Boston council panel hears six BERDO Review Board nominees, no vote taken

BOSTON — May 2, 2023 — Boston City Council committee hears six nominees for the new BERDO Review Board overseeing building decarbonization. The Committee on Environmental Justice, Resiliency, and Parks, chaired by District 6 Councilor Kendra Lara, held a virtual confirmation hearing Tuesday for six mayoral appointees — Gail Latimore, Lee Matsueda, Kai Palmer Dunning, Rashida Boyd, Lovette Jacobs, and Stephen Ellis — to the Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance Review Board, with terms expiring April 24, 2026. Environment Commissioner Allison Brizius told the panel the nine-member board would advise on final BERDO regulations in its first year before moving on to reviewing individual compliance applications and overseeing the Equitable Emissions Investment Fund. Councilor John FitzGerald pressed Brizius on a "special municipal employee" designation attached to board positions, asking whether it triggered pension accrual or conflict-of-interest restrictions; Brizius committed to a formal answer from the city law department. No votes were taken at the hearing.