New Fuel Standards Hold Potential for Jobs Opportunities, Economic Growth

UAW, NRDC, NWF Report Highlights Top 15 States That Employ Autoworkers in Clean, Efficient Technologies:  AL, AZ, CA, IL, IN, KY, MI, NC, NY, OH, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA

WASHINGTON--August 8, 2011: A new report that underscores the vital link between strong fuel efficiency standards for cars and light trucks and their potential impact on local jobs will be released Tuesday by UAW, the Natural Resources Defense Council and National Wildlife Federation.  

The study comes just two days before Obama is scheduled to visit an advanced battery facility to tout the importance of innovative technologies that will help automakers achieve the 54.5 mpg fuel economy and carbon pollution standards announced last week.  UAW, NRDC and NWF will hold a phone-based news conference at 1 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, August 9, 2011 to release "Supplying Ingenuity:  U.S. Suppliers of Clean, Fuel-Efficient Vehicle Technologies."

The report includes maps that show 43 states are home to companies that manufacture low-emission, fuel-efficient vehicles technologies and the numbers of Americans employed by these suppliers.  

The report highlights the benefits to 15 states employing the highest number of autoworkers in clean, efficient technologies:  Alabama, Arizona, California, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

Suppliers are key to automakers' ability to meet new fuel economy and carbon pollution standards because they develop the critical components such as advanced internal combustion engines and vehicles, hybrid powertrains, plug-in electric vehicles, and create the electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

WHO:

• Cindy Estrada, UAW vice president, who directs the union's Competitive Shop/Independents, Parts and Suppliers (IPS) Department;
• Peter Lehner, executive director, Natural Resources Defense Council; and
• Jim Lyon, senior vice president, Conservation Programs at the National Wildlife Federation.

WHEN:  Tuesday, August 9, 2011

TIME: 1 p.m. EDT

CALL-IN INFORMATION: Join the live, phone-based news conference (with full, two-way Q&A) at 1 p.m. EDT Tuesday, August 9, 2011, by dialing (800) 860-2442. Ask for the "Auto Supply Chain report" news event.

CAN'T PARTICIPATE?:  A streaming audio replay of the news event will be available on the Web at NRDC as of  6 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, August 9, 2011.

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 1.3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Livingston, Montana, and Beijing.

The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) is one of the largest and most diverse unions in North America, with members in virtually every sector of the economy. UAW-represented workplaces range from multinational corporations, small manufacturers, and state and local governments to colleges and universities, hospitals and private nonprofit organizations. The UAW has more than 390,000 active members and over 600,000 retired members in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. www.uaw.org

The National Wildlife Federation is America's largest conservation organization. We work with more than 4 million members, partners and supporters in communities across the country to protect and restore wildlife habitat, confront global warming, and connect with nature.