Capitol Weekly’s Top 100: Kip Lipper

12. Kip Lipper

Kip Lipper is the Senate’s top environmental adviser, and in an era when climate change is at or near the apex of most political agendas, Lipper is one of the busiest people of the Capitol. He works out of a cramped office in the Senate executive suite that is even smaller than Capitol Weekly’s lavish digs, which isn’t easy. We’ve said it before, but it needs repeating: Water, fires, drought, oil exploration, sea level rise, environmental justice – you name it, and Lipper has his fingers in it. He also crafted the sleeper environmental bill of the year, adding wine and distilled spirits to the container recycling statute known as the “bottle bill.” He’s been in the Legislature for nearly four decades and served as chief of staff to Byron Sher – first in the Assembly, then the Senate – for 25 years. Sacramento mayor and former former Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg – one of many Senate leaders Lipper has served – called him “a force of nature.”

Updated August 9, 2022