Release Date: September 17, 2007

WASHINGTON, DC – A recently prepared economic report indicates that the Office of Fossil Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) contributed $283 million and supported nearly 3,200 jobs during 2006 in the Pennsylvania and West Virginia region. 

"We at NETL take great pride in our longstanding contribution to the community at large and to the nation overall," said NETL Director Carl Bauer. "As this report indicates, the magnitude of the economic and job-related value added to the region, along with our extensive community outreach programs, demonstrates our willingness to be and to remain a good neighbor." 

The study indicated that, in 2006, every dollar of NETL's operational expenditures, wages, and research and development funding provided an additional 47 cents of economic activity in the region stemming from the participation of local businesses in NETL's supply chain. In other words, every $1 spent by NETL generated $1.47 in economic activity. Also, every $1 million spent by NETL supported 20 jobs within the region. 

According to NETL economist Lisa Phares, "The results from the study are conservative as they do not include regional impacts of technology deployment, educational outreach programs, or induced impacts, namely those derived from employee spending. The comprehensive impact of the laboratory on the region is, therefore, likely considerably higher than what is reported here." 

NETL is one the Energy Department's 17 national laboratories. Its mission to implement research, development, and demonstration programs to resolve the environmental, supply, and reliability constraints of producing and using fossil resources. As well as conducting research on site, NETL allocates a portion of its resources to support research and development partnerships with industry, university, and other government entities. 

The report was prepared by NETL in conjunction with Carnegie Mellon University and West Virginia University.