He served in two different districts as a Santa Barbara County Supervisor.
Now, Carpinteria resident Mike Stoker is going to be the director of region 9 of the EPA, covering California, Nevada, Arizona, the Pacific Islands, and the lands of 148 Native American tribes.
Stoker has come under fire for his connection to Greka Oil, which has had numerous violations on the Central Coast.
He says that upon joining the company, he helped Greka become accountable for its problems and take corrective action.
Stoker plans to work out of the Los Angeles office instead of the regional headquarters in San Francisco, a move that prompted an opposing letter from Senator Dianne Feinstien.