MAGNET is the voice of manufacturing in Northeast Ohio, advocating for manufacturers in dealing with the multitude of regulatory agencies at the local and regional level and in influencing public policy by:

• Developing public policy positions as a result of input from regional manufacturers.
• Disseminating MAGNET policy positions to community and political leadership.

In June 2009, President Obama created the White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers to help coordinate the federal response to the economic crisis in the auto industry. The Council released its first annual report in May, 2010.

This 54-page report is a snapshot of the Council’s efforts to support the strategies of local communities and states over the last year. It also describes the new federal framework which would place more than $800 million of federal funding in an Environmental Response Trust.

MAGNET is pleased to offer the full text of this report to Northern Ohio manufacturers in the auto industry supply chain for free. If you would like to receive a copy, please contact Linda Barita, voice: (216) 391-7766.

EPA asked to help keep 214 jobs in N. Baltimore, Toledo Blade, June 24, 2010
North Baltimore, Ohio—Ohio’s governor has asked state environmental regulators to come up with a way to save 214 jobs at Continental Structural Plastics in North Baltimore, which is considering a move to Indiana because of an environmental rule.

UAW leader vows to fight for law to ease organizing, AP via Toledo Blade, June 15, 2010
Detroit—United Auto Workers President Ron Gettelfinger said Monday the union will continue to fight for federal card-check legislation that would make it easier for workers to organize, a high priority for the UAW as it continues to lose thousands of members.

Wind advocates push for renewable energy standard, by Bill Rice, WCPN IdeaStream, June 15, 2010
Cleveland—Area manufacturers anxious to get a piece of the emerging wind energy market gathered to show their support for a national policy to promote wind and other clean energy.

White House auto recovery official to step down, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, June 14, 2010
Washington—Ed Montgomery, the executive director of the White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers, is departing to return to academia.

Editorial: An energy revolution for the Great Lakes, by Michael Douglas, Akron Beacon Journal, June 13, 2010
Akron—On Wednesday, The Brookings Institute unveiled a new initiative that puts the Great Lakes region at the center of pursuing energy innovation. For the country to compete and protect the environment, the feds must transform energy research. Let's start in the Great Lakes.

'Card check' dead, but union efforts not, by Dan Shingler, Crain's Cleveland Business, June 7, 2010
Cleveland—Local experts interviewed by Crain's say card check is probably dead, but that doesn't mean the NLRB couldn't tilt the playing field in favor of unions, possibly by speeding up the certification and election processes. (Subscription)

Alcoa's Bill Christopher raises his profile as new leader of Greater Cleveland Partnership, by Tom Breckenridge, Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 30, 2010
Cleveland—Bill Christopher, Executive vice president, Alcoa and Group president, engineered products and solutions, has stepped into the spotlight as chairman of the Greater Cleveland Partnership, the region's largest chamber of commerce and economic development nonprofit.

Mayor Frank Jackson kills Sunpu-Opto deal, says city will start over again to find LED light supplier, by Mark Gillespie, Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 25, 2010
Cleveland—Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson on Monday killed a controversial, no-bid contract with a Chinese LED manufacturer because he thinks he "tainted" the process when he announced the deal in March while his staff was still seeking responses from other companies.

• LED plan's execution, rollout fail Jackson, by Jay Miller, Crain's Cleveland Business, May 24, 2010
• Cleveland council committee embraces LED lighting deal, by Mark Gillispie, Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 17, 2010

Soda tax uncaps a fight, by Valerie Bauerlein and Betsy McKay, Wall Street Journal, May 23, 2010
New York—Makers and sellers of soda and other sweet drinks have intensified a fight against proposed taxes on their products, as a growing number of cities and states are weighing the measures to help fill depleted coffers.

NASA Glenn and state of Ohio pledge to work more closely together, by Tom Breckenridge, Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 22, 2010
Cleveland—Gov. Ted Strickland and Glenn Acting Director Ramon "Ray" Lugo sat side-by-side Friday to sign an agreement calling for regular meetings, worker exchanges and collaborative projects, in areas like stored energy and biofuels development.

Obama pushing higher fuel efficiency standards, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 20, 2010
Washington— President Barack Obama, seeking a gas-sipping fleet of the future, will order the government to begin working on fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions standards for cars and trucks in the 2017 model year and beyond.

Two Ohio legislators back bill to provide working capital to small businesses, by Jay Miller, Crain's Cleveland Business, May 18, 2010
Columbus—Democratic state Reps. Jay P. Goyal of Mansfield and Nancy Garland of New Albany said they would introduce a bill that would create a small business working capital loan program to be administered by the Ohio Department of Development. The program is aimed at helping struggling businesses.

Michelle Obama hails calorie reduction efforts by food and beverage makers, USA Today, May 17, 2010
Washington—Members of the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation, which includes retailers and trade associations, pledged to remove 1.5 trillion calories from their products by the end of 2015.

• White House calls on companies to curb marketing of unhealthy foods to kids, by Janet Adamy, Wall Street Journal, May 11, 2010
  

EPA finalizing emissions rule that would lessen impact on small businesses, by Juliet Eilperin, Washignton Post, May 14, 2010
Washington—The Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday that it is finalizing a rule aimed at curbing greenhouse gas emissions from the largest emitters in the United States, a proposal that would soften the regulation's impact on small businesses but is sure to face a court challenge.

• EPA moves to regulate smokestack greenhouse gases, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 13, 2010
  

Congress to tackle environmental toxins in revision of 1976 federal chemical regulations, by Michael Scott, Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 11, 2010
Washington—Congress is poised to rewrite a three-decade-old federal law regulating chemicals -- even as health, medical and environmental leaders debate a new government report strongly linking environmental exposures to cancer.

Federal rule tilts to favor unions, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, May 11, 2010
Washington—The new rule would recognize a union if a simple majority of workers who cast ballots approve organizing. The previous rule required a majority of the entire work force to favor unionizing. That meant workers choosing not to vote at all were effectively counted as ''no'' votes.