Gov. Hunt Urges State Workers to 
Continue Environmental Push 

RALEIGH –  As state employees showcased exhibits of new environmentally sound practices in state government, Gov. Jim Hunt today urged further innovation in state agencies to promote environmental stewardship in North Carolina. 

Hunt challenged state employees last September to set an example for North Carolinians by integrating environmental awareness into the day-to-day operations of state government. Today, he joined with state employees at a fair to highlight NC Project Green, an ongoing environmental initiative that has spawned 77 environmentally aware projects from 13 state agencies and that brought praise today from the White House's expert on environmental sustainability.

"Gov. Hunt has given exemplary leadership on the critically important issue of environmental stewardship and sustainable development," said Ray Anderson, co-chair of the President's Council on Sustainable Development and chief executive officer and founder of Interface Inc. "His work to have state government operate in an environmentally sensitive manner is not only evidence of his personal commitment to the environment and the well-being of future generations, it sets a high and worthy example for Gov. Hunt's peers and other states in the union.

Hunt told a crowd of several hundred state employees today that the key element of NC Project Green is state government's ability to influence citizens, businesses and local governments to practice environmental stewardship. State government is the largest employer and the largest organization in North Carolina.

"We consume tremendous resources on a daily basis. We should act every day as stewards of the environment," Hunt said. "And if we do, the example won't be lost on those we serve."

Under Hunt's leadership, North Carolina has compiled a record of environmental gains that has included tougher enforcement policies toward polluters; protection of surface waters, coastal waters and groundwater; increased funding for mass transit; and wetland protection and restoration. 

The fair featured environmentally sensitive projects ranging from worm composting of cafeteria wastes to high-tech alternative fuel vehicles. State government, which operates the largest motor fleet in the state, already has placed more than vehicles powered by compressed natural gas, propane, ethanol and other sources into service.

At the gathering, Hunt also signed clean-air and clean-water legislation passed by the General Assembly on Monday. The clean-air legislation was based on a package Hunt had proposed at the Summit on Mountain Air Quality in Asheville last April. 

The package is designed to reduce ozone emissions, a key component of smog, by mandating the sale of low-sulfur fuel and by expanding and strengthening the state's auto emissions inspection program. Hunt also signed a clean-water bill proposed in the Senate that will toughen enforcement measures on water polluters by increasing fines and strengthening reporting requirements, and that will extend the moratorium on new or expanded large-scale hog farms until July 1, 2001. 

###