2009 annual report

2009 Annual Report

2009 Annual Report

2010 marks a significant milestone in PNWER’s history, the 20th Anniversary of the founding of this unique organization. I am honored to be able to serve this year as PNWER’s first woman president. I ask for your involvement, your ideas, and your support for the sake of this great region that we all call home. PNWER has made great strides in assisting policymakers in this bi-national region to be better equipped to address the special challenges we face here in both Canada and the US. I invite you to come and share in PNWER’s 20th birthday celebration in Calgary, Alberta for the Annual Summit, July 16-20, 2010 during the Calgary Stampede.

This past year has been one of many challenges for businesses in the region, and working together to improve our competitiveness is even more important during challenging economic times. We invite you to be a part of PNWER’s leadership team addressing the key industry sectors in the Pacific Northwest region.

Some of the highlights of the past year include:

• Implementing the first PNWER- NCSL Energy Horizon Legislative Institute certificate program for legislators to understand the fundamentals of how the energy infrastructure functions. 37 MLA’s and legislators participated in this program, together with partners, including the University of Idaho and US Department of Energy.• Completing PNWER’s second Legislative Leadership Academy, bringing together 35 legislators from both countries to understand the unique differences between our political systems in the US and Canada.

• Developing the first bi-national, bio-event response plan, funded by the US Department of Homeland Security, to bring together public and private sector stakeholders.• Achieving the new Amtrak train service, in cooperation with over 35 partner organizations, which linked Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. • Leading a coordinated effort with US and Canadian Border Agencies and stakeholders to improve border crossing speed through new documents and practices.• Completing a study of labor needs for a potential Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline through a grant from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada.

I want to acknowledge the work of John van Dongen, PNWER’s immediate past president, for his exceptional leadership of PNWER in 2009. I also want to thank the many private sector partners who have made these programs possible. PNWER is a public – private partnership, and your support is essential to provide the kind of programs we have been able to deliver in 2009.

I look forward to meeting you at PNWER’s 20th Annual Summit in Calgary, Alberta in July 2010. Many of the topics above will be further developed, including discussion on: the improvement of our transportation and energy infrastructure, innova-tions for environmental policy, and the development of our region’s workforce. We will also have a business to business forum as part of the Summit.

I hope the activities and outcomes highlighted from this previous year will encourage you to continue to be actively involved in PNWER or explore opportunities to become involved. We have the fortune of living in a great region that looks beyond borders, and encourages collaboration with innovative people that want to improve the region. Together we can make a difference for our families, our states and provinces, and our future.

Letter From the President

Sen. Lesil McGuirePNWER President 2009-2010

2010 marks a significant milestone in PNWER’s history, the 20th

Anniversary of the founding

of this unique organization. I am honored to be able to serve this year as PNWER’s first

woman president. I ask for your involvement, your ideas, and your support for the sake of

this great region that we all call home. PNWER has made great strides in assisting

policymakers in this bi-national region to be better equipped to address the special challenges

we face here in both Canada and the US. I invite you to come and share in PNWER’s 20th

birthday celebration in Calgary, Alberta for the Annual Summit, July 16-20, 2010 during the

Calgary Stampede.

This past year has been one of many challenges for businesses in the region, and working

together to improve our competitiveness is even more important during challenging economic

times. We invite you to be a part of PNWER’s leadership team addressing the key industry

sectors in the Pacific Northwest region.

Some of the highlights of the past year include:

• Implementing the first PNWER- NCSL Energy Horizon Legislative Institute

certificate program for legislators to understand the fundamentals of how the energy

infrastructure functions. 37 MLA’s and legislators participated in this program,

together with partners, including the University of Idaho and US Department of

Energy.

• Completing PNWER’s second Legislative Leadership Academy, bringing together

35 legislators from both countries to understand the unique differences between our

political systems in the US and Canada.

• Developing the first bi-national, bio-event response plan, funded by the US

Department of Homeland Security, to bring together public and private sector

stakeholders.

• Achieving the new Amtrak train service, in cooperation with over 35 partner

organizations, which linked Oregon, Washington and British Columbia.

• Leading a coordinated effort with US and Canadian Border Agencies and

stakeholders to improve border crossing speed through new documents and practices.

• Completing a study of labor needs for a potential Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline

through a grant from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada.

I want to acknowledge the work of John van Dongen, PNWER’s immediate past president,

for his exceptional leadership of PNWER in 2009. I also want to thank the many private

sector partners who have made these programs possible. PNWER is a public – private

partnership, and your support is essential to provide the kind of programs we have been able

to deliver in 2009.

I look forward to meeting you at PNWER’s 20th

Annual Summit in Calgary, Alberta in July

2010. Many of the topics above will be further developed, including discussion on: the

improvement of our transportation and energy infrastructure, innovations for environmental

policy, and the development of our region’s workforce. We will also have a business to

business forum as part of the Summit.

I hope the activities and outcomes highlighted from this previous year will encourage you to

continue to be actively involved in PNWER or explore opportunities to become involved. We

have the fortune of living in a great region that looks beyond borders, and encourages

collaboration with innovative people that want to improve the region. Together we can make a

difference for our families, our states and provinces, and our future.

Sincerely,

Senator Lesil McGuireAlaska State SenatorPNWER President 2009-2010

Introduction

Table of Contents

PNWER | 1

IntroductionAbout the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region ................ Acknowlegements .................................................................... PNWER Board ......................................................................... Delegate Council........................................................................ Private Sector Council...............................................................

2009 ProgressHomeland Security.......................................................................Cross Border Livestock Health..................................................Capital Visits.................................................................................U.S.-Canada Border Projects......................................................2009 Summit.................................................................................Workforce......................................................................................2009 Winter Meeting/Legislative Academy.............................Energy............................................................................................

Action Items.....................................................................................

Finances...........................................................................................

2010 OpportunitiesSponsorship................................................................................. 2010 Summit...............................................................................

23455

69101112131415

17

19

2021

2 | 2009 Annual Report

Pacific NorthWest Economic Region

The Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER) is a regional U.S.-Canadian forum dedicated to encouraging global economic competitiveness and preserving our world-class natural environment. PNWER is recognized by both the United States and Canada as the model for regional and binational cooperation because of its proven success. PNWER is a respected voice and resource for our region, and provides the public and private sectors a cross-border forum for unfiltered dialogue that capitalizes upon the synergies between business leaders and elected officials who work to advance the region’s global competitiveness.

About PNWER

“Our Territory is privileged to be welcomed into PNWER. Creativity,innovation and enterprise are as synonymous with the Northwest Territories as with the Pacific Northwest Economic Region. We are excited about the new relationships we will establish, the ideas and perspectives we’ll learn, and the opportunities and choices we are creating for our people and businesses.

“The partnerships and leverage that we gain through PNWER will be beneficial in advancing key opportunities for NWT residents and businesses in areas like northern pipelines, new resource investments, tourism and infrastructure. Our membership marks a coming of age for our Territoryand a milestone on our path to being an economic leader – not just in Canada but in the entire Pacific Northwest region.”

- Hon. Floyd Roland, Premier of the Northwest Territories

To Improve Life in the Northwest

PNWER’s mission is to increase the economic well-being and quality of life for all citizens of the region. Through strategic actions we coordinate provincial and state policies throughout the region; identify and promote “models of success;” and serve as a conduit to exchange information

New Members

In 2009 PNWER welcomed the Northwest Territories as its 10th jurisdiction.

Introduction

PNWER | 3

The Pacific NorthWest Economic Region wishes to recognize the following agencies and organizations for their financial support over the past year:AgriBeef Co.Amalgamated Sugar CompanyAPEGGAAPEG - BCAPEGSAssociation of Washington BusinessASTT of British ColumbiaAvista Corp.BC Transmission CorporationBritish Columbia Innovation CouncilBruce PowerCascadia Center for Regional DevelopmentCH2M HillClipper VacationsConocoPhillipsConsulate General of Canada - DenverConsulate General of Canada - SeattleEiguren Public Law and Policy PLLCFasken MartineauGrown in IdahoIdaho Consumer-Owned Utilities AssociationIdaho Farm Bureau FederationIdaho National LaboratoryIdaho PowerIntermountain Gas CompanyInstitute of Health EconomicsLS PowerMcKinstryMerck FrosstMicrosoftMonsantoPacifiCorpPacific Northwest National LaboratoryPlutonic Power CorporationPremera | Blue CrossPuget Sound EnergyQwestRegina Hotel AssociationRidgeline EnergyShellSimplotSpectra EnergyTeckTourism Vancouver

TransCanadaUnited Dairymen of IdahoUniversity of ReginaURS Washington DivisionVancouver Airport Authority

Sponsors and Partnerships AlaskaAlbertaBritish ColumbiaIdahoMontanaNorthwest TerritoriesOregonSaskatchewanWashingtonYukon• Comprehensive Community Bio-Event

Resiliency Project, US Department of Homeland Security, Office of Health Affairs, Oakridge National Laboratory

• Energy Horizons, US Department of Energy, National Conference of State Legislatures

• Alaska Pipeline labour study, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada

• Washington State Department of Commerce, Border Improvements and 2010 Olympics

• Dams and Levee program, DHS, Infrastructure Protection, Dam Sector; Argonne National Labratory

• 2010 Olympics project, State of Oregon, Economic Development

• Interagency Biological Restoration Demonstration, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Cubic, Pacific Northwest Laboratory

• U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability

• Flathead County Montana Office of Emergency Management

• King County Office of Emergency Management

• Washington State Fusion Center• Seattle Police Department

Acknowledgements


PNWER Leadership 2009-2010: Executive Committee*

Senator Lesil McGuirePresidentAlaska

Hon. Mel KnightVice PresidentAlberta

Representative Mike SchauflerVice PresidentOregon

Michael Chisholm, MLAVice PresidentSaskatchewan

John van Dongen, MLAImmediate Past PresidentBritish Columbia

Representative George EskridgePast PresidentIdaho

* Partial List

State/Provincial leads of Executive Board

AlaskaSenator Fred Dyson

AlbertaGeorge Groeneveld, MLAHonourable Rob RennerDavid Coutts, MLA (Ret.)

British ColumbiaHonourable Naomi YamamotoHonourable Barry Penner

IdahoRepresentative Max Black

MontanaSenator Kim Gillan

Northwest TerritoriesHonourable Bob McLeod

WashingtonRepresentative Glenn AndersonSenator Alan Bluechel (Ret.)

YukonHonourable Jim Kenyon

Private Sector Representatives:

Neil Windsor, APEGGACanada Co-Chair

Jan Romerdahl, US BankUS Co-Chair

Matt Morrison, PNWERExecutive Director

BOLD = Past PNWER President

Introduction

PNWER | 5

Delegate Council

Private Sector Council

AlaskaGovernor Sean ParnellSen. Fred DysonSen. Charlie HugginsSen. Lesil McGuireSen. Tom WagonerSen. Anna FaircloughRep. Bryce EdgmonRep. Lindsey HolmesRep. Peggy Wilson

AlbertaPremier Ed StelmachAlana DeLong, MLAKyle Fawcett, MLAHon. Mel KnightRichard Marz, MLAGeorge Groeneveld, MLA

British ColumbiaPremier Gordon CampbellHon. Naomi Yamamoto

IdahoGovernor C. L. “Butch” OtterSen. John Goedde

Sen. Kate KellySen. Monty PearceSen. Elliot WerkRep. George EskridgeRep. Mary Lou ShepherdRep. Elaine SmithRep. John “Bert” Stevenson

MontanaGovernor Brian SchweitzerSen. Kim GillanSen. Ryan ZinkeRep. Gerald BennettRep. Wanda Grinde

Northwest TerritoriesPremier Floyd RolandHon. Bob McLeodDavid Ramsay, MLA

OregonGovernor Ted KulongoskiSen. Fred GirodSen. Rod MonroeSen. David NelsonSen. Doug Whitsett

Rep. Paul HolveyRep. Mike Schaufler

SaskatchewanPremier Brad WallMichael Chisholm, MLAHon. Bill BoydDustin Duncan, MLA

WashingtonGovernor Chris GregoireSen. Paull Shin Sen. Jim HoneyfordRep. Glenn AndersonRep. Maralyn ChaseRep. Bruce ChandlerRep. Bob Hasegawa

YukonPremier Dennis FentieGlen Hart, MLAHon. Jim KenyonSteve Nordick, MLA

Canada Co-Chair: Neil Windsor, APEGGA US Co-Chair: Jan Romerdahl, US Bank

AlaskaBruce Carr, Alaska RailroadKen Freeman, ExxonMobilPaul Quesnel, BP

AlbertaNeil Windsor, APEGGAMarie Rajic, TransCanada Tim Boston, EPCOR Duane Lyons, AltaLink

British ColumbiaDon Dalik, Fasken, MartineauGreg Thomas, PriceWaterhouse-CoopersSarah McCullough, Spectra Energy TransmissionJock Finlayson, Business Council of BCColin Smith, APEG-BC

IdahoRoy Eiguren, Eiguren Public Law & PolicyNeil Colwell, AvistaEvan Hayes, Idaho Grain ProducersGary Fuhriman, Idaho Farm Bureau Federation

MontanaHaley Beaudry, Columbia Falls Aluminum Co.

