WASHINGTON, DC – A bipartisan group of lawmakers, led by U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Rob Portman (R-OH), U.S. Reps. Pat Tiberi, Steve Stivers, and Steve Austria, today sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu urging that he provide any and all resources necessary to expedite consideration of CODA Automotive’s pending loan guarantee application to bolster manufacturing jobs in Ohio.
CODA Automotive – a California-based company that produces electric cars – announced last spring that it planned to locate a plant in Columbus that would build lithium-ion batteries for electric cars. Expected to create upwards of 1,000 jobs in Ohio, the plant is contingent on a pending loan guarantee application through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan (ATVM) program.
“CODA is on the front lines of innovation in manufacturing, which is one of the many reasons why central Ohio is the right home for its plant,” Brown said. “Not just a center for innovation, Ohio is also a national leader for clean energy component manufacturing for the auto industry. I will continue to work with my colleagues in the Ohio delegation to continue pushing the Obama Administration to achieve the goal of landing CODA in Columbus.”
“I hope the DOE will move forward on CODA’s loan application as it will create new jobs and advance Ohio’s efforts in new energy technologies,” said Portman. “I applaud CODA’s efforts on this clean energy initiative and potential investment in Ohio. The DOE should support this project, which is in line with pro-growth strategies to reduce our dependence on foreign oil.”
“CODA Automotive’s application has been pending for more than a year, and we appreciate your efforts to review their application,” said Tiberi. “Their all-electric, zero-emission automobiles represents a tremendous opportunity for Ohio to be at the forefront of energy technology that will create jobs and power the future.”
“I encourage the Department of Energy to move quickly in its approval of the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing program,” Stivers said. “This approval will help CODA create over 2,000 new jobs.”
“CODA Automotive has the potential of bringing thousands of jobs to central Ohio. With high unemployment, this is the type of job creation our state needs to help get our economy back on track and put Ohioans back to work,” said Austria.
Brown is working to ensure that the project—expected to create up to 1,328 jobs after five years of operation— obtains the necessary site and incentives approvals. A coordinated Ohio team, including Sen. Brown, then-Governor Ted Strickland, Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman, the Columbus Partnership, the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, The Ohio State University, Franklin County and other local leaders, met with the company throughout 2010 to discuss CODA’s needs before reaching an agreement contingent upon the approvals of state incentives. Work continues with these partners, including Governor John Kasich.
Full text of the letter is below.
August 9, 2011
The Honorable Steven Chu
Secretary of Energy
1000 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, DC 20585
Dear Secretary Chu:
Thank you for your efforts to accelerate the commercial deployment of advanced clean energy technologies and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. We are writing to reaffirm support for the application submitted under the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing (ATVM) program more than one year ago by CODA Automotive and to request you provide the loan office any and all resources necessary in order to expedite this application.
The purpose of the ATVM program is to provide loans for manufacturers and suppliers to retool factories to build high-fuel economy vehicles and to incorporate new technology into vehicles. The trend towards increased national fuel economy standards provides long-term certainty that a robust domestic market for advanced cars and batteries will exist. It is vital that we take action now to meet this demand with American-made products.
CODA is a U.S.-based company engaged in the design and production of all-electric, zero-emission automobiles. CODA, with its affiliate Lio Energy Systems, is requesting an ATVM loan to establish a lithium-ion cell and battery pack manufacturing facility in central Ohio. This advanced manufacturing facility would strengthen America’s capacity to engineer and produce the advanced technology vehicles we need to transition to a clean energy economy and reduce our dependence on imported oil.
Ohio is rapidly becoming a national leader in clean energy component manufacturing for the auto industry. This CODA facility would help build the critical mass to make even more progress in the future. The batteries made in Columbus will allow CODA’s electric cars to travel up to 150 miles – the distance from Washington, DC to Philadelphia – without recharging. This is a truly innovative feat in clean energy technology, and one in which both Ohio and the country can take pride.
We appreciate your consideration of our request to provide the necessary resources to expedite CODA’s application. We thank you for your continued work to ensure clean energy advancement in Ohio and across the United States.
Sincerely,
________________________ ____________________________________________
Sherrod Brown Rob Portman Pat Tiberi
United States Senator United States Senator Member of Congress
________________________ _________________________
Steve Stivers Steve Austria
Member of Congress Member of Congress
###
