DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-96,026

PONDERAY NEWSPRINT COMPANY

INCLUDING ON-SITE LEASED WORKERS FROM

INDUSTRIAL PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE AND STATE PROTECTION SERVICES

USK, WASHINGTON

Amended Certification Regarding Eligibility

To Apply for Worker Adjustment Assistance

In accordance with Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974, as
amended ("Act"), 19 U.S.C. § 2273, the Department of Labor issued a
Certification of Eligibility to Apply for Worker Adjustment
Assistance on January 4, 2021, applicable to workers of Ponderay
Newsprint Company, Usk, Washington. The Department's notice of
determination was published in Federal Register on March 22, 2021
(86 FR 15268)

At the request of a state workforce office, the Department
reviewed the certification for workers of the subject firm. The
workers were engaged in activities related to the production of
newsprint paper, as described in the affirmative determination.

The state workforce office reported that the subject firm
utilized leased workers from Industrial Preventive Maintenance,
which were excluded from the original certification. The subject
firm verified that workers were assigned to Ponderay Newsprint
Company, Usk, Washington, during the period under investigation. It
was also revealed that workers from an additional firm, State
Protection Services, were also being utilized at the Usk,

Washington facility. Accordingly, the Department has determined
that these workers were sufficiently under the operational control
of the workers' firm to be considered leased workers.

The intent of the Department's certification is to include all
workers of the subject firm who were adversely affected by the
shift in production to a foreign country.

The amended notice applicable to TA-W-96,026, is hereby issued
as follows:

"All workers of Ponderay Newsprint Company, including on-
site leased workers from Industrial Preventive Maintenance
and State Protection Services, Usk, Washington, who became
totally or partially separated from employment on or after
June 29, 2019, through January 4, 2023, and all workers in the
group threatened with total or partial separation from
employment on the date of certification through two years from
the date of certification, are eligible to apply for
adjustment assistance under Chapter 2 of Title II of the Trade
Act of 1974, as amended."

Signed in Washington, D.C. this 29th day of June, 2021.


HOPE D. KINGLOCK

Certifying Officer, Office of

Trade Adjustment Assistance





DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration
TA-W-96,026
PONDERAY NEWSPRINT COMPANY
USK, WASHINGTON

Certification Regarding Eligibility

To Apply for Worker Adjustment Assistance

In accordance with Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974, as
amended ("Act"), 19 U.S.C. § 2273, the Department of Labor herein
presents the results of an investigation regarding certification
of eligibility to apply for worker adjustment assistance.

The group eligibility requirements for workers of a firm under
Section 222(a) of the Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2272(a), are satisfied if
the following criteria are met:

(1) a significant number or proportion of the workers
in such workers' firm have become totally or partially
separated, or are threatened to become totally or
partially separated;

(2)(B)(i)(I) there has been a shift by the workers'
firm to a foreign country in the production of articles
or supply of services like or directly competitive with
those produced/supplied by the workers' firm; OR

(II) there has been an acquisition from a
foreign country by the workers' firm of
articles/services that are like or directly
competitive with those produced/supplied by
the workers' firm; AND

(ii) the shift/acquisition must have contributed
importantly to the workers' separation or
threat of separation.

The investigation was initiated in response to a petition
filed on July 1, 2020 by the Association of Western Pulp and
Paper Workers (AWPPW), Local 5, on behalf of workers and former
workers of Ponderay Newsprint Company, Usk, Washington (Ponderay
Newsprint). Workers of Ponderay Newsprint are engaged in
activities related to the production of newsprint paper.

During the course of the investigation, information was
collected from the petition and the workers' firm.

Section 222(a)(1) has been met because a significant number
or proportion of the workers in Ponderay Newsprint have become
totally or partially separated, or are threatened to become totally
or partially separated.

Section 222(a)(2)(B) has been met because the workers' firm
has partially shifted to a foreign country the production of a(n)
article like or directly competitive with the newsprint paper
produced by the workers which contributed importantly to worker
group separations at Ponderay Newsprint.

Conclusion

After careful review of the facts obtained in the
investigation, I determine that workers of Ponderay Newsprint meet
the worker group certification criteria under Section 222(a) of
the Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2272(a). In accordance with Section 223 of
the Act, 19 U.S.C. § 2273, I make the following certification:

"All workers of Ponderay Newsprint Company, Usk, Washington,
who became totally or partially separated from employment on
or after June 29, 2019 through two years from the date of
certification, and all workers in the group threatened with
total or partial separation from employment on the date of
certification through two years from the date of
certification, are eligible to apply for adjustment
assistance under Chapter 2 of Title II of the Trade Act of
1974, as amended."

Signed in Washington, D.C., this 4th day of January, 2021

/s/ Del-Min Amy Chen
______________________________

DEL-MIN AMY CHEN
Certifying Officer, Office of
Trade Adjustment Assistance