OregonScott Farris, TransCanada PipelinesJames Baumgartner, Black Helterline, LLP

WashingtonJan Romerdahl, US BankWilliam Kidd, BPJerry Cochran, Microsoft Bill Struyk, Johnson and JohnsonKen Johnson, Puget Sound Energy

YukonDon Pumphrey, NorthwesTel

Bold = PNWER officers and State/Provincial Leads

Center for Regional Disaster Resilience

The Center for Regional Disaster Resilience has been running strong for the past three years, building on a large body of work focusing on infrastructure interdependencies and regional preparedness that PNWER began shortly after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. That work has focused on the creation of the PNWER-wide Pacific Northwest Partnership for Regional Infrastructure Security, a similar Puget Sound Partnership, the Blue Cascades regional infrastructure interdependencies exerciseseries, an integrated action plan based on lessons learned from these and other exercises and events, and numerous projects and activities to help the PNWER Region become more secure and disaster resilient. Several PNWER member jurisdictions now have their own partnerships, interdependencies initiatives, and preparedness improvement activities underway. Many of PNWER’s activities have been made possible through funding provided by federal agencies, state, provincial and local governments, as well as private sector members and other organizations.

Dam Sector Exercise Series 2009 Initiative and Follow-on Projects

The Pacific NorthWest Economic Region and regional stakeholders with State and Federal partners have been working together to improve preparedness and resilience for major floods. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Pacific Northwest Economic Region along with regional stakeholders throughout the mid-Columbia River Basin finalized a year long exercise series in December focused on disaster resilience in the Tri-County area of Benton, Franklin and Walla Walla Counties of Washington State. The goal of the 2009 Dams Sector Exercise Series – Columbia River Basin (DSES-09) initiative was to develop a regional strategy to improve disaster resilience and preparedness for the Tri-Counties. The discussion based exercise approach was used to identify areas of improvement and develop an implementation plan of action items for regional stakeholders to address major floods. This collaborative effort has been underway since fall 2008 and builds upon an initiative—“Pacific Northwest Columbia River Basin Pilot Project”—led

by PNWER. Participating stakeholders include local, tribal, State/Provincial and Federal agencies, and private sector and non-profit partners. The DSES-09 efforts in the Tri-Counties have beenleveraged for the prepara-tion of a possibleGreen River Valley mitigation project in 2010. InNovember 2009, over 115 representatives from essential service providers, and owners and operators of Green River Valley stakeholder organizations met in Seattle, WA to contribute towards a situational update and overview of interdependencies and cascading impacts resulting from a major flood in the Green River valley.

The workshop was a collaborative initiative led by the WA Homeland Security Region 6 (King County) Critical Infrastructure Protection Working Group, the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER) Center for Regional Disaster Resilience, and the Puget Sound Partnership for Infrastructure Security and Resilience, in cooperation with the City of Tukwila and King County Office of Emergency Management. The workshop focused both on short-term actions to enhance regional and organizational resilience and a follow-on risk mitigation strategy of collaborative activities that can be further developed and under-taken in the future. Both the DSES-09 project and the Green River Valley Interdependencies Workshop have been tremendously successful at engaging stakeholder communication and identifying potential gaps in planning efforts. The end of the DSES-09 marks a yearlong process that is aiding in the planning and insight towards follow-on projects across the state and broader region.

Homeland Security

6 | 2009 Annual ReportHomeland Security

The Tri-Cities sit at the confluence of the Yakima, Snake, and Columbia Rivers

2009 Progress

PNWER |7

Blue Cascades Exercise Series

PNWER has conducted five regional critical infrastructure interdependencies exercises over the past seven years. Designed and supported by regional stakeholders, the exercise series has been the vehicle for the development of a Regional Integrated Action Plan for Disaster Resilience. The recommendations and findings have lead tonumerous projects that are currently underway.

Pilot Project to Develop a Comprehensive Community Bio-Event Resilience Project

The Pacific Northwest Economic Region’s Center for Regional Disaster Resilience and Puget Sound stakeholder organizations are working with the Office of Health Affairs, U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Science and Technology Directorate, to develop a Comprehensive Community Bio-Event Resilience (CCBER) Roadmap. The Pilot Project serves as a model for communities and broader regions nation-wide to integrate the private sector, and non-profits for pandemics, bio-attacks, and other major health hazards.

Recognizing that private industry, businesses, and other non-government organizations constitute integral components of every region, a Comprehensive Community Bio-Event Resilience Plan will be developed by the health care sector and other organizations with roles in emergency man-agement, in partnership with the private sector and other key regional stakeholders.

As part of the project, PNWER is holding a cross border bio-event workshop for Canadian and U.S. stakeholders. The goal of the workshop is to identify gaps and best practices between our two countries on sharing information and support during bio-event emer-gencies. The project will leverage the Puget Sound Health Alliance, which has been identified as a key Action Item at previous annual summits.

Regional Information Fusion Center Increases Sharing of Information

The Washington State Fusion Center with PNWER’s Center for Regional Disaster Resilience and representatives from the private, public and non-profit sectors collaborated to develop the information sharing and analysis capability for the critical infrastructure component of the Washington State Fusion Center. Major objectives of this program were to facilitate regional information sharing by building trust among key public and private stakeholders and collaboratively identifying security and preparedness gaps. The result is a sustainable information fusion system that can provide public, private and other key stakeholders with appropriate secure and resilient two-way situational awareness to address all-hazard disasters and other threats. The Washington State Fusion Center is utilizing the NorthWest Warning Alert and Response Network (NWWARN) as the backbone for the communication between critical infrastructures, business, and law enforcement. NWWARN has been an integral support element for theInformation Sharing pilot project by involving state and localities, critical infrastructures, and essential service providers.

Montana Infrastructure Interdependencies Workshop

PNWER helped lead the Montana Infrastructure Interdependencies Initiative Workshop which was held on May 28, 2009 at Grouse Mountain Lodge in

Whitefish, Montana. Stakeholders from around the region provided input, received briefings and exchanged

information on best practices for disaster resilience. The meeting kicked off the next steps towards having a regional interdependencies exercise in Montana. Several critical infrastructure sectors were represented and gave brief presentations of their organizations and their interdependencies.

