U.S. Rep. Jindal talks to Dow employees Marty Owens (right) and David Ogra (middle) about issues facing the petrochemical industry during the congressman's recent visit to Dow's facility in St. Charles Parish.

Before touring the chemical manufacturing site, Congressman Jindal visited with an audience of current and retired employees, local and state elected officials, members of the area St. Charles Community Advisory Panel, members of the Louisiana Chemical Association, area industry leaders and members of the River Region Chamber of Commerce.

After a presentation by St. Charles Operations' Site Leader Nawzer Parakh, U.S. Rep. Jindal discussed with the audience business issues affecting the petrochemical industry and the state's economy. According to Parakh, Dow gets a "double hit" from high natural gas prices - in both power generation and raw material for products. He called on Jindal, through his participation in the House Resources Committee, "to enact legislation with strong incentives for gas conservation, diversify the nation's energy supply, increase gas drilling and exploration, and invest in storage and infrastructure."

Congressman Jindal said the energy bill currently under consideration in Congress is "balanced, but can be improved." The bill, he said, "encourages domestic production and conservation," and he doesn't believe there has to be an "either-or decision between affordable energy has or the environment." By increasing domestic production and decreasing foreign dependence, he said, North America can be self-sufficient for energy and address the national security issue that comes with relying on foreign sources for fuel generation.

Congressman Jindal's efforts in Congress center around finding a bipartisan solution to the nation's problems. "In D.C., many people think in terms of 'Democrats' and 'Republicans,' not 'Americans,'" he said. "Only by working together can outcomes positive to the country be achieved."

As the largest petrochemical company in Louisiana, Dow has eight locations (including joint ventures and subsidiaries) with more than 6,000 employees and contract employees. Because of the issues mentioned during Congressman Jindal's visit such as high energy costs, health care costs and litigation, businesses spend twenty percent more to do business in the United States than in other foreign countries. Parakh stated, "We hope that by working together with government officials on the federal, state and local levels, we can identify and understand key issues that impact Dow, our employees and our community. Together we can shape solutions to ensure our success."

Dow is a leader in science and technology, providing innovative chemical, plastic and agricultural products and services to many essential consumer markets. With annual sales of $40 billion, Dow serves customers in 175 countries and a wide range of markets that are vital to human progress: food, transportation, health and medicine, personal and home care, and building and construction, among others. Committed to the principles of sustainable development, Dow and its 43,000 employees seek to balance economic, environmental and social responsibilities. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted.

St. Charles Operations is owned by Union Carbide Corporation (UCC), a subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company. "Dow", as used throughout this web site, often refers generically to The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries.