cuts & Supreme Court Decisions are Impacting the Environment with Laura Thomas, Director of the Office of Sustainability in Richmond City.

The current Federal Administration has made several significant course changes in terms of protecting and caring for the natural world. The impacts of these decisions are beginning to be felt now, however many of these impacts will not be realized for months, years or decades. From overturning the EPA's Endangerment Finding, which is the legal basis for federal climate regulations under the Clean Air Act, and removing tax credits for solar installation projects, to directly rescinding local grants, the efforts of this administration are broad reaching. Join us to discuss how these changes are impeding progress locally, regionally, and nationally, and how we might envision our future 5 years from now. We will also explore how community members can voice their concerns, avoid the pitfalls of distraction and fear, and lean into our collective power for progress.

Laura Thomas grew up in and around Richmond, VA and received her B.S. in Biology from VCU and went on to achieve her M.S. in Sustainability from the University of Wisconsin. She joined the City of Richmond in October of 2022 and is the first to serve in the new role of Director of the Office of Sustainability.

Prior to working with the City, Thomas worked in the private sector as a Chemist in the field of hazardous waste disposal and then went on to serve the City of Largo, Florida as the Sustainability Administrator. In this role, Thomas led work to advance initiatives to build a more sustainable and resilient community for all. Her efforts focus on people-centered change management to ensure individuals thrive through sustainability and resilience change, including transitioning municipal fleets to all-electric, developing city-wide policies to advance climate justice, and developing the city’s first equity-center, community-led planning process. Thomas has served on the Urban Land Institute’s International Health Equity Leaders Network, is a co-founder of the Pinellas County FL Sustainability and Resilience Network, and was awarded the Sierra Club of Florida’s Osprey Award which recognizes the statewide Local Government Employee of the Year.