ARB Names Members to the Environmental Justice and Economic and Technology Advancement Advisory Committees For Climate Change
Contacts
SACRAMENTO – The California Air Resource Board (ARB) today announced the members of two advisory committees that will help determine how the sweeping Climate Change Initiative will be designed and how it will achieve the goals set forth in the landmark legislation the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32).
"Each of these committees will be essential to the development of the Climate Change Initiative as laid out in AB 32," said Dr. Robert F. Sawyer, ARB Chairman. "We have found the best people for these important tasks. They will be asked to accomplish a lot in a short period of time to help develop a program that is technically and economically sound and protective of our most vulnerable citizens."
The Environmental Justice Advisory Committee's goal is to ensure that environmental justice issues are identified and considered in the implementation of AB 32. Members will be instrumental in providing advice and guidance to ARB based on their experience and involvement with environmental justice and community groups. This advisory committee will select their own Chair and Vice-Chair during their first organizational meeting, which will take place in February.
The Economic and Technology Advancement Advisory Committee will advise ARB in identifying and assessing technology development and research opportunities that will assist in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The committee will also recommend on funding and incentive options. Today the Board recommended adding a representative for Southern California and a forestry industry expert. These committee members have not yet been chosen; the Board asked the Executive Officer to report back after representatives have been confirmed. Dr. Alan Lloyd and Dr. Bob Epstein will be the advisory committee's Chair and Vice-Chair respectively. The first meeting will be held in March.
The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 establishes a statewide target for greenhouse gas reductions by 2020 and requires the ARB to adopt a plan and individual measures to achieve the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
All advisory committee meetings will be announced and open to the public. A complete list of committee members is attached:
Environmental Justice Advisory Committee Members
Martha Arguello
Ms. Arguello is an Environmental Health Coordinator for Physicians for Social Responsibility-Los Angeles (PSR-LA). She is also involved with Californians for Pesticide Reform and is a member of the Health Care Without Harm Coalition. PSR-LA's environmental goals are to improve public health by reducing environmental threats to health and to reduce health disparities resulting both from disproportionate exposure to environmental contamination and access to quality health care. PSR-LA also works to help build a strong environmental health and justice movement led by communities most impacted by contamination, and strengthened by strategic relationships between health, environmental, environmental justice advocates, and the medical community.
Jose Carmona
Mr. Carmona is a legislative advocate and policy coordinator with the Clean Power Campaign, a non-profit coalition of environmental, scientific and public interest groups, and renewable energy technology companies. The Clean Power Campaign promotes public policies which encourage increased reliance by utilities on sustainable energy strategies, including energy conservation, more efficient use of conventional fuels, and generation from clean, renewable sources such as geothermal, wind, or solar. The group has taken the lead in successful campaigns to enact legislation to establish procurement goals for renewable energy, to encourage development of clean energy resources, and to adopt strict targets for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Henry Clark
Dr. Clark has been the Executive Director of the West County Toxics Coalition (WCTC) for over 19 years. WCTC is a group whose goal is to form an organization of residents that empowers the community to fight toxic exposure, and to protect the environment, the health and safety of residents. The Coalition's work focuses on ensuring that the city, state and county implement environmental justice laws. Dr. Clark also serves on the Cal-EPA Environmental Justice Advisory Committee and previously served as the Co-Chair of the CALFED Environmental Justice Subcommittee.
Chione Flegal
Ms. Flegal is the Senior Program Manager at the Latino Issues Forum (LIF), a non-profit public policy and advocacy institute dedicated to advancing new and innovative solutions for a better, more equitable and prosperous society. LIF addresses public policy issues from the perspective of how they will affect the social and economic future of the Latino community.
Tom Frantz
Mr. Frantz, chair of the Mathematics Department at Wasco Union High School in the San Joaquin Valley, serves as President of the Association of Irritated Residents. This organization is dedicated to ensure that laws and regulations are protective of health and environment. He also serves as a member on the Center on Race Poverty and the Environment's Advisory Board.
Bill Gallegos
Mr. Gallegos is the Executive Director of Communities for a Better Environment (CBE), an environmental health and justice non-profit organization that promotes clean air, clean water and the development of toxin-free communities. CBE provides the residents impacted by industrial pollution with the tools to inform, monitor, and transform their immediate environment.
