Minnesota Senators Expand Industry Protection Investigation

Minnesota U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken have joined a bipartisan group of senators from various states to seek a thorough investigation of alleged illegal dumping of uncoated paper products into the marketplace. The senators point to serious harm being done by foreign subsidized imports to the U.S. wood products industry, with eight paper mills suffering more than 2,500 layoffs since 2011. At those mills, 15 uncoated paper machines have been idled.

The International Falls Boise Inc. operation in Minnesota suffered a big job loss — 265 workers left without a job due to a partial closure in 2013.

Democrat Klobuchar and Republican Ohio Sen. Rob Portman are leading the effort to get the ITC to rule on the issue. They are targeting imports from Australia, Brazil, China, Indonesia, and Portugal. Uncoated paper products include copy paper, as well as paper used in books, brochures, maps, business forms, and flyers.

"The pace of mill and paper machine closures has accelerated as imports have grown. These closures are devastating not only for the companies and workers directly involved, but for thousands of families, small businesses, and local and state governments that rely on paper mills for their livelihoods and economic survival.

"We ask that you thoroughly and objectively review the facts in this case and help ensure that American businesses and workers are able to compete on a level playing field," Klobuchar and Portman said in a news release on the letter from 18 senators to the ITC.

The senators pointed out that, despite a declining uncoated paper market, imports in the U.S. increased by 43.9% from 2011 to 2013 and another 40.4% in the first nine months of 2014.

The following eight mills experienced layoffs since 2011:

• Boise Inc., International Falls, 256 workers
• Domtar, Ashdown, Ark., 110 workers
• Georgia-Pacific, Crossett, Ark., 20 workers
• Harbor Paper, Hoquiam, Wash., 175 workers
• International Paper, Courtland, Ala., 1,127 workers
• Lincoln Paper and Tissue, Lincoln, Maine, 200 workers
• Mohawk Fine Papers, Hamilton, Ohio, 137 workers
• Wausau Paper, Brokaw, Wis., 450 workers.

Employees at seven of the eight mills have been certified for Trade Adjustment Assistance. Under TAA, the Department of Labor certifies workers for assistance when "increased imports contributed importantly to worker group separations."

Other senators, other than Klobuchar and Franken, to sign the letter to the ITC are from Massachusetts, New York, Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Arkansas, Indiana, North Carolina, and Virginia.