Regional Water Board Members
California Water Code Section 13201 provides for the Governor to appoint nine members to the Regional Water Quality Control Board. Each member shall reside or have a principal place of business within the region. Appointments are made to fulfill seven categories of representation: water supply, conservation, and production; irrigated agriculture; industrial water use; municipal government; county government; recreation, fish and wildlife; public; and two water quality members. Appointments are subject to confirmation by the state Senate. The following members currently are serving on the North Coast Region Board:
Robert E. Anderson, Chair
Mr. Anderson has been the executive director for Sonoma County United Winegrowers since 1987. Mr. Anderson was formerly legislative director for the United States House of Representative’s Committee on Agriculture and for Congressman Tim Penny. He is a member of the Russian River Watershed Council and is a member of the Coalition for Sustainable Agriculture. Mr. Anderson was appointed to the Regional Water Board on December 2, 2005, as the representative for Irrigated Agriculture. His term expires September 30, 2009.
Geoffrey Hales, Vice Chair
Mr. Hales, of Eureka, is a geologist with the consulting firm McBain & Trush, Inc., specializing in streamflow and sediment management needs to naturally restore fluvial processes on regulated rivers. He is a licensed California Professional Geologist. Mr. Hales earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Humboldt State University in Geology, and a Master of Science Degree in Environmental Systems also from Humboldt State University. Mr. Hales was appointed to the Regional Water Board on February 27, 2007, as the representative for Water Quality. His term expiries September 30, 2008.
John W. Corbett
Mr. Corbett of McKinleyville, has more than 30 years experience in water quality issues. Mr. Corbett received his juris doctor from Hastings Law School and a Masters in Law from the University of Stockholm School of Law with his thesis on Water Quality Administration in Sweden. He has previously lectured at Humboldt State University on water quality law, Indian water rights, air quality law , and the politics of natural resources. He currently serves on the McKinleyville Community Services District Board which provides water and sewer to approximately 14,000 residents and legally advises the McBeth, Wautec, Requa, and Kepel water districts for the Yurok Tribe. He is the head hearing officer for the Unified North Coast Air Quality Management Hearing Board and was formerly a Federal Magistrate for Indian Fishing Rights on the Klamath River. He was a sponsored participant for the Program in Environmental Policy Management at the School of Public health and John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He is a former Humboldt County Supervisor and has previously served on the California Coastal commission. Mr. Corbett has successfully drafted legislation amending the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and is currently senior legal counsel for the Yurok Tribe. His term expires September 2007.
John “Mike” Dunker
Mr. Dunker, a Rio Dell City Council Member, is retired from the California Conservation Corps. He has more than 20 years experience developing young people and has completed conservation projects for the CCC, Calif. Department of Fish & Game, US Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, The Nature Conservancy and many other state and federal agencies. Between 1986 to 2002, he primarily worked on salmon restoration projects. Mr. Dunker earned an Associate of Arts degree in Pre-Park Management from Lassen College and a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Resources from Sacramento State University. Mr. Dunker was appointed to the Regional Water Board on November 27, 2006, as the representative for Municipal Government. His term expires September 30, 2010.
Heidi Harris
Ms. Harris, of Salyer, is a lecturer in range development and improvements at Humboldt State University, and range consultant for the United States Department of Agriculture's Natural Resource Conservation Service. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in rangeland resource science from Humboldt State University. Ms. Harris was appointed to the Regional Water Board on February 4, 2005, as the representative for Recreation, Fish & Wildlife. Her term expires September 30, 2008
William R. Massey
Mr. Massey recently retired as chair of the Social Science Department at Santa Rosa Junior College, a position he held since 1998. Since 1990, he has been president of the board of directors for the Forestville County Water District. From 1996 to 1998 Mr. Massey was chairman for Region 1 of the Association of California Water Agencies and was vice chairman from 1994 to 1995. He is also a member of the Association of California Water Agencies, and a member of the Board of Directors of Joint Powers Insurance Authority. Mr. Massey earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master of Arts degree from San Francisco State University. Mr. Massey was re-appointed to the Regional Water Board on September 30, 2003, as the representative for County Government. His term expires September 30, 2007.