Southern West Virginia News

Congresswoman Carol Miller and four colleagues have formally requested the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) to investigate the impact of foreign ferrosilicon on domestic production. The letter, addressed to ITC Chair Amy Karpel, highlights concerns over dumped and subsidized ferrosilicon from countries such as Russia affecting U.S. production capabilities.

Joining Miller in this initiative are Representatives Dale Strong, Russell Fry, Terri Sewell, and Michael Rulli. They emphasize the importance of supporting the U.S. ferrosilicon industry and its workforce, represented by Ferroglobe USA, Inc. and CC Metals and Alloys, LLC, who are currently involved in antidumping and countervailing duty investigations before the Commission.

The letter states: "We write in support of the U.S. ferrosilicon industry and the hundreds of workers in our districts impacted by the unfair foreign trade of ferrosilicon metals." It underscores that ferrosilicon is essential for producing steel and other silicon products with no available substitutes, making it crucial to maintain a strong American industry for economic stability and national security.

The representatives argue that relief from the ITC is necessary to prevent further harm caused by unfair competition from imports originating from Russia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, and Brazil. They note that these imports have already led to plant shutdowns and reduced production capacity in several states. For instance, CC Metals had to lay off workers at its Calvert City facility in December 2023 due to such competition.

The letter concludes by stressing the need for effective U.S. trade enforcement mechanisms to ensure American workers can compete fairly both domestically and internationally: "We must give that opportunity to the workers in the ferrosilicon industry."

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