The governor has appointed San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Dawn Ortiz-Legg to the California Air Resources Board– making her the first local elected official to serve on it.
The board, created in the 1960s to combat air pollution, oversees the state’s air and climate programs. Ortiz-Legg will join the 16-member panel next month.
Her experience promoting clean energy in SLO County– both as supervisor and a member of the air pollution board– brings a local perspective to the role.
“Our Ccounty is the county that generates the most clean energy of any county in California, and that's at Diablo Canyon,” Ortiz-Legg said. “I think we also need to continue to remind ratepayers about that, and that there's a great deal of value in that technology.”
The nuclear power plant is operating under a state-authorized extension until 2030, but PG&E is seeking an operation extension until 2045.
Meanwhile, as an air resources board member, Ortiz-Legg also wants to review policies on energy affordability, production costs and expanding new energy sources.
Her appointment requires Senate confirmation, a process that could take up to a year. If rejected, she would lose her seat on the board.
