Recording in progress.

Good afternoon.

I'm Charles Allen, Wardsix Council Member and Chair of the Council's Committee on Transportation and the Environment.

Today is Monday, June 22nd, 2026, and we're meeting in both room 120 of the John A.

Wilson building as well as over the Zoom virtual platform.

The time is now 1212 p.m.

and I'm calling to order this public round table of the committee.

Today the committee will consider one measure, PR 26-598, which is the Green Finance Authority Board Jennifer Wade confirmation resolution of 2026.

Chairman Middles introduced PR 26-598 at the request of the mayor on March 20th, 2026.

PR 26-598 would appoint Jennifer Wade to the Green Finance Authority Board to fulfill the remainder of Brandy Kohlander's term to end July 9, 2028 in a seat reserved for a voting member with experience in financial, project development, or legal expertise in clean energy, clean infrastructure, clean transportation, stormwater management, or green infrastructure.

Ms.

Wade is currently an employee at the U.S.

Department of Energy and has strong understanding of our energy markets, infrastructure developments, and excited to learn more about her qualifications and interest in the position today.

For some quick background, the DC Green Finance Authority, oftentimes we are referred to as DC Green Bank, was established in 2018.

This made DC the first city in the United States to establish a green bank with the mission of providing access to capital to grow the DC clean economy and develop a more equitable, resilient, and sustainable district.

The bank offers innovative financing solutions for this purpose and focuses its investments on solar energy, greener and more efficient buildings, infrastructure resilience, and transportation electrification.

Within that area, the DC Green Bank has leveraged 84 million dollars in local funding into $884 million in unlocked investment since its inception.

This reflects a ratio of more than 8.5 times the capital invested by the district.

Just in the last year reported, DC Green Bank has created thousands of jobs, increased annual solar energy production, and reduced annual emissions in the district by 21,000 metric tons or around the annual energy usage of 3,000 homes.

The DC Green Bank is governed by the D by the Green Finance Authority Board, which consists of 11 members.

Of those members, four are non-voting and include representatives from various relevant agencies and the executive's office of the mayor.

The seven voting members are appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council.

We don't have any public witnesses register for today's round table, so we'll turn directly to our nominee.

For anyone who is interested in submitting written testimony for the record, the committee will accept written testimony through the council's hearing management system at LIMS.dc council.govs backslash hearings until the close of business tomorrow, June 23rd.

With that housekeeping out of the way, let me turn to our nominee.

So, Ms.

Wade, we'll go ahead and call you up now.

If you'll come up, grab a seat.

All right.

What I'll do is I'll turn to you for your opening statement, and then we'll turn to some questions after that.

And if you'll push the button so the red light comes on, and then the mic will pick you up from there.

Good afternoon and welcome.

Good afternoon, Chairperson Allen, and I don't think any other members of the committee are present.

Um, but thank you so much.

It is my pleasure to receive your consideration for my nomination to serve on the board of directors for the Green Finance Authority.

I am very grateful to the mayor's office for nominating me and honored to have this opportunity to serve the residents of our district.

I am a proud district resident and public servant of more than 15 years.

My professional background has been focused in the energy sector and in federal public service.

I spent over a decade at the U.S.

Energy Information Administration, where I was focused on natural gas and petroleum market data.

I led multiple initiatives to improve data quality, modernize collection methods, and enhance transparency in how information was presented to the public.

Currently, I serve at the U.S.

Department of Energy and the Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office as the director of the Division of Regulation.

In this role, I oversee the regulatory program for natural gas.

This experience has given me a stronger understanding of energy markets, infrastructure development, and the regulatory frameworks that shape them.

Throughout my entire professional career, I've developed a practical understanding of how energy systems are financed, regulated, and deployed, as well as how policy decisions can turn into real outcomes.

While my professional experience has been focused on fossil energy, I think that experience does provide a helpful perspective to the work of the Green Finance Authority.

The transition to a clean energy economy doesn't occur in isolation.

It should be understood in the context of existing energy systems, market dynamics, and consumer impacts.

I think my experience analyzing energy data and helping decision makers understand complex energy issues through data analysis and transparent communication has prepared me to contribute meaningfully.

For my academic background, I hold a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Virginia and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Towson University.

My educational experience has reinforced my commitment to data-driven decision making, fiscal responsibility, and equitable outcomes.

All are principles that I think align closely with the Green Authority, Green Finance Authority's mission.

Beyond my professional and educational background, I've been a committed member of the district community for over 15 years.

I currently live and own a home in Ward 8, and prior to that, I lived in Ward 5, where I own a condo that I still currently rent out.

Over the years, I've volunteered my time with organizations, like so others might eat, food and friends, and Martha's table, which has helped my understanding of the challenges that many district residents face.

I'm aware of the urgency of our climate goals and also the importance of ensuring that the benefits of climate investments reach all residents, especially those who've historically been underserved.

My interest in serving on this board comes from not only my professional experience, but my personal commitment to the city's long-term sustainability and economic resilience.

If confirmed, my vision for serving on the board would focus on strengthening and accelerating the district's existing clean energy and climate framework.

I'm particularly interested in supporting the Green Finance Authority's efforts to increase access to clean energy investments for residents and communities that have historically faced barriers to participation.