Good Neighbor Environmental Board (GNEB)
The Good Neighbor Environmental Board (GNEB or Board) is an independent federal advisory committee. Its mission is to advise the President and Congress of the United States on good neighbor practices along the U.S. border with Mexico. Its recommendations are focused on environmental infrastructure needs within the U.S. states contiguous to Mexico.
The Board does not carry out any specific border program. Rather its role is to step back as a strategic adviser and analyze the big picture when it comes to the problems the border region faces, as well as the opportunities at hand.
Overview
GNEB was created by the Enterprise for the Americas Initiative Act of 1992 (EAIA) (7 U.S. Code Section 5404) to advise the President and the Congress about environmental and infrastructure issues and needs within the states contiguous to Mexico. Implementing authority was delegated to the Administrator of EPA under Executive Order 12916.
The Act requires that the board membership include representatives from appropriate U.S government agencies; the governments of Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas; and private organizations, including community development, academic, health, environmental, and other non-governmental entities with experience and expertise on environmental and infrastructure problems along the southwest border. The Board also confers regularly with
Mexican organizations including the Region 1 National Advisory Council for Sustainable Development (Consejo).
The statute requires the GNEB to submit an annual report to the President and the Congress. Its first report was published in 1995. Since that time, it has continued to provide an objective, consensus-based voice on strategic approaches for addressing U.S.-Mexico border issues. GNEB's reports have been translated into Spanish and widely disseminated on both sides of the border. Recurring themes in its guidance include the following: focus on areas of greatest need; better integrate existing projects; support new initiatives that provide added value; involve many different organizations early on and throughout the process; and institute an underlying, environmentally sustainable framework as the basis for making decisions.
Request for Nominations: Nominations for individuals with expertise or extensive experience in the following disciplines are requested:
- Representative of a sector or group that helps to shape border-region environmental policy or represents a group that is affected by border-region environmental policy;
- Extensive professional knowledge and experience with the issues on the southern border, including the bi-national dimension in State and Tribal waste reuse initiatives and scrap industries in the border region including food, rubber, critical minerals, and precious metals.
- Demonstrates senior level experience that will bring a new and relevant approach to the board's deliberations.
- Ability to work in a consensus building process with a wide range of representatives from various constituencies.
- Ability to contribute approximately 10 to 15 hours per month to the GNEB's activities, that include attending full committee, administrative, and working group meetings and participating in the development of advice letters or researching topics to publish reports.
- Demonstrate the potential for active and constructive involvement in the GNEB's work.
Process and Deadline for Submitting Nominations: Any interested person or organization may nominate qualified individuals in the areas of expertise described above for consideration to serve on the GNEB. Individuals may self-nominate.
- To be considered, the following information should be provided on the nomination: contact information for the person making the nomination; contact information for the nominee; the disciplinary and specific areas of expertise of the nominee; the nominee's curriculum vitae; and a biographical sketch (if available) of the nominee indicating current position, educational background; research activities; sources of research funding for the last two years; and recent service on other national advisory committees or national professional organizations. Nominees will be contacted and asked to provide any updated or missing information from the nomination form. To help the Agency evaluate the effectiveness of its outreach efforts, please indicate how you learned of this nomination opportunity. The Federal Advisory Committee Management Branch (FACMB) will acknowledge receipt of nominations and address any questions the nominee has regarding membership. Nominations should be submitted in time to arrive no later than November 30, 2026. Persons who have questions about the nomination process should contact the DFO identified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.
- Nominees from the academic sector should also provide a letter of support authorizing the applicant to represent the views of a particular school/college (e.g., School of Environmental Science or College of Engineering) within the institution's system.
Please be aware that EPA's policy is that, unless otherwise prescribed by statute, members generally are appointed for a two-year term. For appointment consideration, interested nominees should submit the application materials electronically via email to David B. Neill at neill.david@epa.gov with the subject line GNEB, COMMITTEE APPLICATION PACKAGE 2026 for (Name of Nominee) by (Name of Nominator).
For information about nominations, please contact David B. Neill, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), by telephone/voicemail (202) 564-2885, or email at neill.david@epa.gov.