MEMORANDUM TO ESTABLISH THE PACIFIC COAST COLLABORATIVE

PREAMBLE

THE GOVERNMENTS OF ALASKA, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CALIFORNIA, OREGON, AND WASHINGTON,

Recognizing the unique and shared circumstances of the coastal and Pacific jurisdictions of North America;

Partners in taking action to address climate change;

Committed to collaboration and collective action to maximize the impact of our individual and joint actions;

Sharing a common vision of Pacific North America as a model of innovation and sustainable living in the Pacific Century that creates new and growing economic opportunities for our citizens;

Desiring therefore to create a model for sharing best practices, a framework for co-operative action, a forum for leadership, and a common voice on issues affecting the Pacific coast region;

NOW THEREFORE HEREBY AGREE AS FOLLOWS:

Establishment of the Pacific Coast Collaborative

1. The Pacific Coast Collaborative (“the Collaborative”) is hereby established by this Memorandum.

2. The signatories as represented by their Governor or Premier, as the case may be, are members of the Pacific Coast Collaborative.

Objectives

3. The Pacific Coast Collaborative is being established in recognition of, and to address, the unique and shared circumstances of the Pacific coastal areas and jurisdictions in North America by providing:

· a framework for co-operative action;

· a forum for leadership and the sharing of information on best practices; and

· a common voice on issues facing coastal and Pacific jurisdictions.

Mandate

4. The Collaborative shall provide for an annual meeting to initiate, undertake and review joint actions and the co-ordination of individual actions by its member governments on:

· Clean Energy;

· Regional transportation;

· Innovation, research and development;

· Enhancing a sustainable regional economy, especially with respect to environmental good and services;

· Emergency management; and

· Other areas as determined that would benefit from co-operative action.

5. To this end, future agreements reached by all signatories to this Memorandum pursuant to Article 4 will be set out in an Appendix 1 and incorporated into this Memorandum.

6. Future agreements pursuant to Article 4 that apply to some signatories to this Memorandum will be set out in an Appendix 2, and they will apply only to those signatories that have signed them.

Organization

7. The Collaborative is under the responsibility of the signatories, the Governors of Alaska, California, Oregon and Washington, the Premier of British Columbia, and the Governors of other Pacific North American jurisdictions who may wish to join.

8. The Collaborative shall meet at least once a calendar year. The Chair and the meeting location will rotate annually through each jurisdiction. Each member of the Collaborative is responsible for their representatives’ travel expenses to attend such meetings.

9. Any member of the Collaborative may propose initiatives and agreements to be added to Appendix 1 or Appendix 2 of this Memorandum, or amendments to this Memorandum.

10. Decisions or resolution of any disagreements with respect to this Memorandum shall be by consensus.

11. Decisions or resolution of any disagreements with respect to any of the initiatives or agreements set out in Appendix 1 or Appendix 2 of this Memorandum shall be as provided for in those agreements.

Final Provisions

12. Nothing in this Memorandum alters the legislative or other authorities of the state or provincial legislatures or of the state or provincial governments or the rights of any of them with respect to the exercise of their authorities under the Constitution of the United States or the Constitution of Canada as the case may be.

13. The parties agree that participation as a member of the Collaborative established in this Memorandum is voluntary and no party to this Memorandum may bring legal action to enforce any provision herein or amendment thereto.

14. This Collaborative comes into effect on July 1, 2008.

Signed at Jackson Hole, Wyoming, on the occasion of the 2008 Annual Meeting of the Western Governors Association, this 30^th day of June 2008.

______________________

Sarah Palin

Governor of Alaska

______________________

Gordon Campbell

Premier of British Columbia

______________________

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Governor of California

______________________

Theodore R. Kulongoski

Governor of Oregon

______________________

Christine O. Gregoire

Governor of Washington

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Media Contacts:

Bridgitte Anderson

Press Secretary

Office of the Premier of British Columbia

604 307-7177

Washington Governor's Communications Office

360 902-4136

Jillian E. Schoene

Deputy Communications Director

Office of the Governor of Oregon

503 378-5040 phone

Alaska Governor’s Communications Office

907 269-7450

Lisa Page

Chief Deputy Press Secretary

Office of the Governor of California

916 445-4571




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