Southern California air board appoints executive, declines to reconsider beach bonfire rules
Southern California’s air quality board formally appointed former industry consultant Wayne Nastri as executive officer Friday in a vote of confidence in the powerful agency’s new leadership.
Nastri was hired as interim head of the South Coast Air Quality Management District eight months ago after Republicans seeking a more business-friendly approach gained a majority of seats on its board and fired his predecessor.
Nastri, a former environmental and energy consultant, served previously as regional administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the George W. Bush administration.
Since taking over, Nastri has moved to reorganize staff, strengthen enforcement programs and reduce a backlog in permits to businesses. He also has pushed for the U.S. EPA to adopt tougher emissions standards for heavy-duty trucks, which are one of the top pollution sources in the region.
Nastri has faced criticism from environmentalists for his past work on behalf of companies with business before the South Coast air district.
He is required to recuse himself from decisions involving former clients, including Quemetco Inc., the City of Industry battery recycling plant that has been under scrutiny over its lead and arsenic emissions.
Nastri will earn an annual base salary of $252,168, plus benefits and the use of an air district car.
The permanent hiring of Nastri comes as the agency moves toward adopting a major plan to reduce pollution in the nation’s smoggiest region over the next 15 years.
The plan under development, which relies heavily on incentives and other industry-friendly, “nonregulatory” measures to encourage cleaner technologies, is scheduled for a final vote in February.
In other actions, the air board declined, on a 5-5 vote, to reconsider controversial rules restricting wood-burning at beach fire rings.
The restrictions were adopted in 2013 after months of fierce debate pitting the health concerns of beachfront homeowners against public outcry over access to a cherished Southern California tradition.
Newport Beach officials backed such rules at that time, but recently have asked the air board to reconsider, calling them arbitrary and costly to enforce.
Twitter: @tonybarboza
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