| Comment: |
As an employee of Weyerhaeuser Company, I urge you to abandon the proposed Memorandums of Understanding between Bonneville Power Administration and the aluminum companies. The principles in the contract with Alcoa will unfairly and unlawfully provide an average of $65 million per year of low cost power subsidies for the next 17 years.<BR><BR>I work at Weyerhaeuser`s forest products manufacturing complex in Longview, which will be significantly affected by this proposed contract. This mill complex - made of up newsprint, liquid packaging and softwood lumber mills - employs more than 1,000 people working at family-wage jobs. Our importance to the Cowlitz County community cannot be overstated. <BR><BR>The cost of energy is a key factor that impacts our facilities` competitive position. Through Cowlitz PUD, the Longview complex purchases more than 3.8% of BPA`s retail load. The benefits proposed by BPA to Alcoa would add more than $42 million to Weyerhaeuser`s energy bill at Longview. If the benefits were extended to Columbia Falls Aluminum, the cost would increase to $60 million. In other words, we are being asked to subsidize power sales to other manufacturers by millions of dollars. <BR><BR>Forest products manufacturing jobs are important, too. BPA`s proposal is a poor use of ratepayers` money and poor economic policy for maintaining and growing employment.<BR><BR>I do not believe that BPA should be deciding which companies and industries succeed and which fail. I urge you to abandon the proposed MOU between BPA and Alcoa. <BR> |
