Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed San Diego County Supervisor Nora Vargas to join the California Air Resources Board (CARB).
Vargas said upon receiving the appointment, she will work for air quality, the health of Californians, and environmental justice.
The 16-member board oversees protecting the public from air pollution and makes state climate change policies.
Vargas thanked Newsom for his appointment, and said that she hopes to "work with him in the implementation of future policies aimed at environmental equity."
The vice president of the San Diego County board of supervisors also thanked Nathan Fletcher, Chair of the board, “for showing the way and previously serving in this capacity” as a member of the California Air Resources Board.
During her first year as a supervisor in 2021, Vargas created the first Office of Environmental and Climate Justice in the region and introduced several initiatives to solve environmental problems in the region, including the border and bi-national region.
Supervisor Vargas has said in interviews that air quality often varies based on the zip code people live in.
Vargas cites as an example the zip codes near border checkpoints, where tens of thousands of vehicles have to stand in line for hours, including commercial trucks that use diesel.
Nora Vargas is the representative of District 1 on the council of Supervisors, which includes the border areas of Otay Mesa and San Ysidro on the border with Mexico.
She is the first immigrant woman of color to serve on the board of supervisors and to serve as vice president.
