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NAM: Manufacturers take legal action to protect jobs against radical environmental policy

The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) has announced that it has taken action this week against what it says is a frivolous lawsuit that would have catastrophic economic consequences for manufacturers and businesses throughout the U.S. The California-based environmental groups' suit against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Departments of Defense, Agriculture, and Commerce in Alec L. v. Jackson would force the government to impose drastically higher greenhouse gas emissions regulations under a "public trust" theory. NAM Senior Vice President for Policy and Government Relations Aric Newhouse issued the following statement on the NAM's motion to intervene and dismiss this litigation to protect manufacturers and their workers:

"The goals of a robust economy with strong job creation and sound environmental policy can be accomplished together. However, if this lawsuit is successful, it would deal a devastating blow to our economy, costing thousands of jobs in the process. The result will be a less competitive America, where manufacturers face skyrocketing production and transportation costs. Lawsuits like these should be dismissed, and our time and energy should be put to better use finding reasonable solutions that implement common-sense environmental policy while putting America back to work. The NAM will fight this frivolous effort in order to protect jobs during our still-fragile economic recovery."

"Our people are our competitive advantage, and a 100% Safe work environment helps ensure we are protecting our most valued assets every day," said Kennametal Chairman, President and CEO Carlos Cardoso. "Safety is good business, and it is no coincidence that firms with excellence in safety are among the top financial performers. Working safely is about all of us, and we are committed to creating a culture where we work 100% Safe, 100 percent of the time to continue to deliver on our promise to each other, our customers and our shareholders."

The NAM stated that it filed the motion to dismiss the lawsuit because, among other reasons, the case presents political questions that the courts are not able to resolve. The public trust doctrine does not exist under federal law, and the claims have been displaced by federal regulation in this area.