Inslee wraps Nordic trade mission with focus on electric ferries

Gov. Jay Inslee and a delegation of Washington state officials have concluded a ten-day trade mission to the Nordic countries. This week, the delegation visited Sweden and Norway to observe innovations in industrial sustainability, corrections reform, and maritime commerce.

The delegation visited the Research Institute of Sweden (RISE) to discuss opportunities to collaborate on research. RISE and Washington State University (WSU) are both researching lignin, an organic polymer found in wood. WSU has already created a biodegradable packing foam from a lignin-based material, and RISE is pioneering a method to mix wood with electrical components to create a type of battery.

On Thursday, the delegation boarded an electric ferry in Norway. Norway’s electric ferry fleet completes dozens of daily trips carrying customers across Norway’s famous fjords, all without producing carbon emissions. One of the nation’s larger electric ferries, the MF Ampere, holds 120 cars and 350 passengers. It has sailed a distance equivalent to eight trips around the equator during its service. Inslee signed an executive order in 2018 directing the state Department of Transportation to transition to a zero-emission fleet.

The mission was fruitful in enriching relationships between Washington state and the Nordic countries. The state Department of Commerce detailed many of the delegation's activities on their website.

State Department of Corrections applying Norwegian methods to reduce recidivism

The Norwegian Correctional Service believes that people go to court to get punished and to prison to become better neighbors. Norwegian prisons prioritize rehabilitation and have succeeded, slashing recidivism to just 20% (one-third of the American rate). A delegation of Washington state officials including Gov. Jay Inslee visited Romerike Prison near Oslo, Norway to observe their compelling correctional model. The visit was part of the governor’s ten-day trade mission to the Nordic countries.

The mission of the Washington State Department of Corrections (DOC) is to improve public safety by positively changing lives. DOC has partnered with AMEND at the University of California San Francisco to adopt new strategies like those used in Norway to prepare incarcerated people for successful re-entry into society, a tactic which DOC hopes will prevent many from returning to prison.

Read more about the Norwegian model and recent DOC reforms on Gov. Jay Inslee’s Medium.

Bolt Creek Fire nearly completely contained by firefighters

The Bolt Creek Fire that forced evacuations and burned more than 10,000 acres is now nearly contained thanks to wildland firefighters from the state Department of Natural Resources and local jurisdictions. Air quality in Pierce and King counties suffered this week due to smoke from the fire but has since improved. U.S. Route 2 has been closed between Index and Skykomish – the state Department of Transportation is felling burnt trees and removing debris along the roadway in advance of an expected reopening next week.

The state Department of Resources reminds Washingtonians, “don’t be the spark.” Nearly 85% of wildfires are human-caused.

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State revenue forecast adjusted to reflect economic headwinds

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Rosh Hashanah begins Sunday

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Enjoy free entry to national parks on Saturday for National Public Lands Day

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