Christine Gregoire News

After an extensive national search, the Port of Seattle has promoted Elizabeth Leavitt to lead its work to protect and enhance the environment. The Senior Director for Environment and Sustainability is a newly created position leading a center of expertise that consolidates environmental, sustainability, and planning functions. Leavitt will report to the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and will serve on the CEO’s Executive Leadership Team. “It is impressive that, within the large candidate pool, the Port’s own staff provided excellent people who rose to the top,” said Port COO Dave Soike. Leavitt has worked for the Port for more than 26 years, initially as a senior environmental program manager and, for the past seven years, as the director of aviation planning and environmental programs.

Gov. Christine Gregoire on May 6, 2005, signed bills that will establish an Oil Spill Monitoring and Oversight Council to provide independent oversight of the state's oil-spill program and a new Washington Academy of Sciences to advise state government on scientific questions. “We are taking positive action today to ensure that our waters are protected from pollution,” Gregoire said at a bill signing ceremony held in Tukwila. · Promote opportunities for the public to become involved in oil-spill response activities. The new academy of sciences will include highly qualified persons in a wide range of scientific disciplines who are willing to contribute their time and expertise for assessments of complex public policy questions.

The Association of Washington Business (AWB) recently presented Art Anderson Associates with one of fifteen Better Workplace Awards, given to Washington businesses who demonstrate innovation in the areas of workplace safety, job training and advancement and benefit and compensation packages. The award was presented by Governor Christine Gregoire and AWB President Don Brunell at the Association’s 2007 Legislative Day, held on February 7th, 2007. The award was given specifically to recognize Art Anderson Associates for its benefits and compensation package. In order to help employees make better health care decisions, the company recently changed its health care plan to one that features a Health Savings Account combined with a high-deductible health plan.

State ferry authorities say population and job growth in the central Puget Sound area are expected to reverse a recent trend and increase ridership on their vessels by 70 percent over the next 25 years and require spending an additional $400m on new boats. Now the state will have to figure out how to pay for that expansion. The number of fares sold on Washington State Ferries totaled just under 24 million last year, down about 10 percent from 2000, according to the Seattle Post Intelligencer. But population growth in Kitsap and Island counties is expected to outstrip the number of new jobs, whereas in King County the reverse will be true. This means that more people will commute from the west side of the Sound to the Seattle area to work.

Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire is welcomed aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Terrapin by its crew in Bellingham, Wash., after the Terrapin officially entered service. During the ceremony Gov. Gregoire became the Terrapin's sponsor and will serve as a civilian advocate for the cutter and its crew. Official U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Mike Zolzer.

The Coast Guard Cutter Terrapin will officially enter the Coast Guard fleet during a commissioning ceremony to be held Thursday in Bellingham, Wash., at Fairhaven Moorings. Washington Gov., Christine Gregoire, Rear Adm. Richard Houck, Thirteenth District Commander, and Lt. j.g. Gerrod Glauner, Commanding Officer of the Terrapin, are scheduled to speak at the ceremony. The Terrapin is an 87-foot patrol boat and joins the other seven patrol boats in the Puget Sound region. The seven other patrol boats include the Sea Lion, homeported at Station Bellingham, Wash., the Osprey homeported in Port Townsend, Wash., the Cuttyhunk, Swordfish, Wahoo and Adelie stationed in Port Angeles, Wash., and the Blue Shark stationed in Everett, Wash.

Gov. Christine Gregoire has honored Totem Ocean Trailer Express (TOTE) of Tacoma and Federal Way, Washington. with the 2005 Governor's Award for Pollution Prevention & Sustainable Practices, the state's highest honor for taking care of the environment while doing business in Washington. The awards recognize businesses and others who have found innovative ways to offer services and make products while reducing or eliminating hazardous waste and conserving vital resources such as energy and water. TOTE runs a regular transport service between the Port of Tacoma and Port of Anchorage, Alaska. The company has reduced its use of toxic chemicals and fuel. It protects the marine environment and supports local communities.