Obama's new team raises hope for US environment

Roll-back of George Bush's environmental polices expected
Suzanne Goldenberg in Washington
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 11 December 2008 17.48 GMT

Barack Obama's choice of a Nobel laureate in physics to head his energy team, revealed on Wednesday evening, has raised expectations of a strong drive to roll back George Bush's policies on climate change and environmental protection.
The choice of those with strong science and regulatory backgrounds was broadly welcomed in the environmental community. It was seen as a repudiation of the last eight years when Bush dismissed the science on global warming, and weakened environmental protections.
The effort will be led by Steve Chu, the director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California, who is Obama's pick for energy secretary.
Chu, 60, won the Nobel for his work on atom manipulation using lasers, but he began to focus on climate change and energy several years ago.
His website says he has a mission to make the Berkeley Labs "the world leader in alternative and renewable energy research, particularly the development of carbon-neutral sources of energy".
The other members of the team come with strong regulatory backgrounds. Lisa Jackson, who until recently headed the commission on environmental protection in New Jersey, is to head the Environmental Protection Agency.
Jackson, 46, who holds a masters degree in chemical engineering, spent 16 years at the EPA as an enforcement officer.
Obama has also chosen to create a new position of White House energy czar.
Carol Browner, 52, a lawyer by training, has worked on environmental protection in Florida and headed the EPA under the Clinton administration. She has also worked closely with Al Gore.
Browner will be charged with co-ordinating the different government departments that deal with climate and energy, and with serving as a liaison between the White House and Congress. She is expected to focus on renewable energy and energy efficiency policies.
One of Browner's first priorities could be to press the EPA to reconsider the decision by the Bush administration to bar California from regulating greenhouse gas emissions.
Browner has publicly called for letting the EPA get involved with regulating emissions under the Clean Air Act.
She is expected to work closely with Nancy Sutley, a former colleague from her days at the EPA who will head the White House Council on Environmental Quality.
Now deputy mayor of Los Angeles for energy and environmental, Sutley is seen as one of the forces behind California's environmental agenda. She has expertise on water quality issues.
Obama is expected to formally announce his environmental and energy team this week.
The choices were seen as further evidence that Obama is placing great store in qualifications and experience, and wanted to push ahead on dealing with climate change.
"This is a team with a keen interest in addressing climate change, and the talent and skills to get the job done," said Eileen Claussen, president of the Pew Centre on Climate Change.
"President-elect Obama's administration will be well-equipped to tackle the challenge of building a new clean energy future that preserves the climate while revitalising our economy."Obama has put the creation of green jobs at the centre of his economic rescue package that is expected to be the first order of business of his new administration.
He is also expected to move in parallel to reinstate controls on heavily polluting industries that were loosened under the Bush administration.
However, Claussen and others believe that a national cap and trade programme is not likely to be an immediate priority.
But despite the broad support for his cabinet choices, there were some caveats from observers. Unlike Obama's choices for other cabinet positions Chu has no political background. That could prove a handicap when it comes to the delicate negotiations ahead in building support in Congress for Obama's legislative agenda.