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Media Contact: Fred Strohl Communications and Media Relations 865.574.4165

Audio Spot: ORNL contributes to higher Tennessee business climate ranking

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OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Nov. 8, 2005 — With the national publication Site Selection ranking Tennessee as the state with the fifth best business climate in the nation, Allen Neel of the East Tennessee Economic Development Agency says the good news is due in part to new opportunities created in the Oak Ridge area.

"Oak Ridge and the Oak Ridge National Lab, the technology base there and the companies that we're seeing grow around the Oak Ridge area contributes heavily to a diverse business climate and a strong business climate," says Neel, president of the economic development agency.

Tom Ballard, Oak Ridge National Laboratory's director of economic development and partnerships, says technology success stories are creating new jobs throughout Tennessee.

"Our economic development group works very closely with state, regional and local economic development organizations to position Tennessee as a hot spot for technology based economic development," Ballard says. "This ranking just reinforces the importance Oak Ridge National Lab and technologies in general play in the future of economic growth in the state of Tennessee."

Tennessee moved up to fifth from last year's seventh-place ranking.

ORNL is managed by UT-Battelle for the Department of Energy.