Richard Katz - President, Los Angeles Board of Water and Power Commissioners
Over the course of his long career in public service, Richard Katz has made a huge difference for air quality in the region. Katz served in the California State Assembly representing the North and East San Fernando Valley from 1980 until 1996. For 10 years, he served as Chair of the powerful Assembly Transportation Committee. Katz wrote the legislation that created the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro). He also authored Proposition 111, which established the Congestion Management Plan, cities and counties to measure and mitigate the environmental and traffic impacts of their land use decisions.
A strong advocate for mass transit, served eight years on the Metro Board where he led the effort for the agency to adopt its Green Construction Policy, the first in the nation. He also served for seven years on the Metrolink Board, including as Chairman, where he played a major role in putting together a funding strategy for purchase of the Tier 4 clean diesel locomotives, the cleanest diesel locomotives in the nation. Despite still running on diesel, the Tier 4 locomotives have reduced particulate matter and nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 85 percent compared to the locomotives they replaced.
Now as President of the Board of Water and Power Commissioners, he is overseeing the agency’s phase out of the use of coal power which will be replaced with Green Hydrogen. Richard Katz exemplary work and leadership makes him an obvious choice for the CIVIC LEADER AWARD.
