The Coalition for Clean Air is proud to present the 2019 Air Quality Award for Leadership in Government to California Attorney General Xavier Becerra for his thorough and unyielding defense of our environmental protection laws. Since taking office two years ago, Attorney General Becerra has been at the forefront of safeguarding California’s forward-thinking policies: Of the 49 lawsuits he has filed, 24 have been aimed at ensuring that our children can breathe clean air and drink clean water.
Attorney General Becerra understands the need to protect people and communities that endure a disproportionate share of environmental pollution and public health hazards. He states “…the harsh reality is that some communities in California — particularly low-income communities and communities of color — continue to bear the brunt of pollution from industrial development, poor land-use decisions, transportation, and trade corridors.”
To fight for a clean, safe and healthy environment for these underrepresented communities, he established the Bureau of Environmental Justice in 2018, assigning attorneys to specifically address these issues. He has filed CEQA actions against large freight facilities that would inflict more pollution, traffic and noise on nearby communities that already suffer from the impacts of goods movement on public health and quality of life.
Attorney General Becerra has also taken a leading role in challenging the Trump Administration’s many attempts to roll back safeguards that protect our air, climate and public health, like the clean car standards that are successfully reducing emissions and saving fuel.