After a decade serving as the area’s representative in the state Assembly, Bill Quirk is set to join the state’s lead agency for programs related to climate and air pollution control.
On Jan. 30, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that he had appointed the Democrat and Union City resident to the California Air Resources Board. The agency is tasked with setting air quality regulations and mitigating the worst impacts of the fossil fuel-driven climate crisis though it has come under fire from environmental justice groups for embracing experimental technology like carbon capture and sequestration in place of stronger emission reduction targets.
Quirk has a doctorate in astrophysics from Columbia University. He worked as a climate worked as a climate modeler for the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies from 1972 to 1977, a management consultant for McKinsey & Company from 1977 to 1978, a corporate planner for Amdahl Corporation in 1978 and a physicist at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory from 1979 to 2005.
Quirk served on the Hayward City Council from 2004 until his election to the state Assembly in 2012. He stepped down from the seat at the end of November. He was succeeded by labor leader Liz Ortega.
The position requires confirmation by the state Senate and the compensation is $54,114.
