加州州長阿諾史瓦辛格任命環境律師與教育家妮歌絲(Mary Nichols)為加州空氣資源局(CARB)局長。她面臨的任務從對付國家最糟的空氣污染，到領導對抗氣候變遷的工作。
妮歌絲接替6月剛被阿諾州長辭退的索亞博士(Dr. Robert Sawyer)，索亞被革職的原因是在強制聖喬昆谷執行清淨空氣法案的最後期限上，和州長對起爭執，聖喬昆谷是加州農業地區的心臟地帶。
州長辦公室的助理指出， 6月14日委員會投票表決，延後對聖喬昆谷課徵空氣品質標準稅直到2024年之後，因此索亞的任命案被撤回。加州柏克萊大學榮譽退休教授索亞說，聖喬昆谷的空氣案不是他被革職的真正因素。他認為原因是委員會獨立自主，和州長的方向不一致。
當宣布妮歌絲的任命案時，阿諾說索亞說明聖喬昆谷是爭議的原因。他表示：「當聖喬昆谷地區超過六分之一的居民被診斷出氣喘症狀，5個學生中有1個必須帶著人工呼吸器上學時，該是行動的時候了。空氣資源局必須引領加州走向清淨空氣之路，特別是有嚴重空氣品質問題的地區，像是聖喬昆谷、南海岸和加州港口周圍等。」
妮歌絲將負責加州2個氣候初步行動之展示。2006年全球溫室效應對策法，設立了在2020年前減少溫室氣體全州適用的目標。CARB有權採用一套釋放溫室氣體最高限制及規則、市場機制，和早期測量以達標準的行動。
此外，州長簽署的低碳燃料標準，由執行委員會訂立1月開始執行，要求2020年前減少10%的碳排放。CARB將監督完成初期測量行動。
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has appointed environmental lawyer and educator Mary Nichols as chair of the California Air Resources Board, CARB. She takes charge of the state's transition from suffering some of the nation's worst air pollution to taking the lead in combating climate change.
Nichols replaces Dr. Robert Sawyer who was fired in late June after a disagreement with the governor over a deadline for enforcing the federal Clean Air Act in the San Joaquin Valley, the heart of California's agricultural region.
Aides in the governor’s office said Sawyer’s appointment was rescinded after the Board voted June 14 to delay imposing federal air quality standards in the San Joaquin Valley until 2024.
Sawyer, a professor emeritus at the University of California-Berkeley, has said San Joaquin Valley air was not really the issue in his dismissal. He views the issue as the independence of the Board from the governor’s direction.
While announcing Nichol's appointment, the governor made it clear that to him the San Joaquin Valley is the issue.
"When one out of six residents in the San Joaquin Valley has been diagnosed with asthma and one in five children carry an inhaler to school, it is a call to action," he said. "The Air Resources Board must keep California on the path of cleaner air, particularly in areas with significant air quality issues such as the San Joaquin Valley, the South Coast and areas around our ports."
Nichols will be in charge of California's two showpiece climate initiatives. The Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 establishes a statewide target for greenhouse gas reduction by 2020. CARB is empowered to adopt an emissions limit and regulations, market mechanisms, and early action measures to achieve it.
The governor's Low Carbon Fuel Standard established by executive order in January requires a 10 percent emissions reduction by 2020. CARB oversees implementation of this early action measure.
全文及圖片詳見 ENS