The event attracted nearly 70 participants from the

Homeland Security


PNWER Homeland Security and Disaster Resilience Committee Involvement

• Pacific NorthWest Border Health Alliance • FEMA Region X Regional Assistance Committee (RAC) • U.S. DHS Regional Consortium Coordination Council (RCCC) • Northwest Alliance for Cyber Security (NWACS) • Washington State Infrastructure Protection Subcommittee

(IPSC) • Washington State Homeland Security Region 6 (King County)

Critical Infrastructure Committee • Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program(RCPGP) • Puget Sound Partnership for Regional Infrastructure Security • 2010 Olympic Security Task Force • Washington Statewide Preparedness for Philanthropic Sector

Homeland Security

public, private and non-profit sectors focusing on interdependencies among infrastructures. The workshop was supported by the Montana Office of Criminal Investigation and participants from the State Department of Agriculture, Department of Public Health, regional energy companies, and the Montana Wood Products Association.

Regional Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Task Force

PNWER conducts quarterly conference calls and periodic meetings with CIP managers from the PNWER member jurisdiction states and provinces. The Task Force has evolved into a forum to discuss key issues that impact theregion, discuss potential collaborative projects, and share information on best practices. In particular, findings and outcomes from the information sharing efforts in the Puget Sound region have been shared with CIP managers.

U.S. DHS Regional Consortium Coordination Council

In recognition that PNWER has become a model for public-private partnership for disaster resilience and infrastructure security, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Infrastructure Protection, invited PNWER in 2007 to be a charter member of the Executive Board of this Council and to contribute to its development. The goal of the Council is to bridge the cross-sector, cross-jurisdiction, cross-function infrastructure protection concerns and explore how to build resilience into infrastructures, communities, regions, and states.

Energy Assurance and Resiliency Workshop for Local Governments PNWER worked with the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Assurance, to develop a workshop with regional stakeholders focused on energy assurance and resiliency planning. The workshop

helped local governments enhance their ability to regularly assess preparedness needs for response to energy emergencies from all-hazards and helpedpromote coordination and cooperation among all levels of government and regional energy providers.

AmeriCorps VISTA Position at PNWER

PNWER has utilized a U.S. Federal Government opportunity to hire an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer. In August, Megan Levy began her term with PNWER. Megan works full-time in the PNWER offices, supporting the growth of the

NorthWest Warning and Alert Network (NWWARN) and the Center for Regional Disaster Resilience. She is working on outreach and recruiting regional stakeholders to participate in the NWWARN and our public-private partnerships for disaster resilience. This program has been a benefit for PNWER and upon completion of the year long commitment, Megan will receive an education reward for her volunteer service from the Corporation of National Community Service.

Northwest Alliance for Cyber Security (NWACS)

The PNWER Center for Regional Disaster Resilience formed the Northwest Alliance for Cyber Security to bring together stakeholders to share information and coordinate on regional information security issues after the 2004 Blue Cascades II regional cyber security exercise. The Alliance has broadened with a wider range of stakeholders in the Northwest and was renamed the Northwest Alliance for Cyber Security (NWACS) in 2006.

The mission of NWACS is to improve and maximize the cyber resilience by maximizing opportunities and communications between local, regional, and federal organizations and enterprises. NWACS held a cyber-

risk-management seminar with representatives from the private, public, and non-profit sectors to inform regional stakeholders on strategies and methods to mitigate the risk of cyber attacks. In 2010 NWACS will conduct a Cyber Security Full Scale Exercise.

Cross Border Livestock Health

2009 Conference Summary

The 2nd Cross Border Livestock Health Conference was held in conjunction with the PNWER 19th Annual Summit in Boise July 13-14, 2009. The objectives of the CBLHC were to provide the opportunities for state and provincial veterinarians, government, animal health experts, and industry:

• To enhance relationships and build networks between state and provincial jurisdictions;

• To exchange information on animal health issues and concerns;

• To develop a common understanding of disease policies;

• To exchange information on emergency response to emerging and foreign animal disease; and,

• To advance Canadian and American animal health interests.

Over 50 people including state and provincialveterinarians, federal government animal health representatives, other animal health experts, pertinent industry representatives, legislators and elected officials from both Canada and the United States attended the conference. There was representation from the following provinces and states: British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Washington State, Idaho, Oregon, and Montana.

The conference included a day and a half of presentations and discussions on priority beef and dairy animal health issues, specifically:

• Traceability • Animal diseases (Tuberculosis, Brucellosis, Blue

Tongue and Anaplasmosis)• Animal welfare.

Feedback and comments from conference attendeeswere extremely positive. Attendees found the conference to be extremely valuable in terms of the overall interaction and communication between American and Canadian elected officials, government and industry. The ability to network and build strategic relationships was of priority to attendees.

Conference History

At the 2005 Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER) meeting, the Agriculture Working Group brought forward an action item that would resurrect the Northwest Livestock Health Conference, formally a part of the Washington State Department of Agriculture. An assessment conducted with key stakeholders to determine their level of interest was overwhelmingly positive. Given the desire for a broader focus, the NWLHC was renamed the Cross-Border Livestock Health Conference (CBLHC) and Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development and the Washington State Department of Agriculture worked collaboratively to bring the first new “replacement” conference to fruition in Spokane, Washington in January 2007.

Feedback and comments from the 2007 confer-ence were very positive. The gen-eral sentiment was that the confer-

ence was extremely valuable in terms of the overall interaction and communication between Americanand Canadian industry and government officials, as well as for the networking and relationship building opportunities.

2009 Progress

PNWER |9Cross-Border Livestock Health


Federal and State/Provincial Capital Visits

The 2009 PNWER office capital visits were a tremendous success. Officers from throughout the PNWER member jurisdictions met with Federallegislators in both Canada and the US, as well as local legislators in each jurisdiction, including: Alaska, Alberta, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan, Ottawa, and Washington, DC.

The PNWER delegates had the opportunity to meet with the governors and premiers of each jurisdiction, including Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach, Idaho Governor C.L.“Butch” Otter, Northwest Territories Premier Floyd Roland, Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer, Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall, and Alaska’s then-GovernorSarah Palin. The delegates briefed the legislators on issues of relevance to our region, such as: Energy, Border Management, Workforce Development, Homeland Security, Innovation, and Tourism/2010 Olympic issues.

The visiting PNWER delegates included: Senator Lesil McGuire-AK, MLA Kyle Fawcett- AB, MLA Len Mitzel- AB, Neil Windsor- AB, MLA John van Dongen-BC, MLA John Yap- BC, Rep. George Eskridge- ID, Rep. Mike Schaufler- OR, MLA Michael Chisholm- SK, Consul General of Canada Peter Lloyd- WA, Rep. Jeff Morris- WA, Hon. Jim Kenyon- YK

Ottawa

In Ottawa, delegates participated in two full days of visits with parliamentary ministers and representatives,

including opposition leaders. The Delegation hosted a roundtable discussion on Canada – US relations and border management entitled, “Beyond WHTI – Moving toward a vision of border management that facilitates a 21st Century Integrated Economy.”

