Governor Gregoire Announces Members of the Washington Climate Change Challenge Advisory Team

For Immediate Release: March 28, 2007

OLYMPIA � Governor Chris Gregoire today announced that the members of the Washington Climate Change Challenge Advisory Team will meet Friday, March 30, to begin considering the full range of policies and strategies that may be adopted to achieve the goals she established in Executive Order 07-02.

�We have all seen the science and we must increase our efforts to respond,� said Governor Gregoire. �We have an opportunity in Washington to work together to find solutions that reduce our state contribution to climate pollution, move away from our dependence on foreign oil and grow a clean energy economy. I am grateful for the commitment of the advisory team members and look forward to the Climate Change Challenge recommendations.�

Governor Gregoire in February issued an executive order outlining the challenges that climate change poses for the state and the steps already being taken to limit and prepare for climate change. She created Washington Climate Change Challenge and directed the departments of Ecology and Community, Trade and Economic Development (CTED) to form the Climate Advisory Team to forge solutions to climate change issues.

Climate Advisory Team members:

• Co-Chairs Jay Manning, Ecology director, and Juli Wilkerson, CTED director
• Rod Brown, Washington Environmental Council
• Vicky Carwein, Chancellor, Washington State University Tri-Cities
• KC Golden, Policy Director, Climate Solutions
• Dennis Hession, Spokane Mayor
• Sara Kendall, Vice President, Weyerhaeuser Co.
• Bill Kidd, External Affairs Director, BP
• Mike Kreidler, Washington Insurance Commissioner
• Dennis McLerran, Executive Director, Puget Sound Clean Air Agency
• Bill Messenger, Washington State Labor Council
• Deborah Moore, Grant County farmer
• Larry Paulson, Executive Director, Port of Vancouver
• Michael Rawding, Microsoft
• Aaron Reardon, Snohomish County Executive
• Steve Reynolds, CEO, President and Chairman, Puget Sound Energy
• Rich Riazzi, General Manager, Chelan County Public Utility District
• Mike Rousseau, Intalco Plant Manager, Alcoa Inc.
• Doug Sutherland, Washington Lands Commissioner
• Terry Uhling, Senior Vice President, J.R. Simplot Co.
• Terry Williams, Commissioner of Fisheries and Natural Resources, Tulalip Tribe

Climate Advisory Team members will gather for the first time at 1 p.m. March 30 in the auditorium at Ecology headquarters, 300 Desmond Drive, Lacey. All team meetings will be open to the public; on March 30, a public comment period will be provided.

Ecology Director Jay Manning and CTED Director Juli Wilkerson will make recommendations for action to Governor Gregoire by February 2008.

�I remember years ago hiking through the Cascades and going over Spider Gap. At the top of the pass, I stood on the Spider Glacier. It does not exist anymore today. It has melted away, just like at least three other neighboring glaciers in the Cascades,� said Ecology Director Manning. �This is just one small example of the kind of changes a warming planet will bring to the Northwest, and we will need to work together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to avoid losing more of our glaciers and snowfields.�

�The diverse members of this team have a unique opportunity to generate ideas and strategies to address climate change, create jobs and improve our economy,� said CTED Director Wilkerson. �This important work connects with Governor Gregoire's Next Washington 10-year business plan and her commitment to leadership on climate change.�

The team will oversee technical working groups that will focus on achieving the goals set out in Governor Gregoire�s executive order. The technical working groups will address transportation, energy supply, agriculture, forestry and residential, commercial and industrial issues. Preparation working groups will study the impacts on forest resources, human health, agriculture, water resources and shorelines.

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