Two Enviros Named to San Francisco Power Commission in Political Coup
A political coup in San Francisco last week led to two environmentalists being named to the city’s Public Utilities Commission: former Sierra Club President Adam Werbach and Robin Chiang, an architect specializing in eco-friendly design and construction. San Francisco Supervisor Chris Daly was serving as acting mayor for a day while Mayor Willie Brown traveled abroad, and Daly took the opportunity to quietly appoint and swear in Werbach and Chiang. Brown was livid, but he’ll have to live with the appointments unless he can convince eight of 11 city supervisors to reject them. Enviros, in contrast, were happy at the prospect of two new environmentally focused members on the commission, which oversees the city’s water and power system, including the controversial Hetch Hetchy aquaduct, which is slated for a multibillion-dollar upgrade and expansion opposed by many conservationists.
