Press Releases

Today, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright introduced legislation that would create manufacturing and construction jobs while saving energy. The Job Creation through Energy Efficient Manufacturing Act would establish a Department of Energy (DOE) program to help small- and medium-sized manufacturers make energy efficient upgrades.

“This bill supports family-sustaining jobs, helps small businesses save money, and makes American manufacturing more competitive,” said Rep. Cartwright, a Vice-Chair of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition. “The manufacturing sector consumes more than 40% of all energy used in the United States. By investing in energy efficiency, we can hire more workers, strengthen our energy security, and grow our economy for years to come.”

This bill would create a Financing Energy Efficient Manufacturing Program in the DOE to provide competitive state grants to finance energy efficient retrofits, onsite clean and renewable energy, smart grids, and alternative vehicle fleet projects for industrial businesses. Grants will be prioritized for domestic projects with sound labor practices that create jobs using American materials.

“The positive impacts of investments in energy efficient manufacturing—like those in the Job Creation through Energy Efficient Manufacturing Act introduced today by Congressman Cartwright— are undeniable,” said Kim Glas, Executive Director of the BlueGreen Alliance. “Not only do energy efficiency improvements make our industrial and manufacturing sectors more cost-effective and cleaner, but by including Buy American provisions that incentivize the use of American-made products, this bill ensures that the beneficial impacts of these investments will be wide-ranging. To benefit American workers even further, the Job Creation through Energy Efficient Manufacturing Act rewards projects for using contractors with good labor practices, ensuring that jobs created are quality, family-sustaining jobs.”

“We commend Representative Cartwright for proposing legislation that creates incentives for projects – like CHP – that lower energy use,” said Jennifer Kefer, Director of the Alliance for Industrial Efficiency. “By using a single source to generate both heat and power, a CHP facility can be twice as efficient as traditional power generation, reducing costs for industrial users, which account for about one-third of total U.S. energy demand. By improving the efficiency of industrial plants, the Cartwright bill will lower energy costs, make America’s manufacturers more competitive, and create jobs.”

Senator Merkley introduced companion legislation in the Senate.