Gregory Hurner
Bio:
Greg is an experienced professional with a diverse background in the executive and legislative branches of government. He has spent more than two decades on statewide policy development and government relations, with more than 15 of those years in public service, where he developed an extensive network of relationships in the legislature, state agencies, departments and boards. He has served in various executive capacities in three gubernatorial administrations, and as Chief of Staff to the Senate Minority Caucus.
He has extensive experience working on California’s climate change law, including implementation of the state’s cap and trade program for regulated entities and providing clients with risk management and compliance strategies; state and federal environmental permitting and mitigation; water, energy, and tax policy; interacting with regulatory boards and commissions, professional licensing bodies, and tribal governments; and state budgeting and procurement. His expertise in water and natural resources issues includes managing his family’s cattle, dairy and rice operations, in addition to his public service working on infrastructure funding, grant programs and environmental permitting and mitigation. He was a lead negotiator in drafting the recent $11 billion water bond and accompanying legislative water package.
As Senior Advisor to the Director at the Department of Fish and Game (DFG), Greg supervised the legislative, communications and external affairs programs and oversaw Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Policy. While at DFG, he negotiated the final agreement on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) 2100 relicensing for the State Water Project’s Oroville facilities and PG&E’s facilities upstream. He also co-facilitated negotiations involving groups from Oregon and California that included local, state and federal agencies and representatives of fishermen, environmentalists, upstream and downstream water interests, energy users, and conservationists. These negotiations resulted in a 26 party agreement on the allocation of Klamath River water as part of Pacificorps’ relicensing of the Klamath Hydroelectric Project (FERC 2082).
He was a member of the executive team at the State and Consumer Services Agency (SCSA), now known as the Government Operations Agency, where he oversaw the legislative programs of 17 departments and the professional licensing boards at the Department of Consumer Affairs. While at the SCSA, Greg was extensively involved in state procurement reforms and contracting matters. He negotiated legislative relief, including a federal preemption provision prohibiting California from adopting onerous regulations expected to result in over $1 billion in compliance costs for businesses.
Greg is a graduate of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) and serves on an advisory group to the university President. He is an active volunteer in youth programs and a blood donor. His daughter, Grace, is a graduate of Cal Poly and Santa Clara University. His son, Geoffrey, is an Eagle Scout, an honors graduate of Boise State University, and member of the U.S. Marine Corps.