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Climate, Local

Harrisonburg’s Laura Dent appointed vice chair of NLC advocacy committee

Crystal Graham
climate change
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The vice mayor for Harrisonburg has been appointed to vice chair of the National League of Cities 2024 Energy, Environment and Natural Resources federal advocacy committee.

Vice Mayor Laura Dent was appointed to a one-year term and will provide strategic direction and guidance for NLC’s federal advocacy agenda and policy priorities on sustainability, climate change, community resilience, water infrastructure, solid waste management and more.

“Being appointed vice chair is a culmination of the challenging and important work I’ve done on the NLC’s Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources committee,” said Dent. “I’m thrilled to represent Harrisonburg in our ongoing efforts to develop the federal-to-local partnership to support the urgent actions we must take to reduce climate change.”

As vice chair of the committee, Dent will play a key role in shaping NLC’s policy positions and advocate on behalf of America’s cities, towns and villages before Congress, with the administration and at home.

The appointment was announced by NLC President David Sander of Rancho Cordova, Calif.

“NLC’s federal advocacy committees play an important role in helping policymakers in Washington understand the issues and challenges facing America’s cities, towns and villages at the local level,” said Sander. “I’m thrilled to have vice mayor Dent lead NLC’s Energy, Environment and Natural Resources committee this year and look forward to working with her to strengthen the federal-local partnership, and grow our common knowledge of the issues and opportunities facing our communities.”

This year’s Energy, Environment and Natural Resources committee will be led by Chair Ruth Grendahl, Councilmember, Apple Valley, Minn.; Vice Chair Laura Dent, Vice Mayor, Harrisonburg; and Vice Chair Brian Jones, Councilmember, Union City, Ga.

For more information on NLC’s federal advocacy committee, visit https://www.nlc.org/advocacy/federal-advocacy-committees/.

Crystal Graham

Crystal Graham

Crystal Abbe Graham is the regional editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, she has worked for nearly 25 years as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design. She was the co-host of "Viewpoints," a weekly TV news show, and co-host of Virginia Tonight, a nightly TV news show. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television.