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  • Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Gov. Gregoire directs state agencies to increase energy savings

For Immediate Release: August 4, 2008

OLYMPIA � Gov. Chris Gregoire today called on state agency directors to safeguard strategic investments in education, health care and public safety by stepping up their efforts to be prudent in managing their budgets.

Because of continued skyrocketing fuel and projected energy costs and a weakening national economy that is affecting the state, the governor today directed state agencies to reduce fuel consumption by five percent compared to last year, including a ban on non-emergency travel.

�I am asking each of you to step up your efforts to increase savings. I ask that you be creative and take action now,� the governor said. �The high price of energy is hurting our businesses and our families. Anything we can do to reduce fuel consumption will ease the burden on our budget and on taxpayers.�

�Along with limits on non-emergency travel, I�ve asked my agency directors to freeze hiring to fill job vacancies, shelve any plans to purchase new equipment; and avoid signing all but emergency personal services contracts,� the governor said.

The governor called upon the presidents of higher education institutions, boards and commissions, and the state�s separately elected officials to develop their own plans to reduce fuel consumption and to impose similar freezes.

Gregoire noted that Washington state has a resilient economy as well as a budget with near record savings. These factors have contributed to Forbes ranking Washington as the third �best state for business� in a recent study, up from our fifth place ranking last year and twelfth place in 2006.

�In April, I signed a budget with near record savings through the Rainy Day Fund,� Gregoire continued. �Through these investments we are better prepared to keep our commitments to Washington families and to keep our state moving forward. In spite of what is happening nationally we have made real progress and I am not about to shortchange the future of our state.�

�These steps will put us in better situation for the next budget,� Gregoire said. �We are in better shape than most states because we have saved over $800 million to smooth out the bumps in the economy, a fact recognized by numerous independent organizations that have increased their ratings of Washington�s economic stability.�

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