PNWER also participated in a discussion on the Natural Gas Pipeline with the Honourable Rob Merrifield, Minister of State for Transport, and the Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Natural Resources.

Washington DC

PNWER hosted a Border Symposium in Washington DC on February 24, 2009 along with the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Canada Institute, the Canadian American Business Council, and Western Washington University’s Border Policy Research Institute. The focus of the Symposium was to explore whether the US and Canadian governments have taken sufficient measures to handle peak flows and maintain cross-border trade during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. The meeting provided PNWER delegates the oppor-tunity to address high level border officials, from both the US and Canada, on regional solutions developed to handle challenges at the border.

Distinguished guests included Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire; Congressmen Rick Larsen (D-WA); Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of State for Sport; Hugh Conroy, International Mobility and Trade Corridor Project; Christopher Sands, the Hudson Institute; Michele James, US Customs and Border Protection; and Kelly Johnston, Campbell Soup Company.

Delegates with Premier Floyd Roland of theNorthwest Territories, PNWER”s newest member

Federal and State/Provincial Capital Visits

The visiting delegates in Juneau, Alaska

2009 Progress

PNWER |11

U.S. - Canada Border Projects

The border between Canada and the United States has historically been a model for other international boundaries in defending each nation’s sovereignty and increasing mutual security while promoting frequent and friendly travel and trade. The two countries are major commercial partners whose economies are integrally bound together in the world’s largest bilateral trading relationship. More than 7 million jobs in the United States and 3 million jobs in Canada depend on the Canada-U.S. border working well. As a regional consortium addressing economic issues on both sides of the border, PNWER has focused on the importance of cross-border trade, travel, and security.

The Federal capital visits gave insight to the border issues being addressed both in the US and Canada. Along with these visits, PNWER was involved in a number of cross-border projects and meetings.

Border Solutions Coordination Council

In 2008, PNWER launched the Border Solutions Coordination council made up of public and private stakeholders committed to reducing border costs and strengthening security. PNWERrecognizes that legitimate cross-border mobility is vital to the economic well-being and safety of American and Canadian citizens. With the coming 2010 Olympic Games border issues will continue to be an important component of tourism and economic success.

The mandate of the Border Solutions Coordination Council is to:

• Provide consistent input on regional priorities from governments, stakeholders and border communities in the Pacific Northwest• Help shape border security policy and implementation strategies• Connect the federal governments in a systematic way with local impacts of border decisions.

Towards a Better Border: The United States and Canada

On March 25, 2009 PNWER partnered with the Brookings Institution, along with the CanadianEmbassy, the Woodrow Wilson Center and its Canada Institute, and the Johns Hopkins Center for Canadian Studies for the meeting titled “Towards a Better Border: The United States and Canada,” held in Washington DC. PNWER Executive Director Matt Morrison spoke on the Regional Cooperation Panel along with Kirk T. Steudle, Transportation Director, Michigan Department of Transportation; and Paul Storer, Professor, Western Washington University.

Matt Morrison spoke to the unique border situation in the Pacific Northwest, which includes tourism, agriculture, and the movement of small business resources; as opposed to the big corporate back and forth border movements seen in other states. He addressed both the triumphs of cross border movement, (the creation of the enhanced drivers license) and the frustrations (the slow process of creating family and first responder NEXUS passes).

The meeting was held to promote public and private partnerships on both sides of the border, especially in regards to economic recovery and growth. Closing remarks were provided by Hon. Janet Napolitano, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, who spoke of the challenge of providing security on a border over which both countries reach economically, but also over which citizens of both nations have become accustomed to crossing freely to the point of disregarding it as a national border. As Secretary Napolitano commented,“Relationships really will matter here because we need to be thinking about

U.S.-Canada Border Projects

how do we exchange information, how do we share data, and how do we do it in a way that embodies other values that we share, such as privacy and the protection of privacy.”

Amtrak Cascades Service

This year marked a big step for the Amtrak Cascades train service. Amtrak Cascades began as a single route connecting Seattle, Washington with Vancouver, British Columbia. Later routes were added, including a service that ran between Portland, Oregon and Bellingham, Washington, and a route that ran from Eugene, Oregon, via Portland, to Seattle. During the 2008 Annual Summit the transportation working group learned about the opportunity for the addition of a second round-trip service on the route connecting Vancouver, Seattle and Portland. This new train would be the first to directly connect Vancouver and Portland, and would represent a new opportunity for tourist and business travel along the corridor.

Many of the operational components of the additional train were arranged in 2008, including a $7 million track improvement project completed by the province of British Columbia and BNSF. The final major impediment to the implementation of service was due to issues with the Canadian Customs and Border Security Agency (CBSA), which required the Cascades Operators to pay cost recovery for the increased number of border agents needed for additional passengers to clear customs in Vancouver. PNWER, together with a coalition of about 40 other organizations and governments, worked with the Canadian Federal Government though a series of Economic Impact Studies, letters, and both formal and informal communications to show the how the economic benefits of greater travel to the area could far outweigh the cost of additional border agents. As a result of these communications a pilot project was

developed allowing the train to begin service in August 2009. In preparations for the 2010 Olympics, there are now two round-trips a day in and out of Vancouver, BC. This service will continue through the Paralympics, and then be further reviewed. Based on ridership and other factors, CBSA may continue the service without cost recovery.

PNWER is continuing to work with its transportation partner, the Cascadia Center for Regional Development, to expand the marketing and awareness of this valuable, environmentally friendly mode of transportation. We also are working to raise awareness in BC, Washington, and Oregon about the importance of working together on applications for federal funding for rail improvements, a significant part of the US stimulus plan. 2010 will continue to see a strong focus on rail in PNWER’s transportation working group.

2009 Summit in Boise

Governor Otter welcomed over 500 PNWER delegates to Boise July 12-16, 2009 for three full days of in-depth discussion on regional issues such as: Agriculture, Energy, Environment, Border Issues, Telecommunications, Trade & Economic Development, Homeland Security, Forestry, Invasive Species, Water Policy, Health Care, and Workforce.

PNWER swore in its first female president, Alaska State Senator Lesil McGuire. Senator McGuire named Energy, Arctic Issues,Transportationand Large Infrastructure, and Workforce as her top priorities.

