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Governor Gregoire Takes Action on Climate Change, Announces �Washington Climate Change Challenge�

For Immediate Release: February 7, 2007

OLYMPIA � Governor Chris Gregoire today will sign an executive order establishing goals for reductions in climate pollution, increases in jobs, and reductions in expenditures on imported fuel. This statewide effort will address climate change, grow the clean energy economy and move Washington toward energy independence.

�We have all seen the science and we must increase our efforts to respond,� said Governor Gregoire. �Washington is uniquely vulnerable to the changing climate, but we are also positioned to succeed in the clean energy economy. We have already taken steps to strengthen emission standards, build the biofuels industry and promote renewable sources of energy. With these next steps, I believe we can reduce our climate pollution, grow jobs and move toward energy independence.�

Governor Gregoire�s Executive Order No. 07-02 directs the Washington departments of Ecology and Community, Trade and Economic Development (CTED) to lead �Washington Climate Change Challenge,� a process that will engage business, community and environmental leaders over the next year. Washington Climate Change Challenge will consider the full range of policies and strategies that may be adopted to achieve the goals established by Governor Gregoire.

Governor Gregoire has taken significant actions to address climate change, such as:

  • Adopting the 2005 Clean Car Act requiring certain automobiles to meet tougher emissions standards beginning with 2009 models;
  • Retrofitting 50% of school buses and 20% of local government diesel engine vehicles to reduce highly toxic diesel emissions;
  • Leading the nation in requiring fuel suppliers to ensure that 2% of the fuel they sell is biodiesel or ethanol;
  • Leading the nation in adopting high performance green building standards and having one of the most energy efficient building codes in the nation;
  • Implementing the best energy efficiency standards for appliances;
  • Passing a clean energy initiative to increase the amount of energy efficiency and renewable resources in our state�s electricity system;
  • Purchasing hybrid and low emission vehicles for state agency use; and
  • Adopting the Columbia River Water Management Act, which will work toward meeting the water storage needs for agriculture, communities and salmon.

Governor Gregoire reaffirms her commitment to implement fully several policies already in place, such as more stringent auto emissions, standards for renewable fuels, appliance and building energy efficiency standards, the design and construction of green buildings and the use of renewable energy and conservation by utilities. These efforts would result in 60% of the reduction required to return to 1990 emissions levels by 2020.

The causes of climate change are global, but the effects in Washington are local and unique. Washington has experienced retreating glaciers, a decreasing snow pack, lower summer stream flows, more wildfires and rising sea levels. Washington depends on snow pack for fresh water for its cities, agriculture and salmon, relies on hydropower for energy and features a significant amount of shoreline.

Governor Gregoire�s Executive Order directs the Directors of Ecology and CTED to appoint members to Washington Climate Change Challenge from the transportation, forestry, energy and agriculture sectors; local, county and regional governments; labor unions and environmental organizations. Legislators, the Insurance Commissioner and the Commissioner of Public Lands have been invited to participate.

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