Gretchen Hardison's first introduction to the MSRC was when her boss presented her with a stack of more than 40 proposals to review. That was more than 13 years ago, and she still keeps coming back for more.
Hardison, who is serving in her fifth consecutive year as chair of the MSRC's Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), directs the Climate and Air Programs Group at EnvironmentLA, the City of Los Angeles Environmental Affairs Department. She began her work with MSRC as an alternate on the TAC for her boss, Detrich Allen, but soon her enthusiasm for diving into stacks of proposals and attending meetings won her the top slot, and she and her boss traded roles.
Hardison soon learned that the TAC was a place where she could make a real difference - and see the benefits of her efforts fairly quickly.
"It's intriguing to see how government works, and the MSRC is one of the more active ways I feel like I can make a difference," she explained. "On the TAC, we get to identify opportunities, make grants, and we can actually see the emissions reductions in a relatively short time frame."
The TAC brings together a broad cross section of experts and expertise, Hardison explained, to delve into the details of the mobile source projects that the MSRC considers funding. The members must be up-to-speed on the technologies and on the types of programs that are the cutting edge in addressing the serious mobile source challenges facing the Southland. The TAC membership also reflects broad geographic diversity, urban and non-urban perspectives and includes representation from local government, transit agencies and the nonprofit sectors.
"We have a full spectrum of perspectives that inform the recommendations we make to the MSRC," she noted. "We have people with expertise in air quality, and rideshare programs and fleet operations -and our newest member is an elected city council member from La Habra Heights. While individual members of the TAC have changed over the years, we have always maintained a broad set of perspectives, which is invaluable when it comes to making recommendations to the MSRC. It's a good balance."
The TAC has a number of standing committees as well as special committees established to support the Work Program each year. Members review all proposals submitted to the MSRC and provide guidance and recommendations on most MSRC activities.
And as Hardison points out, "We're all volunteers here."
So what keeps Hardison coming back after all these years? It's the constant evolution of the air quality field - the changing focus - that keeps it interesting she says. As tailpipe emissions started coming down, the focus moved to air toxics, and now to greenhouse gases. One area of focus she has seen come full circle is the link between transportation, air quality and land use planning.
"It's encouraging to see the same terms coming back. I have high hopes each time we bring up land use, transportation and air quality in one package, because each time we learn a little more and we get a little further along," she said. "This time, it's even moved into the popular media. I can tell because my relatives are asking me about it. They'll say 'hey - you know about this, don't you?'"
Hardison relishes her opportunities to reach out and collaborate with others to leverage the city's emission reduction efforts. In addition to her MSRC work, she has played a key role in the local Clean Cities Coalition, where participants promote alternative fuels and share strategies to help expand their alternative fuel fleets. She also interacts with various city departments to document their progress in achieving Los Angeles' greenhouse gas reduction goals and works closely with the city's planning department on the development of a "Sustainable Community Strategy" to comply with the state's smart growth law, SB 375.
Hardison loves her job with EnvironmentLA. Other than a brief stint as a private consultant right out of graduate school, this is where she has devoted herself professionally. "Same division, same department, same city, for 16 years," she likes to say.
But her commitment to improving the environment started long before. In fact, she credits a forward-thinking teacher at her school in Buena Park, who inspired her to participate in a school play on the very first Earth Day. She says her part involved a gas mask. That memory could be part of the reason she takes such pride in her many successes so far in making the air a little cleaner over Los Angeles.
Pictured below: Hardison at the City of Hawthorne's annual Earth Day celebration stands in front of the city's new clean-fuel refuse truck, purchased with Clean Transportation Funding from the MSRC.