Angela Johnson-Meszaros
Ms. Johnson-Meszaros is the Director of Policy and General Council for the California Environmental Rights Alliance, a public interest organization dedicated to achieving environmental justice and improving community health in California. Ms. Johnson-Meszaros previously served as a Research Associate with the University of Southern California's Center for Sustainable Cities where she worked on issues of environmental justice and public participation, and assessed the critical role of social justice in building sustainable cities. She has focused on environmental justice and community participation issues in the Los Angeles region since 1994 working on a range of environmental issues including childhood lead poisoning, citing of hazardous waste facilities, the adverse impacts of freeways, and the importance of neighborhood parks for building strong communities.
Avinash Kar
Mr. Kar is a Staff Attorney and point person on global warming issues with the Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment, an environmental justice litigation organization dedicated to helping grassroots groups across the United States address the disproportionate burden of pollution borne by poor people and people of color. Mr. Kar's focus is on air pollution and air quality, particularly with respect to livestock operations.
Diane Takvorian Ms. Takvorian is the Founder and Executive Director of the Environmental Health Coalition (EHC), a group dedicated to achieving environmental and social justice. She also serves on Cal/EPA's Advisory Committee on Environmental Justice and has been a long time leader in advocating for environmental justice and building livable communities in the San Diego area. Ms. Takvorian worked closely with ARB on the uncovering of chromium pollution issues in the Barrio Logan area of San Diego
Jane Williams
Ms. Williams serves as the Executive Director of California Communities Against Toxics (CCAT), a network of local environmental justice groups in California, working to protect communities from industrial pollutants. CCAT advocates for environmental justice, pollution prevention, and world peace. Ms. Williams has worked extensively on environmental health and justice issues since 1992. She assists local groups and Native Nations on pollution-related issues and policy advocacy at both the state and national level. She chairs the Sierra Club's National Air Toxics Task Force and serves on numerous Boards and Advisory Groups for environmental justice organizations.
Alternate At Large: Margaret Gordon
Ms. Gordon serves as the co-chair of the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project. She has worked extensively in the West Oakland area to improve the quality of life for residents by serving as an out spoken advocate for environmental and social justice. Recently, Ms. Gordon has focused on environmental justice issues related to good movement activities associated with the Port of Oakland.
Economic and Technology Advancement Advisory Committee Members
Alan Lloyd (Chair)
Dr. Lloyd is the President of the International Council on Clean Transportation. He served as the Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency from 2004 through February 2006 and as the Chairman of the California Air Resources Board from 1999 to 2004. Prior to joining ARB, Dr. Lloyd was the Executive Director of the Energy and Environmental Engineering Center for the Desert Research Institute at the University and Community College System of Nevada, Reno, and the Chief Scientist at the South Coast Air Quality Management until 1996. Dr. Lloyd's work focuses on the viable future of advanced technology and renewable fuels, with attention to urban air quality issues and global climate change. A proponent of alternate fuels, electric drive and fuel cell vehicles eventually leading to a hydrogen economy, he was the 2003 Chairman of the California Fuel Cell Partnership and is a co-founder of the California Stationary Fuel Cell collaborative. He earned both his BS in Chemistry and PhD in Gas Kinetics at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, U.K.
Bob Epstein (Vice-Chair)
Dr. Epstein is an entrepreneur and engineer with a Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley. He is currently the Co-Founder of Environmental Entrepreneurs, Chairman of the Board at GetActive Software, Director of New Resource Bank, Director of Cleantech Capital Group, Board Member of the Merola Opera Program, and Trustee of the Natural Resources Defense Council. Dr. Epstein co-founded Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2), a national community of professionals and business people who believe in protecting the environment while building economic prosperity. It serves as a champion on the economic side of good environmental policy by taking a reasoned, economically sound approach to environmental issues. Through active support of Natural Resources Defense Council, E2 works to influence state and national environmental policy.
Lisa Bicker
Ms. Bicker is President of the California Clean Energy Fund (CalCEF), a private nonprofit corporation formed to accelerate investment in California's clean energy economy. Before joining CalCEF, she was a Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of TruePricing, Inc. an energy technology company. Prior to that, Ms. Bicker served as Chief Operating Officer of NewEnergy, Inc., a high-growth, retail electricity provider which is now the largest retail electricity provider in the United States. Ms. Bicker has also served as General Counsel to California Council for Environmental and Economic Balance, a non-profit advocacy group. She has a BA from the UC Davis and a JD from the University of San Francisco. She is a member of the California State Bar and several industry associations.
