CALIFORNIA LAUNCHES NEW STATE EPA

The chief enforcer of the federal Environmental Protection Agency will command a California version of the organization that will oversee air, water, waste, toxics, and pesticides, Gov. Pete Wilson said Tuesday. James Strock will head a newly created Cal-EPA that will meld a number of enforcement activities into one agency.

The Cal-EPA will take over enforcement of toxic cleanup from the Department of Health Services and regulation of pesticides from the Department of Food and Agriculture. It also will oversee the Air and Water Resources boards and the Integrated Waste Management Board, a new panel responsible for promoting recycling.

The agency will focus on enforcement, operating separately from the California Resources Agency, which oversees the Departments of Fish and Game, Water Resources, and Parks and Recreation.