WHEREAS, In 1951, the federal Office of Defense Mobilization requested that aluminum production be increased in the United States for wartime uses; and     
     WHEREAS, The federal government selected Alcoa to construct the first post-World War II smelter on the banks of the Columbia River outside Malaga, Washington because of the abundance of affordable hydropower and the willingness of the Bonneville Power Administration and Chelan County Public Utility District to partner with Alcoa, as well as the support from community leaders and the Wenatchee World; and
     WHEREAS, Under the impetus of national defense and consumer demands, Alcoa pushed to complete construction of the Wenatchee Works aluminum smelter in the shortest amount of time possible, installing the infrastructure for two prebake carbon potlines within 13 months; and
     WHEREAS, For 60 years, Alcoa employees have kept the smelter operating successfully, today operating three potlines and directly contributing more than 52 million dollars to Chelan and Douglas counties in payroll and benefits for 460 employees and creating an additional 1,300 indirect jobs; and
     WHEREAS, Throughout the years, Alcoa Wenatchee Works has continually worked to upgrade safety and environmental systems, to improve air and water quality, reducing its carbon footprint by over 25% since the 1990s and setting plant safety records during its 2011 third potline restart; and
     WHEREAS, Alcoa Wenatchee Works is committed to being an outstanding community partner through financial and volunteer support of nonprofits, schools, and other community organizations in the Wenatchee Valley, providing more than 125,000 volunteer hours locally and contributing more than 1.4 million dollars in Alcoa Foundation grants and other local giving since 2002; being recognized along with its sister plant in Ferndale, by the state chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals as the 2011 Outstanding Philanthropic Corporation for its history of community partnerships; and
     WHEREAS, The 460 men and women of Alcoa Wenatchee Works work around the clock 365 days a year to consistently produce more than 140,000 metric tons of high quality, recyclable aluminum ingot that is used in products ranging from aluminum bats and bicycles, to strong and light weight automotive and airplane parts; and
     WHEREAS, On June 26, 2012, at 10:14 a.m., Alcoa Wenatchee Works will celebrate the 60th anniversary of its first aluminum ingot poured;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate officially recognize and congratulate Alcoa Wenatchee Works and its employees for 60 years of community and economic contribution to the Wenatchee Valley and the state of Washington; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be immediately transferred by the Secretary of the Senate to Wenatchee Works Plant Manager Don Walton; Wenatchee Aluminum Trades Council President Kelley Woodard; and to Rufus Woods, Publisher of the Wenatchee World.