Jack Broadbent
As the Executive Officer/Air Pollution Control Officer, Mr. Broadbent is responsible for directing the Bay Area Air Quality Management District's programs to achieve and maintain healthy air quality for the seven million residents of the nine county region of the San Francisco Bay Area. Mr. Broadbent joined the Air District after serving as the Director of the Air Division at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX, where he was responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Clean Air Act as well as indoor air quality and radiation programs for the Pacific Southwest region of the United States. Previously, Mr. Broadbent was the South Coast Air Quality Management District's Deputy Executive Officer, where he directed the development of a number of landmark programs that contributed to significant improvements in air quality in the Los Angeles region. Mr. Broadbent holds an MS in Environmental Administration and a BS in Environmental Science, both from the UC Riverside.
Cynthia Cory
Ms. Cory is the Director of Environmental Affairs, Government Affairs Division, for the California Farm Bureau Federation (CFBF), a non-profit agricultural trade association with more than 91,500 members in 53 counties in California. She has been associated with the agricultural community for over 30 years; the past 17 years have been at CFBF working on state and federal matters including air quality, biotechnology, climate change, transportation and renewable bioenergy issues. Ms. Cory has an MS in International Agricultural Development and a BS in Agronomy. She is also a member of the USDA Agricultural Air Quality Taskforce and serves on several advisory committees including the Governor's Environmental Advisory Task Force, the California Energy Commission's Climate Change Advisory Committee and their Biodiesel Working Group
Dominic DiMare
Mr. DiMare is the California Chamber of Commerce's Vice President of Government Relations and Chief Legislative Advocate. Before joining the Chamber in 2000, Mr. DiMare lobbied for agricultural cooperatives, focusing on deregulation of the electric utility industry, transportation and workers' compensation issues. DiMare earned a BA in history and public communications from American University and a JD from the McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific.
Alex Farrell
Dr. Farrell is an Assistant Professor in the Energy and Resources Group at the University of California at Berkeley and Director of the Transportation Sustainability Research Center. He has a degree in Systems Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and served as a nuclear engineer onboard a submarine. After that, Dr. Farrell worked for the world's largest hydrogen supplier, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. He received his PhD in Energy Management and Policy from the University of Pennsylvania and then worked as a research fellow at Harvard, and a research engineer at Carnegie Mellon University, where he remains part of the Climate Decision Making Center. For the last decade, Dr. Farrell has conducted research on energy and environmental policy and has published over two dozen peer-reviewed papers on these topics. He has served on advisory committees for the National Academy of Engineering, the National Science Foundation, and has consulted for various public and private organizations.
Bill Gerwing
Mr. Gerwing is the BP America General Manager of Regulatory Affairs. He is responsible for regulatory issues management process, government regulator and non-government organization stakeholder engagement strategy, and leads advocacy efforts on emerging US climate change policy and regulations. Mr. Gerwing has 25 years of knowledge and experience within the Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) fields, gained through a number of diverse assignments with the corporate and operating business units within BP and Amoco. In 2003, he was appointed as the Director of HSE for BP's Western Hemisphere business and was then named to his current role in 2006. Mr. Gerwing represents BP on PEW's Business Environmental Leadership Committee (BELC), API Climate Change Steering Committee, and a variety of external stakeholder forums to advance policy development on climate issues.
Scott Hauge
Mr. Hauge is the President and owner of CAL Insurance & Associates, Inc., which was founded in 1927 and currently has 27 employees. The agency specializes in providing insurance for small to medium sized businesses. He has been a leading advocate in paving the way for small and medium sized businesses by introducing government legislation that has affected business on local, state and national levels. Mr. Hauge is renowned for his knowledge of how to best protect and serve the business community. He is currently a member of over 20 boards and commissions in San Francisco and California. He is the founder of the San Francisco Small Business Advocates and most recently, Small Business California.
Jim Hawley
Mr. Hawley is the Vice President and General Counsel of Technology Network (TechNet), a California political and legislative strategy group, working with senior executives and government relations staff of California-based technology companies. He directed successful TechNet lobbying efforts related to green technology, litigation issues, e-commerce regulation, corporate taxation, and broadband deployment. Mr. Hawley has a BA Magna Cum Laude in political science from Amherst College, a JD from Georgetown University Law Center and is an active member of the California Bar Association.
Jason Mark
Mr. Mark is the U.S. Transportation Program Officer at the Energy Foundation, a private foundation which promotes a sustainable energy future through increased energy efficiency and renewable energy. From 1995 to 2006, Mr. Mark worked for the Union Concerned Scientists (UCS), ultimately as the national Director of the Clean Vehicles Program and as the organization's California Director. He was the lead author on many UCS reports in the transportation and energy field. Before joining UCS, Mr. Mark worked as an independent consultant on transportation policy analysis as well as at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Center for Energy and Environmental Studies at Princeton University. He holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Princeton University and an MS in energy and resources from the UC Berkeley.
