Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday that he removed California’s top air quality official with more than a year left in her term, and will replace her with his top climate adviser.
What happened: Newsom named Lauren Sanchez, his senior climate adviser, chair of the California Air Resources Board, putting her in charge of the powerful agency that develops the state’s climate and clean air regulations, and oversees its greenhouse gas trading programs.
The move removes CARB Chair Liane Randolph from her high-profile position, which Newsom appointed her to in 2020, with more than a year remaining before her term ends in December 2026. Newsom, in a press release, said that Randolph is retiring from her role and praised her “kindness and quiet strength that inspired climate progress.”
Sanchez, he said, “has been my most trusted climate advisor and the chief architect of California’s bold climate agenda — helping deliver billions in new investments and cementing our state’s role as the global leader in the fight for a clean, healthy, job-creating future,” Newsom continued. “She is a force in her own right: her expertise, tenacity, and vision will serve California well as the Board works to protect our communities and defends our climate progress against relentless attacks from Washington.”