Delegates attended a welcoming reception at the Basque Block, featuring Boise Mayor David Bieter, and US Congressmen Walt Minnick. Guests were treated to a traditional Basque dance performance and cuisine,

12 | 2009 Annual ReportU.S.-Canadian Border Projects | 2009 Summit

John van Dongen, MLA, of British Columbia initiates Senator Lesil McGuire of Alaska as the new PNWER president in the gavel pass-ing ceremony.

PNWER |13

2009 Progress

representing Boise’s large Basque population--the largest in the country.

PNWER hosted a Western Barbeque at the JRSimplot Stables, where guests were entertained by a performance on the guitar by Governor Otter, a truly unique Idaho experience! Governor Otter addressed delegates, telling them that,“The Pacific Northwest is one of the fastest growingregions in North America and the need for binational, regional advocates that work with both the public and private sectors is important in this economic climate.”

At the 2009 Annual Summit, PNWER welcomed the Northwest Territories as the 10th jurisdiction to join the organization. The Northwest Territories has a population of about 40,000, and is rich in resources such as gold, diamonds, natural gas and petroleum.

The summit was met with positive responses from attendees. Delegates appreciated the opportunitiesto address key issues, establish Action Items, and increase communication between the private and public sectors. Lynn D. Westfall, Senior VP External Affairs & Chief Economist of the Tesoro Corporation said, “PNWER is the perfectopportunity for legislators and business to conduct

a long overdue dialogue.”

The Boise Host Committee, chaired by Roy Eiguren of Eiguren Public Law & Policy and Bruce Newcomb, former Speaker of the House, did a fantastic job of organizing the Summit and welcoming our delegates to the city. The Host Committee organized several policy and family tours including: Idaho National Laboratory, the National Interagency Fire Center, US Geothermal, the Banner Bank LEED Building, JR Simplot, Healthwise, Nunhems Seed, and Clear Springs Trout Farm

Workforce

The Alaska Highway Pipeline Project

PNWER, with funding from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC), produced a report this year to identify the state of preparednessand planning of the Pacific Northwest region’s private and public sectors as it relates to the construction of the Alaska gas pipeline. The report was identified overall employment demand for the pipeline, as well as gaps in infrastructure, training, and workforce planning and supply.

Denali- The Alaska Gas Pipeline, LLC (Denali); and TransCanada Alaska Company (TransCanada) are actively preparing for an open season to develop a natural gas pipeline from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, connecting to the Alberta Hub and into the lower 48 states. Both pipeline proposals follow the same route, and will run approximately 2,700 kilometers (1,677 miles) underground through Alaska, the Yu-kon, British Columbia and into Alberta. The project will require an enormous planning effort, from both a logistical and a labor point of view. The challenge will be to identify a source of labor that is both skilled enough, and large enough to meet the demands of the project; and establish how to get the people and the materials to the construction sites in order to optimize progress on the project.

The research showed there is a significant body of information to begin developing best practices and common strategies. If the plans and policies that

2009 Summit | Workforce

Summit Delegates with Basque Dancers

Governor Otter welcomes delegates at the Western Barbeque


have been created could be expanded regionally, the governments involved may be more successful in implementing them. It would help governments plan budgets, develop joint priorities and manage their resources more effectively. Without any coordination however, the jurisdictions involved will continue to compete unnecessarily with each other for the workforce, rather than working together to increase this vital resource.

Common themes which appeared in the research were the need for:

• More current and relevant data about the labor supply and the market’s needs; • The need to integrate industry and the private sector in the training process to a greater degree (i.e. – more apprenticeships, funding for training, developing training standards); • Beginning the training process early enough to enable workers to be ready for pipeline related jobs; • The need to retain current workers longer, and to attract other groups such as First Nations, women, and immigrants.

2009 Winter Meeting

Legislative Leadership Academy

The second PNWER Legislative Leadership Academy was held November 4-7, 2009 in Regina, Saskatchewan concurrent with the Economic Leadership Forum. Leaders throughout the region participated in two days of seminars on the US and Canadian political systems, involving interactive workshops, and in-depth discussions.

The Legislative Academy was invited to attend Question Period and later participants were able to apply their new knowledge in a mock question period. These leaders returned to their own states and provinces with a better understanding of how the two systems work, and have developed important relationships to better prepare them to work together on binational issues.

Delegates attended lectures and participated in small

Len Mitzel, MLA, and Min. Naomi Yamamoto of Brit-ish Columbia lead a discussion on Canadian govern-ment to the group of US legislators

The 2009 Legislative Academy Class, pictured with Hon. Don Toth, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan

A group of Legislative Academy delegates partici-pate in a group discussion

A special thanks to our Legislative Leadership Academy Faculty:

Dr. Don Alper, Director and Professor, Center for Canadian-American Studies, Western Washington University Dr. Ken Rasmussen, Associate Dean and Professor, University of ReginaDr. Michael Treleaven, Associate Professor, Political Science, Gonzaga University

Workforce | 2009 Winter Meeting

group discussions, on topics such as federal versus state/provincial politics, campaigns and elections, and the role of lobbyists, media and interest groups. Provincial Speakers Hon. Don Toth ofSaskatchewan, and Hon. Ken Kowalski of Alberta, along with Washington State Speaker Pro Tempore Hon. Jeff Morris headlined a popular session entitled “From the Speaker’s Chair”

Also in attendance at the Legislative Academy was a group of graduate students from the Johnson-Shoyama School of Public Policy at the University of Regina. These students had the very unique experience of attending all of the Legislative Academy sessions alongside regional legislators, and had the opportunity to actively participate in discussion of US and Canada politics. The graduate students enthusiasm and academic insight offered fresh perspective to the conversations.

The legislative academy concluded with a graduation ceremony for participants. Graduates were given a chance to spend some time with their fellow academy classmates, receive their diplomas, and prepare to bring the lessons they learned back to their home jurisdictions.

Some participants stayed in Regina an extra day to attend one or both of the policy tours, including a trip to the Petroleum Technology Research Centre/International Test Centre at the University of Regina.

Economic Leadership Forum

The Legislative Leadership Academy took place concurrently with the 2009 PNWER Economic

Leadership Forum. Saskatchewan is the number one province in all of Canada in job creation, and leaders from throughout the PNWER region met in Regina to discuss innovation, the environment, and many other topics with the goal of creating sustainable economic growth in the region. The event offered an exceptional opportunity for member jurisdictions to build relationships across borders.

Speakers for the Economic Leadership Forum included Ambassador Gary Doer, Canadian Ambassador to the U.S. and Hon. Brad Wall, Premier of Saskatchewan, among many others who lent their time and talents both as keynote speakers and as chairs, moderators, and panelists for the four day Forum.

PNWER would like to extend a special thanks to Vice President Michael Chisholm, MLA and the staff of Intergovernmental Relations for all of their organizational support.

