Idaho National Laboratory and Pacific Northwest Economic Region Development Group to Announce Partnership

INL will offer energy and homeland security-related technical expertise / PNWER will market INL’s capabilities to the broader region

After years of informal collaborations, the Pacific Northwest Economic Region is taking its relationship with Idaho National Laboratory http://www.inl.gov to the next level.

On Monday, Jan. 14, Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter, Idaho National Laboratory director John Grossenbacher and leaders of the Pacific Northwest Economic Region http://www.pnwer.org/ (PNWER) will announce a new working agreement. The delegation will meet with the Governor at 10 a.m. and the announcement will occur at 10:30 a.m. in the second floor courtroom of the Borah Building, 304 N. Eighth St., Boise.

“The Idaho National Laboratory, with its critically important mission and leadership in the area of energy research and development, is an incredible resource not only to the state of Idaho, but to the region,” said Gov. Otter. “I’m excited about the establishment of this partnership between PNWER and INL and this new opportunity to enhance Idaho’s interests and influence within the region.”

Idaho state Rep. George Eskridge (R-Dover), who is the current president of PNWER, agreed with the governor, adding, “We’re very excited about this partnership because it offers an opportunity to showcase INL’s capabilities to the broader region and increases PNWER’s effectiveness in accomplishing its economic development mission.” Rep. Eskridge, who helped pull the partnership together, added, “The lab is uniquely capable of evaluating energy, environment and security challenges that transcend state and national borders. It is building a reputation as a regional resource that can provide honest, independent technical information to help regional governments make informed policy decisions.”

"INL is pleased to be partnered with PNWER in this relationship,” said INL Laboratory Director John Grossenbacher. “It represents increased potential to address our region’s energy challenges."

The new agreement establishes a stronger long-term partnership between PNWER and INL, allowing for closer collaborations in addressing bi-national regional issues. As part of this partnership, INL will support PNWER by providing independent technical resources to address regional energy issues including clean and renewable energy technologies and homeland security challenges that transcend state and provincial borders. In turn, PNWER will market INL’s capabilities to the broader region, including Western Canada and link its researchers to over fifty institutions in the Pacific Northwest through the Pacific NorthWest Innovation Network. The first collaboration will address one of PNWER’s Energy Horizon Project tasks: assessing the impacts of not building electric transmission in the Pacific Northwest.

INL is a multi-program national laboratory owned by the U.S. Department of Energy and run by Battelle Energy Alliance. The lab is the nation’s leading center of nuclear energy research and development, but also devotes considerable resources to alternative energy, environmental science and homeland security projects.

Every year PNWER members tour state and provincial legislatures within the group’s jurisdiction. During their two-day Boise visit, PNWER’s leadership will also meet with legislative leaders, offer testimony to the House Environment, Energy and Technology committee, organize a roundtable discussion focusing on bi-national agriculture issues, and meet with the Idaho Department of Commerce and the Idaho Tourism Commission.

PNWER is a statutory public/private partnership of governments and businesses in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, British Columbia, Alberta and the Yukon Territory. It promotes regional cooperation to enhance the environment and economic competitiveness of the Northwest. The group’s key topics address issues affecting both sides of the border: energy, economic development, homeland security and tourism, including the 2010 Winter Olympics. PNWER has become recognized as a model in bringing together key regional public and private stakeholders to take charge of their own destinies and work with federal agencies.

For Information or Interviews Contact:

PNWER: Matt Morrison (206) 399-4026

Gov. C.L “Butch” Otter: Jon Hanian (208) 334-2100

INL (Director Grossenbacher): Nicole Stricker (208) 526-5955

INL (Announcement event): Brian Whitlock (208) 334-9598