Rep. Cartwright, Senator Merkley Introduce Bill to Create Green Jobs, Boost Manufacturing

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright and Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley announced the introduction of the Job Creation through Energy Efficient Manufacturing Act in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.  Energy efficiency investments are job multipliers. Because retrofitting work can’t be outsourced and more than 90% of the materials used are made in the United States, energy efficiency investments help to grow American jobs and the economy. 

In the 113th Congress the legislation was included in the House Democrats’ “Make it in America Agenda,” a plan that focuses on creating the conditions for American businesses and middle-class America to thrive.

The legislation would establish a Financing Energy Efficient Manufacturing Program under the Department of Energy to provide competitive grants to states to establish or expand programs to finance energy efficient retrofit, onsite clean and renewable energy, smart grid, and alternative vehicle fleet projects for industrial businesses.

“Strengthening manufacturing in the U.S. must be one of our top economic priorities.  Investing in energy efficiency manufacturing will help revitalize and modernize the American industrial and manufacturing sector while reducing energy costs and helping the environment,” said Cartwright.  “When we establish innovative programs at the state-level, we encourage the necessary conditions for economic growth.  This legislation would help support middle-class American jobs and benefit American businesses.”

“I’ve said all along: if we don’t make things in America, we won’t have a middle class in America,” said Merkley.  “Investing in energy efficiency retrofits for manufacturers is a great way to create jobs now, make our manufacturers more competitive, and reduce energy waste.”

The potential energy savings for the industrial and manufacturing sector are significant.  The industrial sector could reduce its $200 billion annual energy bill by 25% by 2020 with new investment in only the cost-effective energy efficiency measures.  Investments in energy efficient upgrades to manufacturing facilities would also create green jobs for contractors and businesses in the construction sector that retrofit the buildings. 

According to American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, every $1 million invested in energy efficiency supports approximately 20 jobs in the construction industry, which is among the most labor intensive sectors and was hit hard during this recent recession.

Supporting Organizations: Information Technology & Innovation Foundation, National Tooling and Machining Association, Precision Machined Products Association, Precision Metalforming Association, The Alliance for Industrial Efficiency, NASEO, Blue Green Alliance