Automotive Components Holdings Partners With the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge to Manage Unique Wetlands

* Automotive Components Holdings announces cooperative management agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, adding wetlands on the Monroe Plant property to the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge.

* The unique wetlands, known as Eagle Island Marsh, supports significant beds of the threatened American Lotus flower and habitat for eagles and a wide variety of mammals.

* The site - once duck hunting grounds for the Ford family - is now an important flyway for thousands of migrating birds.

MONROE, Mich., Oct. 31 -- Automotive Components Holdings (ACH) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) are announcing a cooperative management agreement that brings 240 acres of unique coastal wetlands into the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge.

The habitat, located behind ACH's Monroe Plant, contains marshland, transitional meadows and forests. It is adjacent to Lake Erie and is bordered by Sterling State Park on the north and the River Raisin on the south.

The wetlands area has been named by Monroe Plant workers as Eagle Island Marsh, a unit of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. The name is a tribute to the bald eagles that have returned to the coastal marshes, which are once again able to support the natural reproduction of America's national symbol.

Eagle Island Marsh also supports significant beds of the threatened American Lotus, a pale yellow flower that is the nation's largest aquatic wildflower. The American Lotus blossom is the official clean water symbol of the State of Michigan.

The management agreement expands the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge to more than 2,100 acres along a 48 mile stretch of shoreline on the lower Detroit River and Lake Erie. Established in 2001, it is the only international wildlife refuge in North America and one of the few urban refuges in the United States.

"I am exceedingly pleased to welcome the Automotive Components Holdings Monroe site to the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge," said Michigan Congressman John Dingell, who authored the act establishing the refuge. "The addition of Eagle Island Marsh is the latest example of the pioneering partnerships forged between government and industry that have built this refuge and are advancing the conservation of our fragile wildlife habitats for future generations. I look forward to working with ACH to protect and enhance this spectacular marsh for the people of Monroe County and for our region."

"We are pleased to contribute to environmental protection in our plant communities," said Al Ver, CEO and COO, Automotive Components Holdings, LLC. "While ACH is temporary, we hope to provide a lasting legacy by working to preserve jobs and the environment."

Biologists from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service already are working with ACH to band and monitor bald eagles. The partnership also includes erosion control, invasive species management and other efforts to protect the environmental quality of the wetlands. Area students will also have the opportunity to learn about nature in the Eagle Island Marsh through environmental education programs.

The Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge brings a significant conservation effort to a major urban doorstep, providing an exceptional outdoor experience to more than five million people and helping develop the next generation of environmental guardians. Further, it will conserve and restore wildlife habitats in the industrial heartland where 97 percent of the coastal wetlands have been lost to development.

"We are gratified that our plant and our company can play a role in protecting our local environment," said Ron Milz, ACH Monroe Plant Manager. "Eagle Island Marsh has long been a source of pride to employees at the Monroe Plant and will be for years to come."

Automotive Components Holdings, LLC is a temporary business managed by Ford Motor Company with headquarters in Dearborn, Mich. ACH includes 17 plants and six office and research facilities in the United States and Mexico. ACH is working to give Ford Motor Company the ability to obtain competitively priced, high-quality components and systems by preparing its business units for sale or other disposition.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Go to http://media.ford.com for news releases and high- resolution photographs.