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State EPA Chief Quits: LONG COMMUTE FROM RENO CITED AS MAIN REASON

Posted on: Thursday, 19 January 2006, 12:00 CST

By Paul Rogers, San Jose Mercury News, Calif.

Jan. 19--California's top environmental official resigned Wednesday.

Alan Lloyd, a Ph.D. air pollution scientist who served as secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency, announced he will step down Feb. 28.

In a statement, Lloyd, 64, a Democrat who won accolades from environmentalists and industry, said he was retiring for "personal reasons."

Sources familiar with the issue said Lloyd was not fired by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Rather, he had been commuting every week from his home in Reno to Sacramento, and living part time in an apartment, which put a strain on his wife and family in Reno, they said.

"I felt it was time to retire from state service so I could spend more time with my family," Lloyd said.

As head of the state EPA, Lloyd's top accomplishments include crafting the details of Schwarzenegger's "hydrogen highway" -- a plan to build 100 fueling stations statewide for hydrogen-powered vehicles by 2010; and shaping the governor's targets for reducing greenhouse gases.

Lloyd oversaw six agencies whose budgets total $1 billion. The agencies enforce most of the state's rules governing smog, water pollution, pesticides and hazardous wastes.

Before his appointment in December 2004, Lloyd served as chairman of the state Air Resources Board for six years, where he led efforts to promote hybrid cars and reduce diesel pollution. Before that, he was executive director of the Energy and Environmental Engineering Center at the Desert Research Institute in Nevada. From 1988 to 1995, he was chief scientist at the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

"Alan has served as a remarkable leader of California's efforts to protect and conserve our state's incredible environment and landscape," Schwarzenegger said.

Speculation on his replacements included former EPA chief Terry Tamminen, former state Sen. Byron Sher, D-Palo Alto, and former Modesto Mayor Carol Whiteside.

"He is a consensus builder. He really likes the merits and science of these issues," said John White, a longtime Sacramento environmental lobbyist. "I'm missing him already."

Contact Paul Rogers at progers@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5045.

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Copyright (c) 2006, San Jose Mercury News, Calif.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: San Jose Mercury News

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