June 29, 2007

Faster or slower?

The governor's sacking of Robert Sawyer from his post as chairman of the Air Resources Board seems to have divided the environmental community. The Central Valley types who were upset at the board's granting of an extension for the San Joaquin Valley to meet smog standards see the firing as a positive step. But others who liked Sawyer's professionalism and adherence to science are uneasy and don't seem to trust the Administration's claim that the governor is seeking a faster, not slower, regulatory pace on air pollution and global warming.

Industry reps, meanwhile, are more united in their support for Sawyer and concern that a greater involvement from the governor's office will mean more pressure, not less, to reduce pollution.

We won't really know until they appoint a new chairman and we see whether the board's executive director stays or goes.

Posted by dweintraub on June 29, 2007 8:27 AM