State grant through Puget Sound Initiative helps King County businesses eliminate pollution

Small business in King County can receive free technical expertise to help them control and prevent pollution through new grant funding from the Washington State Department of Ecology and the Puget Sound Partnership.

King County has received $180,000 to hire business assistance specialists who will use their knowledge to help small businesses reduce pollution through improved business practices.

"The effort to save Puget Sound requires a committed partnership of people and businesses, and this grant will be extremely helpful as we work to protect our environment and the economic viability of the region," said King County Executive Ron Sims.

"Small businesses help form the fabric of our economy. Just as we need a vibrant and healthy Puget Sound, so too do we need a robust economy. Funding to help small businesses control and prevent pollution helps us achieve both of those important goals," Sims said.

King County is a member of the Puget Sound Partnership, which the Washington Legislature formed in 2007 to lead a collaborative effort to protect and restore Puget Sound by 2020. Sims chairs the Partnership's Ecosystem Coordination Board.

For more information on the Puget Sound Partnership, visit www.psp.wa.gov. For more information on King County's role in environmental protection, visit www.kingcounty.gov.