The Sierra Club says it is time for the National Association of Manufacturers to update its name and logo to reflect its "pro-pollution" leanings, but a NAM spokesperson dismissed the environmental group's suggestion as a distraction from the larger issues her group is trying to raise.

In a mocking news release, the Sierra Club said Tuesday it had completed a "comprehensive re-branding" effort on behalf of NAM. The group suggested the association rename itself the "National Association of Polluters" and adopt the tagline "manufacturing deceit."

The Sierra Club targeted NAM for ridicule because the association is running a multi-million advertising campaign against a stricter ground-level ozone standard proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency. NAM argues the new air quality standard would be the costliest regulation in U.S. history.

The Sierra Club disagrees. The new standard would save 7,900 lives, prevent 1.8 million juvenile asthma attacks and save up to $70 billion in health care costs, the environmental group said.

"NAM needed a makeover so current and prospective members would have a better sense of their laser-sharp focus on promoting pollution, and so that the organization could start attracting more of the right kind of membership," said Melinda Pierce, Sierra Club legislative director.

In a statement, Erin Streeter, senior vice president of communications for NAM, reiterated her group's belief that the new standard would result in trillions of dollars in lost economic activity and millions of lost jobs.

"It is Communications 101 that when you are losing the fight, you create a diversion," she said. "That's all Sierra Club hopes to do with today's stunt."

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