Activist Likely to Lead Cal/EPA (Arnold appoints another conservationist)

From the LA Times: Nov 5 2003

Activist Likely to Lead Cal/EPA
Conservationist is Schwarzenegger's choice to head environmental agency, sources say. Governor-elect fills other key positions.

By Miguel Bustillo
Times Staff Writer
November 5, 2003

Gov.-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger has decided to name Terry Tamminen, the head of a Santa Monica conservation group, as his secretary of environmental protection, according to several sources involved in assembling the new administration.

Tamminen led a team of advisors who helped Schwarzenegger craft a platform during the race that surprised many environmental activists because of its ambition and sympathy with their positions. The likelihood of the appointment, which could be announced later this week, is being hailed by environmental organizations as a sign that Schwarzenegger may make good on those campaign promises.

But some conservative Republicans — including the governor-elect's transition chief, Rep. David Dreier (R-San Dimas) — have opposed the choice, according to sources familiar with the transition who spoke on condition that they not be named.

Conservatives are arguing behind the scenes that Schwarzenegger needs to balance Tamminen's appointment by putting someone with stronger ties to business in the job of resources secretary, the other Cabinet-level environmental post in the administration.

(snip)

Tamminen came to Schwarzenegger's campaign from Environment Now, the organization previously headed by Mary Nichols, resources secretary under Gov. Gray Davis. Tamminen was recruited to the campaign by another high-profile environmentalist, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a cousin of Schwarzenegger's wife, Maria Shriver.

Before his work with Environment Now, Tamminen helped found Santa Monica BayKeeper, another environmental group.

He also helped draft an environmental position paper for Schwarzenegger that surprised many environmentalists, who said it would have been bold even for a liberal Democrat.

(snip)

More: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-enviro5nov05,1,5781012.story?coll=la-home-headlines


See also this from yesterday: Schwarzenegger Names 4 More to Staff (incl. an environmentalist Democrat)

What do we make of this?

--Peter

MUST be good.

We wait and see what they try and do.

:-)

;-)

just days before the election and now appoints an environmentalist.

I somehow missed that. Serves me right for living in Texas these days. :crazy:

I'll go search on the LA Times site, but if you have an old link handy, I'll take it. ;-)

EDIT: Found it! That didn't take long. Here's what you must be referring to:

From the LA Times: Oct 3 2003

Schwarzenegger Sows Doubt Among State Environmentalists
Recent remark, later clarified by aides, about the possibility of scrapping Cal/EPA only bolsters skepticism.

By Miguel Bustillo And Marla Cone
Times Staff Writers
October 3, 2003

When Arnold Schwarzenegger suggested this week that he would consider eliminating the California Environmental Protection Agency to cut government waste, he cemented what has emerged as a near-universal distrust of his gubernatorial candidacy among conservationists.

Schwarzenegger has made a concerted play for the environmental vote, tapping his wife's cousin, prominent conservation attorney Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to help fashion his platform. His campaign pronouncements more closely match the environmental views of the man he wants to replace in Tuesday's recall election, Democrat Gray Davis, than those of his fellow Republican, President Bush.

(snip)

The remark in question was made Monday in the Fresno suburb of Clovis. A farmer asked Schwarzenegger why the state needed Cal/EPA when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency already regulates many of the same things.

"What you just talked about is the waste — overlapping agencies. They cost a fortune," Schwarzenegger said. "We have to strip that down and get rid of some of those agencies."

Schwarzenegger's aides quickly sought to clarify the remark. They stated a day later that the candidate strongly supported Cal/EPA, which was founded by his campaign co-chairman, former Republican Gov. Pete Wilson, but wanted to cut functions that repeated things other agencies already did.

(snip)

More: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-enviro3oct03,1,1652227.story

--Peter

in the archives in LBN around a week before October 7. In the meantime, I will look for a link. His campaign people suggested that he misspoke.

Thanks though! Appreciate you mentioning this.

:hi:

--Peter

Mr. Schwarzenegger has given us several striking examples of the danger inherent in a character speaking without a script. When a farmer asked him why California needed a state Environmental Protection Agency when there is also a federal E.P.A., Mr. Schwarzenegger ad-libbed as follows: "What you just talked about is the waste — overlapping agencies. They cost a fortune. We have to strip that down and get rid of some of those agencies."

Oops. Arnold's handlers — scriptwriters by any other name — were quick to say he didn't really want to eliminate the state agency, Cal/E.P.A. No, no, no. He definitely didn't want to abolish the agency, which just happened to have been founded by the co-chairman of Mr. Schwarzenegger's campaign, Pete Wilson, the former California governor.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/forums/upload/showthread.php?threadid=18132

it's like a puke naming a Gay to the AIDS task force- looks good in the morning paper and PM news. It will die quietly.

Arnold looked shell-shocked when he emerged from his "intense" encounter of the third kind with the VP.

and I sure hope he appoints her. I agree with the others here, let's wait and see what actions he actually takes. I remember what you and NSMA are talking about when he said he would eliminate the California EPA. Aww, campaign promises are made to be broken. The powers in charge will not like it if he enforces the existing regulations. :crazy: