Rob Sargent

Senior Policy Analyst

617-747-4317

Expertise

energy policy, renewable energy, energy efficiency, nuclear waste/radioactive waste, drilling/offshore oil, power plants, utility deregulation, fuel efficiency, auto pollution/diesel, polluter subsidies/green taxes, radioactive waste, global warming

Background

Mr. Sargent oversees policy and strategy development for state PIRG energy and climate campaigns throughout the U.S. He has been involved as a strategist in numerous successful campaigns including the Massachusetts, California, New Mexico, and New Jersey Renewable Portfolio Standards; the adoption of the California Automobile Emission Standards (LEV/ZEV) programs in the Northeast; and in shaping state and regional climate change action plans.  He was a leader in the successful effort in Massachusetts to secure the first-in-the-nation policy to regulate carbon dioxide power plants, and currently serves as an advisor to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, working to shape a cap on global warming emissions from power plants in the Northeast.

He has co-authored several reports on energy and global warming including, “Achieving a New Energy Future:  How States Can Lead America to a Clean, Sustainable Economy;” “Making Sense of America’s Oil Needs:  A Sustainable, State-Based Response to Dwindling Oil Supplies;” “After the Blackout: Achieving a Cleaner, More Reliable Electric System;” and “Stopping Global Warming Begins at Home,” which makes the case for a strong cap on carbon dioxide emissions from power plants in the Northeast.

Before serving in his current position, Mr. Sargent directed the energy, legislative, and toxics programs for Massachusetts PIRG.  He was the founder and the original director of the Massachusetts Campaign to Cleanup Hazardous Waste, now known as the Toxics Action Center.  Mr. Sargent also possesses extensive experience working on grassroots public interest campaigns, including efforts to promote clean energy and clean cars, and to clean up power plants and hazardous waste sites.  Mr. Sargent also led environmental and public interest opposition to electricity deregulation in the 1990s and fought hard to secure the best outcomes for the public in those debates.