iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
Indian-American urban planner Nithya Raman has been selected to the South-Coast Air Quality Management District Governing (SCAQMD) board to promote clean air in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti made the announcement of her appointment during his press conference.
He said that Raman is a true environmentalist who brings her passion, and experience focus to LA’s climate and public health programs.
The SCAQMD board adopts policies and laws fostering clean air in LA, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. It includes thirteen members, ten of whom are elected officials.
Nithya Raman, the first Indian-American woman and the first South-Asian ever to serve on the LA City Council, had a historic victory in 2019 and replaced Joe Buscaino on the SCAQMD board.
Raman will be the city’s only representative on the agency authorized by the state and the US government to achieve good air quality to comply with standards set by the EPA under the Federal Clean Air Act and California’s Clean Air Act.
Expressing her gratitude for the nomination, Raman said in the interview that she is grateful for the opportunity to serve on the AQMD board and looks forward to collaborating with her colleagues to ensure everyone in the South-coast region has healthy and clean air to breathe.
Raman also aims for a century that centers on environmental sustainability and environmental justice.
The Coalition for Clean Air also welcomed Nithya Raman’s selection. Chris Chavez, Deputy Policy Director of the organization, said that millions of Southern Californians, especially marginalized communities, breathe air that does not meet national and state standards.
He also reiterated that Mayor Garcetti’s significant step is critical towards protecting public health and improving the state’s air quality.
Raman was born in the Indian state of Kerala and moved to Louisiana at six years of age. After earning a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University, she earned a master’s degree in urban planning from MIT. Before joining the board, Raman founded and headed a non-profit for the homeless in LA and was the executive director of Time’s Up Entertainment.
