From the Daily News:

At least 870 jobs are directly tied to steel imports at the Ports of Kalama and Vancouver, so when President Trump starts talking about slapping tariffs on steel, Southwest Washington ports get understandably uneasy.

While the Trump administration delayed any decision on steel tariffs for several months, local ports and companies who rely on steel are quietly preparing for a dramatic shift in how they do business. They worry tariffs could increase steel prices, which could at worst, undercut their business models and potentially spur reduced production and layoffs.

Beyond steel, tariffs have the potential to impact another vital industry on the Columbia River too. It’s possible tariffs could trigger steel-exporting countries to retaliate by imposing counter tariffs on U.S. agricultural products, such as grain and wheat, which play an even bigger role role at the Port of Kalama and Port of Longview. So it makes sense that southwestern Washington ports are closely watching the Trump administration’s next move.

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