Letter to the Hon. Wilbur Ross, Secretary of Commerce - NM Delegation Urges Against Tariffs on Newsprint

Letter

Dear Secretary Ross,

We write to share our concerns and the concerns of constituents in our state over investigations into the import of uncoated groundwood paper from Canada. We urge you to fully consider domestic businesses and the potential impacts changes to the importation of uncoated groundwood paper would have on newsprint customers before proceeding with these investigations.

In December, alongside over one thousand newspapers in cities and towns across the country, eight local New Mexico newspapers wrote to you asking that the U.S. Department of Commerce, "heavily scrutinize the antidumping and countervailing duty petitions filed by North Pacific Paper Company (NORPAC)," and that imposition of duties on groundwood paper, "would have a very severe impact on our industry and many communities across the United States."

The newspaper industry is facing duties on Canadian newsprint and changes to the cost of shipping, which could be catastrophic for publishers in the southwest. These changes will result in nationwide increases in newsprint prices. The countervailing duties announced in January of 4.4-9.9% and potential of further dumping penalties will add to the cost of publication and freight. Duties substantially increase the cost of newsprint and domestic mills are estimated to produce only a fraction of the total number of tons used by U.S. publishers.

Again, we urge you to use your discretion to revisit the domestic industry's support of this petition and consider the adverse impact to domestic manufacturers and publishers before proceeding with these investigations.