Dive Brief:

• California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) has tapped two new commissioners, both Democrats, to replace two outgoing Public Utilities Commission members this year. 
• New commissioner Martha Guzman Aceves served as Brown's deputy legislative affairs secretary since 2011, with a focus on environmental protection and energy. Clifford Rechtschaffen served as a senior advisor in Brown's office, where he has worked on climate, energy and environmental issues.
• Michael Florio and Catherine Sandoval were both appointed by Brown in 2011, but their terms have since expired. The appointments follow Gov. Brown's push to boost transparency at the regulatory body. 

Dive Insight:

Brown has selected two new commissioners at the CPUC, each with past experience with energy and the environment. Both of them have spent the the last six years in the Office of the Governor. The announcement comes six months after Brown announced a broad package of reforms at the commission too boost transparency, including the expansion of public access, records requirements and oversight.

Guzman Aceves was previously the sustainable communities program director for the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation, from 2005 to 2011, before going to work in Brown's office. In 2010 she co-founded Communities for a New California, a group with aims to increase civic engagement of underrepresented communities.

Rechtschaffen, beginning in 2011, also served as acting director of the California Department of Conservation, in addition to advising the governor. He served as special assistant attorney general in the California Department of Justice, Attorney General's Office from 2007 to 2010. 

"Martha has the experience, know-how and insight to well serve the people of California at the Public Utilities Commission," Brown said in a statement. "Cliff's experience as a lawyer, teacher and specialist in environmental and energy matters equips him to do an outstanding job on the Commission. Both have sound judgment and a commitment to protecting ratepayers and ensuring safe, reliable and climate-friendly energy in California."

But the Sacramento Bee reports Rechtschaffen's appointment ruffled the feathers of Consumer Watchdog, a liberal organization advocating on behalf of California taxpayers. In 2011 as acting director of the Department of Conservation, Rechtschaffen recommended fast-tracking oilfield production permits, casting doubt over his commitments to the Governor's environmental goals, according to the organization.

"Governor Brown has just turned the keys of the Public Utilities Commission over to another oil industry loyalist who did the industry's wet work in firing tough oil well regulators in 2011, resulting in the loosening of well standards and a half million in contributions from Occidental Petroleum to the Governor's causes," said Jamie Court, President of Consumer Watchdog in a statement.