Las Cruces councilor Becky Corran appointed to EPA advisory committee
In recent years, Becky Corran served on the first Las Cruces City Council comprised of all women.
Now, the current District 5 councilor has been appointed to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Local Government Advisory Committee. Corran was one of 16 members chosen this month from a pool of more than 60 candidates. It's a two-year appointment, and in 2024, the 16-member committee will feature a majority of women.
"I think it indicates a more diverse representation, generally," said Corran, who was elected to the council in 2021. "But it's also good to see women with that expertise in science and climate change. That is exciting to see that representation coming forward. Women seen as experts is still kind of new so I appreciate that."
Chartered in 1993 under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the LGAC is comprised of elected and appointed officials at local, state, tribal and territorial governments within the U.S., who provide independent policy advice to the EPA Administrator on a broad range of issues affecting local governments.
In 2024, the committee will provide input on the proposed Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, the draft Strategy for Reducing Plastic Pollution, EPA’s efforts to develop a cumulative impact framework, and to improve community-level communication and engagement on climate change issues.
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“The Biden-Harris Administration has made a commitment to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility across the federal government,” EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan said in a release. “In addition to a majority of female members, this important committee is comprised of individuals from across the country, representing the diversity of America, so we can reflect a range of input as we craft regulations impacting their communities.”
Corran, state Agriculture Secretary Jeff Witte, and Cibola County Commissioner Christine Lowery are the three New Mexicans who will serve on the committee.
Last year, Corran first asked her colleagues on council if they were interested in trying to earn an appointment. Once she learned they weren't, Corran said Witte, who lives in Las Cruces, along with New Mexico Senators Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Lujan, helped her gain the appointment.
"I think I have some background so I said I think I'm going to try," Corran said. "We reached out to our Senate delegation and Jeff Witte all wrote really cool letters of support. Getting it on the first try is not usually common, but we told them what I was interested in an what experience I had."
Corran has a background in public health and teaches at Doña Ana Community College.
"I'm a professor in public health and have worked on border health things a lot," Corran said. "I think I highlighted a geographic region and a city that is growing near the border that has experienced climate related impacts."
She will be focused on reducing plastic pollution throughout her term.
"The EPA is concerned with plastic manufacturing and the communities around it," Corran said. "The results of increased consumption in plastics is affecting water. Plastic particles in water supplies is a new area that is not very well understood.
"We do have a plastic bag ban in Las Cruces. It was before I was on council, but Las Cruces has been thinking of our impact in terms of plastic waste and affecting our quality of life so the EPA is looking at that, along with water implications."
Jason Groves can be reached at 575-541-5459 or jgroves@lcsun-news.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @jpgroves.
This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Las Cruces councilor Becky Corran appointed to EPA advisory committee
