New California Water Board Appointee E. Joaquin Esquivel Confirmed by State Senate

Following the March 14 recommendation by the Senate Rules Committee that he be confirmed to serve on the State Water Resources Control Board and after Governor Edmund G. (“Jerry”) Brown Jr. appointed E. Joaquin Esquivel to the board on March 15, the State Senate voted earlier this week to confirm Esquivel as a member of the State Water Board. Esquivel is filling the position of public member of the board.

“I’m fortunate and grateful for the opportunity to serve on the State Water Board,” Esquivel said. “Holding the Board’s public seat, I’m committed and eager to strengthening the public processes, data sharing, transparency, and collaboration at the Board necessary to meet the challenges that climate change and other uncertainties pose to our state’s water resources.”

Esquivel previously served as assistant secretary for federal water policy at the California Natural Resources Agency. While working in Governor Brown’s Washington D.C. office, Esquivel represented the interests of the Natural Resources Agency and its departments. He was also responsible for facilitating communication, outreach, coordination and the development of policy priorities between the Agency, the Governor’s Office, the California Congressional delegation and federal stakeholder agencies in the district.

Prior to his position with the Natural Resources Agency, Esquivel worked in Washington, DC. for U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer of California for eight and a half years. He first started as an intern in Senator Boxer’s office and over the years held a variety of positions. His last position was as Senator Boxer’s legislative assistant covering agriculture, Native American, water, oceans and nutrition portfolios, in addition to being the director of information and technology.

Esquivel is a graduate of U.C. Santa Barbara with a B.A. in English. He was born and raised in Southern California’s Coachella Valley as the son of educators and grandson of farm workers.

As a newest member of the State Water Resources Control Board Esquivel will join in the responsibilities of protecting all water quality and water supplies in California as well as the allocation of surface water supplies for agricultural, public trust and urban purposes throughout the state. A resident of Sacramento, Esquivel term on the state water board will expire January 15, 2021.