Really? Newsom Drops Ex-Exxon Exec For AQ Board; She Missed 3/4 Mining Board Meetings In 2018

[hatrack]

Gov. Gavin Newsom has withdrawn his nominee to a key seat on the governing board of the South Coast Air Quality Management District, which regulates oil refineries and other potential polluters in Southern California. Negar "Nikki" Noushkam was nominated in July for her technical and engineering expertise, but the governor had second thoughts about the aerospace engineer and former ExxonMobil Oil Corporation employee.

"Given the air quality challenges faced by families in Southern California, the governor believes his appointee should have both a strong understanding of public health and the trust of local communities," the governor's press secretary Nathan Click told The Desert Sun. A new nominee is forthcoming, he said.

The challenges facing the SCAQMD and its governing board are substantial, and the Palm Springs area soon could join Los Angeles and the San Joaquin Valley in the distinction of having the worst federal air quality designation. After missing a deadline to attain federal ozone standards in June, the Environmental Protection Agency in July granted a request from the State of California for the Coachella Valley to voluntarily have its ozone status reclassified as "extreme," the highest federal classification. The SCAQMD and its board will be charged with implementing a plan to address this problem, and to meet a new deadline set for June 2024.

EDIT

In announcing the Noushkam's nomination, the governor's office announcement said she had held a number of positions with large engineering companies including Northrop Grumman and Aerospace Corporation. Noushkam also is listed as having been an environmental project manager and process engineer at ExxonMobil Oil Corporation from 1997 to 2001. She is currently a member of the State Mining and Geology Board at the Department of Conservation, commonly known as DOC. DOC also oversees the Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources, which is currently the subject of a probe ordered by Newsom's chief of staff. Data provided by Earthjustice shows Noushkam missed three of four mining board meetings last year, and was late to the fourth.

EDIT

https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2019/08/28/california-gov-newsom-withdraws-nomination-ex-exxon-staffer-pollution-post/2141600001/

[democratisphere]

1. Looks like she doesn't give a sh't about anything but her own self importance.