Michael Murza ’06

Attorney, California Energy Commission

The State of California has made environmental justice a fundamental requirement for any of its environmental policies. For the past six years, Michael Murza has been an attorney with the California Energy Commission. For two of those years, he was the Chair’s Legal Adviser and Lead Adviser on China. “My role at the Commission is to ensure that our agency utilizes its statutory authority to decarbonize our state’s economy by 2045 as well as to make sure that this progress is a just transition,” said Michael.

His areas of expertise are in establishing appliance and building energy efficiency standards. He also helps manage the agency’s communication with the U.S. Department of Energy, looking to represent the interests of Californians in regulatory proceedings with national implications. Michael also worked alongside the California Attorney General’s Office to defend the Commission from a legal challenge from the lighting industry over standards that the current Department of Energy is trying to withdraw.

In reflecting on his MFS experience, he shared, “There were a number of values that I learned at MFS that have served me well. The emphasis on acknowledging our differences and embracing diversity makes our communities stronger and more resilient. This fundamental value has served me well in my career.” He also appreciates the time spent in Meeting for Worship: “Meeting for Worship taught me how to utilize opportunities for introspection and contemplation. This formed the basis for many of my academic and personal studies, including my undergrad honors thesis on meditation and the neurophilosophy of free will, and has become a daily practice in my life.”