Dec. 13, 2006
King County Executive Ron Sims statement in response to Governor Chris Gregoire’s Puget Sound Initiative
"As a member of the Puget Sound Partnership convened last year to establish a bold and aggressive new approach to recovering the health of the Puget Sound, I am proud of the report and the recommendations for early action that we sent to Governor Gregoire.
"It is clear to me that the Governor has carefully tracked our efforts and is responding with the attention and focus we will need to accomplish the goal she has established – restoring Puget Sound's health.
"I want to congratulate Governor Gregoire for recognizing it is our generation's responsibility to take action now to protect the Puget Sound for our children and grandchildren.
"The Governor's commitment to establish a new collaborative public-private partnership with a major role for all of the key participants, including the private sector and local government, will ensure the performance measures are set and everyone is held accountable for their part.
"It will take such a partnership – with all levels of government, the private sector and the public – to set the Sound on an aggressive course for recovery by 2020.
" King County is committed to supporting the Governor's early actions included in her 2007 budget. We are determined to make the tough decisions necessary to achieve recovery. King County has Puget Sound's health clearly in mind as it continues addressing such important issues as stormwater management, wastewater treatment and land-use regulation.
"We look forward to working with the state, the federal government, other counties and cities, the private sector and the public to meet the Governor's challenge and leave a clean and healthy Puget Sound as a legacy to future generations."