Legislators urge Trump to end trade dispute to help Moses Lake silicon manufacturer

MOSES LAKE — Senators and representatives from Washington and Montana are asking President Donald Trump to help manufacturer REC Silicon and resolve the ongoing trade dispute with China over polysilicon and solar panels, according to story by the Columbia Basin Herald.

“China’s devastating trade retaliation is forcing REC to consider a complete shut down of its operations in Washington State within the coming months,” said the letter signed by Democratic Washington Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray and Reps. Rick Larsen, D-Lake Stevens, and Dan Newhouse, R-Sunnyside.

REC Silicon, which is based in Norway, produces polysilicon in Moses Lake and silicon gas — silane — in Butte, Montana. The Moses Lake facility produces polysilicon ingots for use in solar panels. However, China imposed duties on U.S.-made polysilicon in 2011, and the company’s Moses Lake operation has been struggling ever since.

Also signing the letter from Washington, according to the newspaper, were Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Medina, Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Auburn, and Rep. Dennis Heck, D-Olympia. The letter also was signed by Montana Sens. Jon Tester and Steve Daines and the state’s sole at-large representative, Greg Gianforte.