WINDSOR, Conn., May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Breathe Southern California has presented its 2025 Breath of Life Award to Cliff Gladstein, a nationally recognized environmental advocate and founding president of Gladstein, Neandross & Associates (GNA), for his decades of leadership in accelerating the adoption of clean fuels and zero-emission technologies. The award was presented on May 13 at the SLS Hotel Beverly Hills during the organization’s gala celebrating its 122-year legacy of advancing clean air through research, education, and advocacy.
Gladstein, whose firm was acquired by TRC Companies in 2023, now serves as a senior leader on the Clean Transportation Solutions team at TRC, continuing to guide nationwide efforts to reduce emissions from the commercial transportation sector.
“Cliff Gladstein is extremely deserving of being named our Breath of Life Award® recipient,” said Marc Carrel, President & CEO of Breathe Southern California, the nonprofit organization presenting the honor. “Cliff is a pioneer in the clean transportation and clean energy industries and was involved before most people knew what alternative fuels and EVs were. The world of transportation and energy has changed dramatically since the 1990s and many of those changes wouldn’t have happened if it were not for the leadership and hard work of Cliff Gladstein. He pushed policymakers and vehicle makers to understand the benefits of transitioning to cleaner cars, trucks, buses, ships and aircraft. That has made our air cleaner and our families healthier.”
In 1993, Gladstein founded Gladstein, Neandross & Associates (GNA), then known as Gladstein & Associates (G&A), to accelerate the deployment of low- and zero-emission vehicles, ultra-low carbon fuels, and infrastructure for commercial transportation. That work continues at TRC, where Gladstein’s team has managed more clean fleet deployment projects than any other firm in North America, facilitated the development of some of the world’s largest alternative fuel corridors, and secured more than $2 billion in grants and funding for clean transportation projects. The team has also created leading educational conferences to help fleets and stakeholders navigate the transition to sustainable transportation solutions.
Gladstein’s key career milestones include:
- Served as the principal consultant on the drafting of the first Clean Air Plan for the City of Los Angeles in the early 1990s.
- Created the Interstate Clean Transportation Corridor (ICTC) project in the mid-1990s to promote use of clean alternative fuels in goods movement, which led to the deployment of clean natural gas and electric trucks—reducing diesel fuel use by billions of gallons.
- Worked directly with Carl Moyer on the development of the ICTC. Moyer, among the first scientists to advocate for replacing diesel trucks as a policy priority, coined the phrase that inspired Gladstein’s decades-long work: “It’s the trucks, stupid.”
- Oversaw clean truck project deployments, starting with funding for 25 LNG gas trucks and an LNG fueling station at Harris Ranch—the first of thousands of low- and zero-emission trucks and hundreds of fueling and charging stations.
- Helped lead the passage of legislation establishing the Texas Emission Reduction Plan (TERP), perhaps second only to California in investing in heavy-duty emission reduction deployment projects.
- In the early 2000s, partnered with Waste Management (WM) to secure mobile emission reduction credits for the Otay Mesa energy project—the first time that mobile sources were used to generate credits for stationary projects. This groundbreaking program fueled a major transition to natural gas refuse trucks and improved air quality in residential neighborhoods.
- Co-lead the Hydrogen Energy California project, which expanded understanding of hydrogen as a strategy to reduce pollution, address climate change, and diversify energy resources.
- Led the creation of the conferences Renewable Gas 360, Rethink Methane, and the California Hydrogen Leadership Summit—events focused on educating Sacramento policymakers on the important role of renewable gases and hydrogen in California’s clean energy future.
“I am deeply honored to receive the Breath of Life Award from Breathe Southern California,” said Cliff Gladstein. “This recognition underscores the collective efforts of our TRC team and our commitment to advancing clean fuels and transportation technologies. We are making significant strides in improving air quality and promoting sustainable energy solutions, and I am proud to be part of this transformative journey.”
Gladstein holds a BA in both Public Policy and Religion (Duke University), a master’s in Middle Eastern Studies (University of Texas at Austin), a master’s in political science (UCLA), and a master’s in urban planning (UCLA). Throughout his career, Gladstein has served as:
- Chairman of the board for both Heal the Bay and the Coalition for Clean Air
- President of the California League of Conservation Voters Education Fund
- Vice president of the California League of Conservation Voters
- Advisor to the USC Sustainable Cities Program
- Advisor to the Duke University Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions
- Lecturer at UCLA’s Institute for Environment and Sustainability, where he taught Leadership in Air Quality Policy for seven years
Breathe Southern California is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving lung health and advancing clean air initiatives across the region. The organization promotes education, early diagnosis, and support for individuals with respiratory conditions—while also advocating for clean technologies, sustainable energy solutions, and public policies that reduce air pollution and fight climate change. Each year, Breathe Southern California presents its Breath of Life Award to honor individuals whose leadership has significantly contributed to cleaner air and healthier communities.
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