Representative Jindal Visits Dow Louisiana Operations

Plaquemine, Louisiana - July 10, 2007

U.S. Representative Bobby Jindal visited Dow's Louisiana Operations recently to meet with Dow employees and community members on the issues currently affecting the state and Dow in Louisiana. Jindal spoke to a group of more than 120 people including Dow employees from its Louisiana Operations in Plaquemine, St. Charles Operations near Hahnville, Grand Bayou Operations near Napoleonville, community members. During his speech, Jindal discussed sustainable national energy policy, workforce development and the importance of a strong community college system in Louisiana among other issues.

Louisiana Operations Site Leader Lee Trusty and St. Charles Operations Site Leader Nawzer Parakh opened the meeting, gave a brief overview of Dow's investments in Louisiana – five locations across the state, and introduced Rep. Jindal to the crowd. Trusty stressed that Dow is one of the largest petrochemical companies in the state with a good track record of energy use reduction. The high cost of energy and the state’s tax on business utilities (natural gas), however, is jeopardizing Dow Louisiana's ability to stay competitive and maintain growth.

Jindal spoke about the importance of a rational national energy policy to the continued presence of industry in Louisiana, providing thousands of good-paying jobs. He referenced the consequences of the fertilizer industry due to the price of natural gas, stressing that fossil fuels, specifically natural gas, is essential to keeping a domestic manufacturing base.

"We have already seen what it has done to the fertilizer industry, and that damage will now be done in the plastics and the chemical industry if nothing is done," Jindal said.

Jindal stressed the importance of producing energy here in the state to drive down the price of natural gas and reduce the nation's dependence on imported energy. He stated his support for more fossil fuel exploration in the state and on the outer continental shelf. After speaking to the crowd, he fielded questions from the audience.

Jindal concluded by thanking Dow and its employees for their tremendous outreach in the community and for their impact on the state saying, "I look to this facility and all Dow facilities across Louisiana. These are the kinds of jobs, these are the kinds of companies we want in Louisiana."

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For Editorial Information:

Gary Cambre
The Dow Chemical Company
(225) 353-8265