December 21, 1973
Page 43086
CANADIAN APPROVAL OF OIL SHIPMENTS TO MAINE
Mr. MUSKIE. Mr. President, earlier today I spoke of the severe problem facing two major paper companies in Maine because of Canadian restrictions on oil exports from the companies' sole supplier.
A short time ago, the Canadian Embassy informed the Maine congressional delegation that its government has approved a license to ship an additional month's supply of oil to the Great Northern Paper Co. and to the Georgia-Pacific Paper Co. This is welcome news, not only to the Maine people who depend upon the paper mills for their livelihood, but also to the hundreds of newspapers in the northeast who rely upon the two companies for newsprint.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the statement issued by the Maine congressional delegation in response to the Canadian decision be printed in the RECORD.
There being no objection, the statement was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as follows:
STATEMENT BY THE MAINE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION ON CANADIAN OIL SHIPMENTS TO MAINE
The decision of the Canadian National Energy Board to approve the export of an additional 200,000 barrels of oil to the Great Northern and Georgia Pacific Paper Companies provides welcome but temporary relief.
These shipments will provide another month's supply of oil to the companies' mills in Woodland and Millinocket. The Delegation will use this additional time to see that negotiations with Canadian authorities are vigorously pursued in an effort to secure a longer term solution to the problem.
The oil shortages faced by both Canada and the United States pose difficult problems, as this situation demonstrates. We are hopeful that this decision is an indication that the Canadians are willing to approach these problems in the cooperative spirit which has traditionally characterized the relations between our two governments.