U.S. Steel cancels billion dollar investment project, Mon Valley communities concerned with future

PITTSBURGH — U.S. Steel announced on Friday, the organization is canceling their plans to invest more than $1 billion at their facilities in the Mon Valley.

The announcement means the casting and rolling facility, along with the cogeneration power plant will not be upgraded as previously planned.

Instead, the company’s president announced U.S. Steel will be focusing on reducing their carbon footprint, as well as take three batteries offline.

U.S. Steel plans on being carbon neutral by 2050.

The announcement from U.S. Steel came as a surprise to local and state leaders.

“It’s really unfortunate that they chose to disinvest in the region that quite frankly built steel and the families and communities that they have thrived off and benefited off of for generations,” said St. Rep. Austin Davis, McKeesport.

Davis is not alone in his frustration.

Lt. Governor John Fetterman, whose home is in Braddock, expressed his disapproval with U.S. Steel’s decision.

“How can we expect to make the major investments in good union jobs here in Pittsburgh that President Biden is talking about when we just threw away an historic opportunity to make some of the greenest steel in the world in our own backyard?”

The upgrades to the plants were supposed to increase efficiency, while reducing the company’s carbon footprint.

“This is a devastating blow to our local regional economy. I have always believed that we can have good family sustaining jobs and a clean environment. This project would have achieved both of those goals,” said Davis.

A spokesperson with U.S. Steel told Channel 11, due to the pandemic and the steel industry changing rapidly, along with the climate crisis, U.S. Steel is reviewing all of their projects which led to the cancelation of the Mon Valley investment.

A look at U.S. Steel Corp. A look at U.S. Steel Corp.

Cox Media Group