Gov. Gregoire joins declaration on climate change

For Immediate Release: April 18, 2008

Call for action on centennial of President Theodore Roosevelt landmark effort to protect nation�s natural resources

NEW HAVEN, CONN. � Gov. Chris Gregoire has joined a Governors� Declaration on Climate Change that calls for comprehensive federal, state and local government cooperation to address global warming.

The declaration was issued today by a number of governors during a conference on climate change at Yale University. Gregoire�s executive policy advisor, Matt Steuerwalt, participated on the governor�s behalf.

The governors and top environmental experts were meeting a century after President Theodore Roosevelt convened a landmark 1908 Conference of Governors to establish a conservation partnership between the states and the federal government. That launched the modern conservation movement, which led to the creation of the National Parks Service and preservation of wilderness areas.

�President Roosevelt showed remarkable foresight in rallying support to preserve and protect the nation�s natural resources,� Gregoire said. �A century later, we face another critical challenge in the form of global warming, and we need to unite again to deal with it.�

The declaration calls on congressional leaders and the presidential candidates to work with state and local government to establish a comprehensive national climate policy founded on three principles:

• A federal-state partnership is the only way we can get the job done;


• State-based climate action plans and programs have paved the way for cost-effective reductions of greenhouse gases, and they deserve continued support;


• Rewarding and encouraging meaningful and mandatory federal and state climate action is the key to success.

Gregoire noted that as Earth Day 2008 approaches on April 22, Washington already is acting to address climate change through legislation she signed this year to reduce greenhouse gas pollution, increase Washington�s energy independence and set the stage for creating thousands of new �green collar� jobs.

�Washington is leading the way on climate change by being clean, green and competitive,� Gregoire said.

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