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America's Manufacturing Renaissance

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ccfo1813.jpg

Cal Dooley has been President and CEO of the American Chemistry Council (ACC) since 2008. According to the ACC, chemistry is leveraging an estimated 100-year supply of natural gas to revitalize America’s—and Ohio’s—manufacturing base. Abundant and affordable natural gas from shale will create tens of thousands of new, high-paying jobs, power U.S. competitiveness, boost exports and fortify our nation’s energy security. As The Economist said earlier this month, “The shale gas and oil bonanza is transforming America’s energy outlook and boosting its economy.

American chemistry relies on natural gas to make the building blocks that go into nearly 96 percent of all domestic manufactured goods. The Ohio chemistry industry employs 42,000 people, and the state is attracting interest from chemical manufacturers looking to expand and build new factories here. An ACC study found that a single petrochemical plant in Ohio could create as many as 17,000 new jobs and $1 billion in wages here.

In 2012, Dooley oversaw ACC’s launch of a national energy advocacy and awareness campaign, “From Chemistry to Energy, which calls on policymakers to support the development of natural gas from shale while promoting energy efficiency and the development of alternative sources such as energy recovery and renewables. ACC believes a comprehensive energy strategy must support the domestic production of all of America’s diverse sources of energy. Ohio can serve as a model for states planning to reduce energy costs and create a competitive advantage for its manufacturers by expanding its natural gas resources. State oversight of hydraulic fracturing is appropriate since state governments have the should have the knowledge to oversee the natural gas production process in their jurisdictions.