SACRAMENTO - Assembly Member Mark DeSaulnier announces his appointment as Vice Chair to the National Conference of State Legislatures Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and Energy.

The NCSL is a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the nation's 50 states, its commonwealths and territories.

“The NCSL has made a superb choice,” said Pete Price, lobbyist for the California League of Conservation Voters and other environmental organizations.  “Mark DeSaulnier brings a wealth of local and state experience to some of the most challenging environmental issues, including air pollution, urban growth and water.  He is a strong and thoughtful environmental leader in the California Legislature.”

The Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and Energy provides policy guidance, research, legislative summaries and technical assistance to legislators and legislative staff on air quality and other natural resources, state and federal agriculture, rural development; and energy and electric utilities issues.

During his long career in local government, DeSaulnier served on the California Air Resources Board and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District for more than a decade. The historic Contra Costa County Industrial Safety Ordinance and the Refinery Flare Rule for local refineries and chemical facilities sponsored by Supervisor DeSaulnier stand as landmark collaborative legislation that protect workers and the surrounding communities of Contra Costa County and beyond.

As an Assembly Member, DeSaulnier is a member of the Environmental Caucus and Chair of the Select Committee on Growth Management which provides policy guidance on land-use planning and its environmental impacts.

“This is a prestigious group of thoughtful, national leaders. I’m humbled to be named a Vice Chair. I look forwarding to using my experience to help shape the national discussion on air quality and other environmental policy,” said DeSaulnier.