ENERGY

Energy Horizon Program

2009 was a landmark year for PNWER’s Energy Horizon Program, now in its seventh year. At the 2008 Vancouver Summit, the Energy Chair’s Task Force and the Energy Horizon Project identified four priorities for the coming year, primary of which was the development of a Legislative Energy Institute to prepare new legislators for a commitment to energy policy. PNWER’s private sector partners had recognized a need for legislators to have a better understanding of the basic energy system, including how the infrastructure works, and how public and private utility managers make business decisions to prepare for the region’s future energy needs.

From this, the Legislative Energy Horizon Institute was born. PNWER approached the US

2009 Progress

PNWER |152009 Winter Meeting | Energy

Speaker Don Toth (left) presents Graduate student Adewale Dada with his diploma at the final banquet


Department of Energy with the idea. They liked the concept of the Institute, and directed PNWER to present the National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) with the concept of a pilot program, which would act as a regional test for a possible national program. The US DOE agreed to provide $65,000 in seed funding to get the Institute going. PNWER reached out to major energy stakeholders, including utilities in the region, to gauge possible supplementary support. Additional funding was secured from NCSL, and from several private sector ‘launch’ sponsors Spectra, Puget Sound Energy, BP, Northwest Gas Association, PacifiCorp and Enbridge. It was through this outreach that it was suggested we collaborate with the University of Idaho’s widely respected utility manager’s course.

PNWER partnered with the University of Idaho’s Execu-tive MBA Leadership Institute to develop the curriculum of the 21 day executive course. Legislators

who complete the 60 hours of course work will be awarded a certificate in Energy Policy from the University of Idaho. It took two months to construct the curriculum and meeting logistics, three months to recruit the first class, and 11 months to coordinate the classroom instruction.

The opening of the first class on the Energy Horizon Legislative Institute was held during the 2009 PNWER Summit in Boise, Idaho. The first class consisted of just 37 legislators from both the US and Canada, but enthusiasm about the institute spread

throughout the entire conference. In addition to the University of Idaho Faculty, speakers included Steve Wright, BPA Administrator; Hon. Mel Knight, Minister of Energy for Alberta; Steve Reynolds, CEO of Puget Sound Energy; Doug Bloom, CEO of Spectra Canada; Lynn Westfall, Senior VP of Tesoro; and many others. The second face to face meeting concluded in San Diego in December 2009 during the Winter NCSL meeting.

Evaluations of the courses have been overwhelmingly positive. One comment that reflects many of the evaluations of the event read: “Presenters were talented and informed. Information was presented and compared to everyday language; humor was included and presenters were comfortable in what specifics they were responsible for bringing to the group.” Evalua-tors also provided insight into topics they would like included in the future, which has helped shape future meetings.

The final portion of the Institute will be held April 7–10, 2010 in Washington, DC. The focus of the DC curriculum will be on understanding the roles and responsibilities of the various federal regulatory agencies (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, North America Electric Reliability Corporation, Environmental Protection Agency, US Department of Energy, National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, and National Energy Board of Canada) in relation to state and provincial authority. In addition there will be sessions on climate change legislation, and updates from Capitol Hill. The session will culminate in a graduation ceremony where all participating legislators will receive their certificates.

Dean Allen, CEO of McKinstry Co., addresses legislators in Boise

Legislators learned about the future of energy in the region at the first of three Institute sessions, which was held in Boise, ID

Energy

Action Item

s

PNWER |17

2009 Action Items

Agriculture

Goals include working to develop a regional roundtable discussion with state/provincial industry & government stakeholders and principal federal officials to communicate the regional economic implications of specific federal Agriculture policy. Issues to be addressed in 2010 include water management and supply; carbon foodprint; energy and transportation; and the balance between environment andeconomic growth.

Agriculture - Cross-Border Livestock Health Conference

We will work with officials from the Canadian and US governments to encourage the acceptance of electronic documentation and endorsement of the import/export of live animals and products between the two countries. The working group will investigate and report progress on harmonization of livestock trucker training programs;investigate proposed and instituted changes to livestock transportation; and obtain the OIR report/direction regarding livestock transportation in Canada and the US. The group will also urge the USDA to expedite the rule making process to restore access for Canadian sheep and goats, and work with the federal officials from both countries to achieve this goal.

We intend to make the Cross-Border Livestock Health Conference a yearly event at the PNWER Annual Summit and will work with the 2010 host committee to begin to plan next year’s event.

Border Issues

Develop a two track process for moving forward.Track 1: Future vision of a border that does not struggle with a trade vs security trade-off. Vision should incorporate principles of what a well-governed 21st century border should look like.Track 2: Practical steps include reestablishing a regional border council to provide regular input to US/Canadian officials; recommend to reform/

abolish nuisance regulations; work to simplify and clarify rules for business travel; and recommend staff improvements.

Invasive Species

PNWER will support federal funding for the West Coast Governor’s Agreement on Ocean Health Spartina Eradication Plan, and Quagga Zebra Mussel Action Plan (QZAP) in order to increase knowledge of the plans throughout the region.

Goals include changing the name of thecommittee to “Bio Security Committee” to garner more interest;

developing inspection protocols and proceduresthat allow reciprocity for inspection of boats; engaging the Bonneville Power Administration in the Invasive species working group by emphasizing impact of Quagga mussels on Salmon; contact the Western Governors Association to raise awareness in bordering states; compile a list of legislators that are active on invasive species issues; begin work on an economic analysis of the cost of invasive species invasion in each PNWER state and province; and support research on the management of aquatic invasive species. The Executive Board will approve the PNWER letter to Secretary Salazar and the Minister of Fisheries asking for enhanced enforcement of boat inspections, and improved state plans for managing invasive aquatic species. The Board will encourage member legislators to send similar letters.

Health Care

In association with the 2010 Calgary PNWER meeting, we hope to hold a meeting of health evidence centres and key decision makers to identify opportunities for joint identification of priorities for evidence review; mechanisms for cooperating and using shared capacity at academic centres in the region; sharing approaches to engage with the public and industry in technologyassessment processes; a potential launch of Health evidence network for PNWER region; and promotion of self care and decision support aids for consumers [Including Health Link Info Line].

These action items were developed by participants at the 2009 PNWER Annual Summit in Boise, Idaho.


PNWER will use the Health Care working group website and newsletter to identify reliable evidence based resources for comparing international health systems. A slide kit of international comparative health statistics will be prepared for use by PNWER decision-makers.

The MOU for the PNW Border Health Alliance is being circulated for sign-off and becomes effective when executed by two or more jurisdictions. To date, the MOU has been signed by Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, and is presently on its way to British Columbia. PNWER encourages all jurisdictions to sign the MOU in 2009.

