Weyerhaeuser Company

Letter from John Creighton to Fred Hansen

WEYERHAUSER
Corporate Headquarters
Tacoma, WA 98477
Tel (206) 924-2345

December 4, 1996

Mr. Fred Hanson
Deputy Administrator
Environmental Protection Agency
401 M. St. SW
Washington DC 20460

Dear Fred:

I am traveling in Europe, and was unsure whether I would be able to catch up with you by phone, so I will fax you this note. When we spoke a week or so ago, we discussed the Flint River XL Project and the fact that it looked like we were close to being able to sign a Final Project Agreement. After some thought and discussions internally, and now that the ice has been broken by the New York Times' article on Intel's project, I think that a more productive opportunity to discuss both the business value and environmental benefits from this agreement, in a nationally focused event, would be after this program has had the opportunity to produce some results.

I understand that there are a number of questions about Project XL that have been raised about whether it is too risky or whether the benefits to a facility and the environment are real. These questions will persist until these projects have had an opportunity to be implemented. We support Project XL and want to see it remain a viable initiative. Perhaps we should defer having a nationally focused event for the signing of the FPA until we can demonstrate results. For example, we could both be present at Flint River at the first annual stakeholder meeting to discuss what the project has in fact accomplished.

If this is acceptable to you, for now I would propose that we keep the FPA signing ceremony a more locally focused event in Georgia. We would also like to work with you and your staff to support keeping Project XL a strong program.

Very truly yours,

John W. Creighton, Jr.
President and CEO

Weyerhaeuser Company

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