City of Spokane—Media Release
www.spokanecity.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 12, 2008
Contact: Susanne Croft
Sustainability Coordinator, Office of the Mayor
(509) 625-6967
scroft@spokanecity.org
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SUSTAINABILITY TASK FORCE BEGINS
WORK GROUP MEETINGS
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The Mayor’s Sustainability Task Force, a group of 13 people who will create a
strategic action plan to identify ways that City government can help to address the
impacts of climate change and energy security, has created four work groups that will
begin meeting this week.
The work groups and their initial meeting times are as follows:
o Built & Unbuilt Environment: Monday, May 12, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Council
Briefing Center, lower level of City Hall, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. Built and
Unbuilt Environment will focus on issues, such as land use and development
patterns, buildings and facilities, urban forest and parks, and related topics.
o Transportation & Mobility: Tuesday, May 13, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Conference
Room 2B, second floor of City Hall. Transportation and Mobility will look at
fleet and fuel options, transportation modes and patterns, freight movement, and
related topics.
o Water: Wednesday, May 14, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Conference Room 2B, second
floor of City Hall. Water will look at quality and quantity issues around water,
stormwater, wastewater, hydropower, and more.
o Procurement: Thursday, May 15, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Council Briefing Center,
lower level of City Hall. Procurement will look at goods and services, products,
contracts, packaging, recycling and waste reduction, and more.
Citizens are invited to participate in the work groups. If a citizen can’t make the first
meeting of any group, please call Susanne Croft at 625-6967 for more information.
A $75,000, one year GMA Planning Grant from the Washington State Dept. of
Community, Trade and Economic Development (CTED) is paying for the planning work.
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Work Groups
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The goal is to determine affordable and sustainable ways that City government can
respond to the economic, environmental, and social challenges that may arise from
climate change and energy security needs.
The citizen task force is leading this strategic planning effort, supported by these work
groups and technical assistance from city staff and other experts. A kickoff event for the
year-long planning effort was held in early February and was attended by more than 150
people.
This project is consistent with Governor Chris Gregoire’s recent climate change
challenge that encourages local jurisdictions to develop plans to mitigate the impacts of
climate change and also with commitments the City made when it signed on to the U.S.
Mayors Climate Protection Agreement last February.
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