DeKalb County sustainability chief outlines 2040 master plan goals, EV fleet transition and food-access aims

Gisa Magro, DeKalb County's first chief sustainability officer, used the county press conference to preview goals tied to the county's 2040 master plan that officials say will improve resiliency and reduce operational costs.

"Our goal is to reduce the food desert community within the county so that food access is more available to the constituency," Magro said, describing food-access improvements as a priority. She also said the county will expand an electric-vehicle fleet transition and pursue measures intended to reduce the county’s carbon footprint while improving operational efficiency.

Magro framed the sustainability work as complementary to immediate heat-response actions, saying resilience and sustainability are "a matter of operating in a way that reduces our costs and improves our environment for the community." She did not provide a timeline for the full master plan rollout beyond stating the 2040 goal nor did she detail specific funding sources in the remarks.