September 22, 2022

Manchin Announces $5.3 Million from American Rescue Plan for Mason County Wastewater Infrastructure

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced $5,324,217 from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) Coal Communities Commitment Program for the Mason County Public Service District. The funding was made possible through the American Rescue Plan and will support the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant to serve the Nucor steel mill and surrounding communities. The project is expected to create 800 jobs and generate $2.7 billion in private investment.

“West Virginia continues to see the benefits of critical American Rescue Plan investments that spur economic development and create good-paying, long-term jobs. I’m pleased the EDA is supporting upgrades to wastewater infrastructure in Mason County to strengthen the local economy and attract new business opportunities to the region, including the Nucor steel mill. I look forward to seeing the positive impacts of this funding for years to come, and as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue advocating for resources to boost economic growth across the Mountain State,” said Senator Manchin.

“Today’s announcement is fantastic news for all of Mason County and will give us the ability to provide crucial services for the people of Apple Grove while also enticing economic opportunities, like the Nucor investment, to our region. Thank you to the Mason County Public Service District and the Mason County Development Authority teams for their work on this project that will bring the Nucor investment and others to fruition,” said Mason County Commission President Sam Nibert.

The Nucor steel sheet mill in Mason County is a $2.7 billion investment. The mill will have the capacity to produce 3 million tons of steel sheet annually and will employ approximately 800 full-time employees after it begins commercial operations. In addition, approximately 1,000 temporary construction jobs will be created during the building of the steel mill, which is estimated to take 2 years. The new mill will be one of the most technologically advanced sheet mills and will also have one of the lowest carbon footprints of any sheet mill in the world. The new mill will have advanced steelmaking capabilities, including a high-end automotive galvanizing line and construction-grade line that will allow Nucor to further grow sales of value-added products into these two important end-use markets for sheet steel.

The EDA’s Coal Communities Commitment Program was made possible through the American Rescue Plan and supports coal-reliant communities across the country through targeted local investments. The investments drive economic expansion and job creation in new industry sectors while accelerating recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.