Joan Ogden
Dr. Ogden is Associate Professor of Environmental Science and Policy at UC Davis and an Associate Energy Policy Analyst and Co-Director of the Hydrogen Pathway Program at the Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS-Davis). Her primary research interest is technical and economic assessment of new energy technologies, especially in the areas of alternative fuels, fuel cells, renewable energy and energy conservation. Since 1994 she has studied alternative strategies for developing a hydrogen infrastructure for transportation applications. Ogden and her colleagues have developed an extensive set of data on hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, and tools for modeling infrastructure performance and costs. She is now active in the H2A, a group of hydrogen analysts convened by the Department of Energy to develop a consistent framework for analyzing hydrogen systems. She served on the Blueprint Advisory Panel for the California Hydrogen Highway Network. Dr. Ogden received a PhD in theoretical plasma physics from the University of Maryland, with a specialization in numerical simulation techniques. She was a research scientist at Princeton University's Center for Energy and Environmental Studies and her recent work centers on the use of hydrogen as an energy carrier, particularly hydrogen infrastructure strategies, and applications of fuel cell technology in transportation and stationary power production.
Dorothy Rothrock
Ms. Rothrock is Vice President of Government Relations for the California Manufacturers and Technology Association since 2000. Previously, she consulted on energy and telecommunications regulatory issues for industrial energy users, policy advocates, and economic research firms. Ms. Rothrock graduated from University of Oregon and Lewis and Clark Law School, joining the Oregon Bar in 1980 and the California Bar in 1997.
Jan Smutny-Jones
Mr. Smutny-Jones is Executive Director of the Independent Energy Producers Association (IEP) and has represented IEP since 1987. He was a principal in the California Memorandum of Understanding and a key party in the restructuring legislation. He has served as Chair of the Governing Board of the California Independent System Operator, and as a member of the Governing Board of the California Power Exchange and the Restructuring Trusts Advisory Committee. Mr. Smutny-Jones is a graduate of Loyola Law School and is a member of the American, California State and Sacramento County Bar Associations. He did his undergraduate work at CSU Long Beach, and has a certificate in Environmental Management from the University of Southern California.
Fong Wan
Mr. Wan is Vice President of Energy Procurement for Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), and is responsible for gas and electric supply planning and policies, market assessment and quantitative analysis, supply development, procurement and settlement. Mr. Wan joined PG&E in 1988 and moved to Energy Trading in 1997. He served as Vice President, Risk Initiatives for PG&E Corporation Support Services, Inc and as Vice President, Power Contracts and Electric Resource Development. Mr. Wan has a BS in chemical engineering from Columbia University and an MBA from the University of Michigan.
Jonathan Weisgall
Mr. Weisgall is Vice President for Legislative and Regulatory Affairs for Mid-American Energy Holdings Company, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway. He also serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies and President of the Geothermal Energy Association. He is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center, where he has taught a seminar on energy issues since 1990, and he has also guest lectured on energy issues at Stanford Law School and the Johns Hopkins Environmental Science and Policy Program. Mr. Weisgall earned his BA from Columbia College and his JD from Stanford Law School, where he served on the Board of Editors of Stanford Law Review.
John Weyant
Dr. Weyant is Professor of Management Science and Engineering, a Senior Fellow in the Institute for International Studies, and Director of the Energy Modeling Forum (EMF) at Stanford University. Established in 1976, the EMF conducts model comparison studies on major energy/environmental policy issues by convening international working groups of leading experts on mathematical modeling and policy development. Dr. Weyant earned a BS/MS in Aeronautical Engineering and Astronautics, MS degrees in Engineering Management and in Operations Research and Statistics all from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; and a PhD in Management Science with minors in Economics, Operations Research, and Organization Theory from UC Berkeley. Dr. Weyant was also a National Science Foundation Post-Doctoral Fellow at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. His current research focuses on analysis of global climate change policy options, energy technology assessment, and models for strategic planning.
Rick Zalesky
Mr. Zalesky is Vice President of the Biofuels and Hydrogen business for Chevron Technology Ventures Company, LLC. In this role, he is responsible for the commercialization of infrastructure development, production and supply, as well as all current technology initiatives. Mr. Zalesky joined the company in 1978 holding a variety of management positions of increasing responsibility in the downstream in refining, marketing, and technology. He is Chevron's representative on the Fuel Operations Group of the FreedomCAR and Fuel Program of the Department of Energy and a member of the UC Davis External Research Advisory Board. Mr. Zalesky is a graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology, with a BS in Civil Engineering.