California Gov. Jerry Brown has appointedSaul Gomez and Robert Powell, who both assist the state’s Natural Resources Agency, to help implement SB 4, the new hydraulic fracturing (fracking) law. Gomez is a special assistant for oil, natural gas and geothermal resources, and Powell, a faculty member at the University of California, Davis, helped develop the fracking study. Gomez formerly headed the California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich has appointed Craig Butler as interim director of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency after Scott Nally announced his resignation to pursue other opportunities. Currently, Butler serves as a senior policy advisor for the Kasich administration on environmental, energy, public utility and agricultural issues. Nally had served as agency director since 2010. Butler previously served as district director of both the Ohio EPA’s central district office and its southeast district office. Although the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) regulates the state’s oil and gas industry, the Ohio EPA works closely with ODNR on any issues related to drilling and the environment.