<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""><img apple-inline="yes" id="4946FB23-8EF7-48BD-AA69-2F596201BDE9" height="96" width="296" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D31684.8DB96CF0" class=""></span></b><b class=""><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""><a href="http://www.foe.org/news/news-releases/2017-08-closed-door-nafta-negotiation-silences-those-who-want-clean-air-water" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">http://www.foe.org/news/news-releases/2017-08-closed-door-nafta-negotiation-silences-those-who-want-clean-air-water</a><o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class="">For Immediate Release:</span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""> August 16, 2017<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class="">Expert contact: </span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class="">Bill Waren, 202-222-0746, </span><a href="mailto:WWaren@foe.org" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class=""><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class="">WWaren@foe.org</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class="">Communications contact:</span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""> Patrick Davis, (202) 222-0744, </span><a href="mailto:pdavis@foe.org" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class=""><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class="">pdavis@foe.org</span></a><u class=""><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></u></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class="">Closed door NAFTA negotiation silences those who want clean air and water</span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class="">WASHINGTON, D.C. –</span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""> The Trump Administration today begins hosting the first round of negotiations on a new North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in Washington, D.C. The negotiations begin today, August 16, and running through Sunday August 20.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class="">This week, Friends of the Earth released a blog entitled: <a href="https://medium.com/@foe_us/10-ways-that-trumps-new-nafta-threatens-people-and-the-planet-69ad38b8399f" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">10 ways that Trump’s new NAFTA threatens people and the planet.</a><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class="">Bill Waren, Friends of the Earth senior trade analyst,</span></b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""> issued the following statement:<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class="">Donald Trump demonized NAFTA during his presidential campaign, calling it “the worst trade deal” and made assurances that he would rework NAFTA to protect the American people. Now, he has modified his message. Trump plans not to reform NAFTA, but to provide even more handouts to corporate special interests. Trump clearly intends to use a new NAFTA to hamstring effective environmental regulation across the board and accelerate global warming<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class="">Trump’s NAFTA renegotiation objectives will be destructive for people and the planet. By holding this week’s NAFTA talks behind closed doors, keeping the negotiating text secret, and shutting out environmentalists and other advocates to brief the negotiators on our policy positions, he is silencing the voices of Americans who want clean air and clean water. The obsessive secrecy of this week’s NAFTA negotiations can be explained by the Dracula principle; if daylight were allowed to shine on the secret text and the secret talks, then Trump’s proposed NAFTA deal, like a vampire, would wither and die.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><u class=""><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(5, 99, 193);" class=""> </span></u></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><i class=""><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class="">###<o:p class=""></o:p></span></i></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><i class=""><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></i></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><i class=""><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class="">Friends of the Earth fights to create a more healthy and just world. Our current campaigns focus on promoting clean energy and solutions to climate change, ensuring the food we eat and products we use are safe and sustainable, and protecting marine ecosystems and the people who live and work near them.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></i></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);" class="">Patrick Davis <o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">Press Officer<o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0);" class="">Friends of the Earth U.S.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><a href="www.foe.org" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class=""><span style="color: blue;" class="">www.foe.org</span></a><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" class="">202-222-0744 (direct)<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" class="">608-770-4800 (mobile)<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" class=""><a href="mailto:pdavis@foe.org" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">pdavis@foe.org</a><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" class="">Follow FOE on <a href="https://twitter.com/foe_us" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/foe.us" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">Facebook</a>!</span></div></body></html>