Sarnia, ON - June 21, 2007

The Dow Chemical Company (Dow) will fund a major community betterment project proposed by a local organization, as a gift to area residents in recognition of its 65-year history of local operations.

Dow is inviting local community minded organizations to submit their proposals for The Dow Sarnia Legacy Project, a $500,000 to $1-million permanent undertaking to benefit a broad cross-section of Sarnia residents. Interested community groups have until August 31, 2007 to submit their proposals to the company.

“It’s not always possible to choose when to leave,” said Don Fysh, Dow Sarnia’s director of operations, referring to the company’s 2006 announcement to cease manufacturing at its Sarnia site following the sudden loss of a critical feedstock. “But, it is important to the company, our employees and our retirees that we provide something lasting and positive to commemorate our time in this community. The Dow Sarnia Legacy Project properly reflects our strong ties and history in this area.”

Beyond some basic requirements, the company has no predefined notion about the final form of its legacy project. Fysh noted, “We will give careful consideration to all eligible proposals that local organizations believe would make a positive and measurable difference to the cultural, environmental, recreational, or social needs of the Sarnia community.”

Among Dow’s requirements, proposals must be sponsored by principal parties with the demonstrated resources, determination and enthusiasm to assume the perpetual care of their projects.

A selection committee involving Dow employees and local residents will evaluate the submissions and select the top five proposals from which the company will make its final choice. The successful legacy project is expected to be announced by late 2007 or early 2008.

Joining Fysh on the selection committee are: Jeff Johnston, President, Dow Canada; Cindy Newman, Director, North American Public Affairs, Dow Corporate; Mimi Long, Public Affairs Leader Eastern Canada, Dow Canada; Cal Moore, Operator, Dow Sarnia; Cindy Kohut, Finance Analyst, Dow Canada, in Sarnia; Gord Catterson, Dow Retiree, of Sarnia; Cliff Scott, Member, Dow Sarnia Community Advisory Panel/Registered Insurance Broker, Gamble Insurance; Lloyd Fennell, Director, Corporate Services, City of Sarnia; Scott McKay, Past Chair, Young Professionals of Sarnia-Lambton/Chartered Accountant, Manager, Hazlitt Steeves Harris LLP; and Sheryl Bovay, Past Chair, Sarnia-Lambton Chamber of Commerce/Manager, Lambton Mall. John Elliott, Principal Counsel, Truepointe Public Relations & Communications, Sarnia, will guide the committee through the selection process.

Dow came to Sarnia in 1942 in response to an invitation from the Canadian government to help manufacture synthetic rubber for the war effort. The Sarnia site was the company’s first manufacturing location outside of the United States.

About Dow

Dow Chemical Canada Inc., a subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company, employs approximately 1,200 people in Canada.  Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Dow Canada and its affiliates have manufacturing locations in: Sarnia and Toronto, Ontario; Fort Saskatchewan and Prentiss, Alberta; and Varennes, Quebec.  For more information about Dow Canada, please visit our web site at www.dowcanada.com

The Dow Sarnia Legacy Project
Submission Requirements

To gain the greatest value of The Dow Sarnia Legacy Project investment for the local community and to be eligible for consideration, each project submission must meet all of the following requirements:

1. Be a permanent undertaking; if involving land/structure, it must be within the City of Sarnia and regularly open to the general public



2. Benefit a broad cross-section of the residents of the City of Sarnia and immediately adjacent areas of Point Edward, Aamjiwnaang First Nation, St. Clair Township, Town of Plympton-Wyoming and Enniskillen Township



3. Make a positive, measurable difference to the cultural, environmental, recreational, or social needs of the local community



4. Demonstrate a compatibility and solid connections with other community initiatives



5. Be consistent with the values of The Dow Chemical Company and support its focus on sustainability



6. Be sponsored by a principal party or parties, with the demonstrated resources, determination and enthusiasm to assume the perpetual care of the project; a project management agreement might be required



7. Be the only legacy project proposal submitted by the principal party or parties



8. Include the name of each sponsoring party, along with the name of the principal contact person, phone number, complete mailing address and e-mail address, which may be used by Dow for the purposes of legacy project administration



9. Appropriately reflect a significant investment by The Dow Chemical Company of approximately $500,000 - $1 million; Dow reserves the right to adopt or reject any project submission at any time and, in the event Dow determines the submission not to meet the criteria, as determined by Dow in its sole discretion, to change the process or create a new process, including allowing the Dow Legacy Steering Committee to make a final choice for a legacy project



10. Incorporate permanent recognition for Dow through signage, a plaque, or an inscription in a prominent location associated with the project, in honour of the rich history of Dow and the community, through the company’s local operations from 1942-2008



11. Be a typewritten submission, using minimum 11 point type size, 1.5 lines spacing, within 1 inch (2.5 cm) page margins, printed both sides on 8.5 in. x 11 in. (216 mm x 279 mm) paper, totalling no more than three pages in length, with additional diagrams/images only if necessary



12. Be received by The Dow Sarnia Legacy Project, c/o Dow Sarnia Operations, 1425 Vidal Street South, P.O. Box 3030, Sarnia, ON  N7T 8C6, Attention: Marie Quinn, Executive Administrator, by no later than noon on August 31, 2007

For Editorial Information:

Mimi Long
The Dow Chemical Company
(519) 339-3196