EVERETT—Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, released the following statement today cheering the agreement between Alcoa and the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) to keep the Intalco smelter in Ferndale operating. The smelter had previously been scheduled to be curtailed at the end of June.

“I have been working to keep Intalco running throughout my time in Congress because I know how important this facility is for the hundreds of workers, their families and Whatcom County. The announcement today that Alcoa will keep this smelter running is great news for jobs and for the local economy.

“In my recent conversations with Alcoa, I pressed for solutions to keep hundreds of workers on the job. Today’s announcement is a big win for the community, and I am grateful to all sides for making this agreement possible,” Larsen said.

Larsen worked closely with negotiators for Alcoa and BPA to help secure the 10-year power agreement in 2012. Though Ferndale is no longer in his Congressional district, Larsen continues to work on this issue to keep good-paying jobs in Whatcom County. Larsen is also a member of the Congressional Aluminum Caucus.

###