September 2004

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The California Air Resources Board (CARB), internationally recognized as among the leading government movers towards cleaner energy, would be one of the agencies to be eliminated under a proposal put together by a government performance review panel appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. If enacted in its entirety, it would eliminate more than 100 California state boards, commissions and agencies, but so far it is far from clear which of the suggestions would be implemented. Overall the 2,500-plus page report, put together by a team of 275 state employees and outside consultants that, according to the July 30 “Los Angeles Times” worked for five months largely in secret, says wholesale streamlining would save the state some $32 billion over five years. CARB and the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection would be abolished, and their functions would be taken over by a new Department of Environmental Protection. Agencies dealing with transportation, water, energy and housing, including CalTrans and the Department of Water Resources, would be integrated into a new Infrastructure Department. The Sierra Club of California, for one, has already voiced concern. An Aug. 4 “New York Times” story quotes Sierra executive Bill Magavern as saying “the air board is probably California’s most effective environmental agency. The air board has been the national leader in air quality safeguards and definitely has been the leading edge for the entire country.” The panel has held some hearings, but more are planned. Stay tuned.