Homeland Security/Regional Disaster Resilience

PNWER should explore with DHS and DOE the possibility of developing a course modeled on PNWER’s Energy Legislative Institute to provide legislators with information on homeland security and disaster resilience. We should also explore the development of an initiative to increase understanding of cross-border regional infrastructure interdependencies that can impact response/recovery and restoration associated with large-scale disasters.

Innovation

PNWER encourages the regional University Presidents to continue to utilize the annual summit as a forum to meet and discuss regional issues.

Tourism

PNWER will forward information regarding regional 2010 Olympics partnership opportunities to member states, and develop a pilot partnership, and funding, with the Binational Tourism Alliance and PNWER to work one or two projects of mutual interest.

Trade and Economic Development

The US and Canada are the largest trading partners in the world. PNWER celebrates this and promotes free trade as it will strengthen the economies of both nations. PNWER discourages protectionist measures and retaliatory actions because they are not good for the US or Canada, but encourages local, state,

provincial, and municipal governments to adopt open procurement policies within our region and between our two countries. PNWER staff will clarify and distribute information about the opportunity for PNWER to be a partner on US stimulus funding grants.

Transportation

PNWER extends its appreciation to the governments of Canada and Cabinet for waving a customs fee for the second Amtrak Cascades service to Vancouver. The Cascadia Center for Regional Development and PNWER have formed an ad hoc advisory group of tourism, transportation, and environmental leaders along the Cascades Corridor to work directly with WSDOT, Amtrak, and the Ministry of Transportation to help market the train to a wide regional and international audience. The goal is to ensure that the “pilot project” for the fee waiver is a success and the service will continue permanently without additional costs.

PNWER believes that restoration of inter-city passenger rail service between Seattle and Denver could promote: Economic development and increased tourism to the recreation sites along the Columbia River and Rocky Mountain regions; Accessibility to rural areas that have seen reductions in intercity bus and air service, promotion of freight mobility and market access for farm products through joint investments in tracks for passengers and freight; community safety through new federal and Class One RR investments in “Positive Train Control” GPS-based safety systems designed to prevent collisions and derailments; and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Water Policy

PNWER should explore the possibility of hosting a Columbia River treaty symposium for legislators and stakeholders to begin a dialogue to understand respective issues and priorities

Workforce Development

Continue the development of a Northern Pipeline Coordinating Council, including information gathering on potential partners, scoping, and members.

Finances

PNWER |19

2009 Finances

PNWER’s income is derived from dues from member states, federal and state/provincial grants and contracts, and private sector contributions. All states/provinces pay $35,000 per year and territories pay $7,000. Montana pays $21,000 per year. Private sector contributions vary by company and amount. Approximately 40% of PNWER’s revenue was received from federal and state/provincial agencies forvarious projects.

During the fiscal year ending September 30, 2009, PNWER’s total income was $1,303,333 and total expenses totaled $1,286,444

RevenuePublic Sector Parterships $280,000Private Sector Partnerships $365,000Gov. Grants & Contracts $500,101Meeting Income $167,010 TOTAL $1,303,333

Functional ExpensesOperating Expenses $582,221Program Expenses $418,299Meeting Expenses $285,724

TOTAL $1,286,444

Finances

PNWER’s income is derived from dues from member states, federal and state/provincial grants

and contracts, and private sector contributions. All states/provinces pay $35,000 per year and

Territories pay $7,000. Montana pays $21,000 per year. Private sector contributions vary by

company and amount. Approximately 40% of PNWER’s revenue was received from federal and

state/provincial agencies for various projects.

During the fiscal year ending September 30, 2009, PNWER’s total income was $1,303,333 and

total expenses totaled $1,286,444

Statement of Activities for the Year Ended

September 30, 2009

Revenue

Public Sector Partnerships $280,000

Private Sector Partnerships $365,000

Gov. Grants & Contracts $500,101

Meeting Income $167,010

TOTAL $1,303,333

Functional Expenses

Operating Expenses $582,221

Program Expenses $418,299

Meeting Expenses $285,724

TOTAL $1,286,444

Statement of Activities for the Year Ended September 30, 2009


Sponsorship

Why Join PNWER? PNWER is the only regional planning and facilitation organization set up in statute by the border states and provinces to deal with cross-border policy and planning in the Pacific Northwest.

“PNWER has been the single most effective organization that we have been associated with in our twenty-three year existence in addressing political as well as business issues.,” - Darrell Bryan, Preident and CEO of Clipper Navigation Inc.

“PNWER is an opportunity for continuing to build relationships. None of the AlbertaCompanies can afford to have any blockages or barriers to cross-border trade. A company like TransCanada works hard to contribute to organizations such as PNWER because it’simportant to us and our shareholders that governments don’t set up additional trade barriers,”- Hal Kvisle, CEO of TransCanada

“PNWER has provided a unique venue to reach both regional government leaders, as well as other business leaders; a process which is vital to our business,” - Paul Manson, CEO Sea Breeze Corp

An investment in PNWER offers:

• businesses the reach of a cross-border, region-wide network of private and government officials.

• the premier resources for bringing together public and private sector leaders.• a strong voice for business and government across five states, three provinces,

and two territories.• a private sector council, which helps business develop new relationships with

partners, vendors, and suppliers.• a gateway to hundreds of regional economic development resources.

For addtional information, contact: Ian Burkheimer, Director of Partnerships

(206) [email protected]

or visit:www.pnwer.org/sponsorships

2010 Opportunities

PNWER |21

2010 PNWER Annual Summit“An Energized Outlook: Leading the Way”

2010 Summit topics will include:

• Infrastructure--pipelines, railways, transmission, air

• Environmental focus on sustainability

• Stimulus results and economic resilience

• Nanotechnology• Enhanced oil recovery and gas/

coal to liquids technology• Changing fundamentals in gas--

i.e. shale, liquids• Impact of pandemics on tourism

and business• Rural /First Nations Workforce

Development• Regulatory transformation and the

effects on the regional economy

Save the date!Calgary, AlbertaJuly 16-20, 2010

Celebrate PNWER’s 20th anniversary, experience the Calgary Stampede, and connect with

business and government leaders from throughout the region.

For more information please visitwww.pnwer.org/2010annualsummit

Pacific NorthWest Economic RegionWorld Trade Center West

2200 Alaskan Way Ste. 460Seattle, WA 98121

Phone: (206) 443-7723Fax: (206) 443-7703

www.pnwer.org

2009 annual report

Documents

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great region

pnwers leadership team

us department of energy

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