Former Obama Administration and California AG Xavier Becerra Officials Join New State Energy & Environmental Impact Center

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The State Energy & Environmental Impact Center at NYU School of Law (State Impact Center), which launched in August 2017, today announced the hiring of Elizabeth Klein as deputy director and Chris Moyer as communications director. The State Impact Center serves as a hub for state attorneys general, on a non-partisan basis, who are advancing progressive legal and policy positions on clean energy, climate and environmental matters.

Klein is an experienced attorney who served at the U.S. Department of the Interior during both the Clinton and Obama Administrations, most recently as Interior’s associate deputy secretary as well as principal deputy assistant secretary in the Office of Policy, Management and Budget. During her service at Interior, she helped oversee a wide range of high priority initiatives, including facilitating renewable energy on public lands, modernizing regulatory oversight of conventional energy development, and developing department-wide climate change adaptation policies. Klein also spent a number of years in private practice at Latham & Watkins specializing in energy and environmental law issues.

“Liz brings a wealth of experience fighting for progressive policies that protect our environmental and public health values,” said David J. Hayes, executive director of the State Impact Center. “Her expertise on these issues and inside knowledge of how federal agencies function will serve state attorneys general well as we defend crucial policies put in place over the last decade. I’m thrilled that Liz is taking a leading role in the Center’s important work.”

Moyer brings significant and diverse communications experience to the State Impact Center, including most recently as the deputy communications director for California Attorney General Xavier Becerra. He also worked for the Hillary for America 2016 presidential campaign in Ohio. Prior to joining the Clinton campaign, he oversaw communications for the American Gaming Association, and before that, spent four years on Capitol Hill working for U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and U.S. Senator Kay Hagan. Moyer started his career in the press shop of former Boston Mayor Tom Menino.

“Chris is a skilled communicator with a track record of raising the profile of elected officials, organizations and issues,” said Hayes. “He brings a campaign-style approach that will aggressively highlight the work of state attorneys general in advocating for clean energy, climate and environmental protections. Building off of his work as a member of Attorney General Becerra’s executive team, Chris will translate complex legal actions into clear messaging that will shape public opinion in favor of actions taken by state attorneys general.”

Hayes, former deputy secretary and chief operating officer of the Department of the Interior for Presidents Clinton and Obama, was named executive director and a member of the State Impact Center’s Advisory Board in August.

In addition to Hayes, the State Impact Center’s Advisory Board includes: Richard Revesz, Lawrence King Professor of Law and dean emeritus at NYU Law (chair); Daniel Firger of the environment program at Bloomberg Philanthropies; Anne Milgram, former attorney general for New Jersey and now professor of practice and distinguished scholar in residence at NYU Law; and Bruce Babbitt, former attorney general and governor of Arizona and secretary of the Interior during the Clinton Administration.

###

About the State Energy & Environmental Impact Center:
The State Energy & Environmental Impact Center at NYU School of Law is a nonpartisan academic center at NYU School of Law. The Center is dedicated to working towards a healthy and safe environment, guided by inclusive and equitable principles. The Center studies and supports the work of state attorneys general (AGs) in defending, enforcing, and promoting strong laws and policies in the areas of climate, environmental justice, environmental protection, and clean energy.