Statement of Carl Pope, Chairman of the Sierra Club and a member of the Blue Ribbon Commission that was seeking ways to keep the plant open.

"This joint venture between Toyota and Tesla Motors will not only create 1000 jobs, but a new fleet of highly efficient cleaner cars. This is a tremendous victory for the partnership between environmentalists and labor, and a model for how to build the green jobs economy of the future while moving America off oil."

"This is a great move for the economy, for jobs and for the air we breathe. The oil disaster unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico demonstrates the desperate need to end our dependence on oil. Consumer demand for energy efficient cars is growing and this plant will help California and the country become leaders in producing that next generation of cars."

"We are pleased to see that the workers who were laid off when the plant closed earlier this year are supposed to be rehired. Keeping these workers is a critical component in ensuring the effectiveness and success of the plant.  It is also important that Toyota commit to going beyond this first step to become a bigger partner and make hybrid vehicles -- not just electric vehicles -- in Fremont."