Clean Steel in Ohio Abandoned by Trump Administration

Media Contact

Mark Drajem
Media Director

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Energy abandoned a project that would bring clean steel production to Ohio by allowing the Cleveland-Cliffs facility in Middletown to instead keep its old, coal-based blast furnace. This decision to upgrade the coal furnace locks in antiquated technology and negative air pollution impacts for the surrounding community. 

The stated purpose Congress gave for this program was to finance projects “to accelerate greenhouse gas emissions reduction progress to net-zero.” 

The following is a comment from Ian Wells, federal industrial lead advocate at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council): 

“Instead of spending these taxpayer funds to ensure cleaner, healthier air for Ohioans, as Congress intended, the Trump administration is running a bait and switch to keep the Cleveland Cliffs blast furnace burning dirty coal for decades to come.

“Clean steel is the future, both for Cleveland-Cliffs and the world, but instead of building a better, healthier future, the Trump administration is trying to tie this facility to technology from a century ago. It’s time to transition away from a reliance on coal, but this administration doesn’t seem to understand that we can create jobs and investments and build a cleaner future if we try. What a shame.”

NRDC is tracking every step of the Trump administration's attacks on public health and the environment. Go to White House Watch for the comprehensive list of these attacks. To subscribe to our weekly newsletter, email jbar@nrdc.org. 

NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Established in 1970, NRDC uses science, policy, law and people power to confront the climate crisis, protect public health and safeguard nature. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Beijing and Delhi (an office of NRDC India Pvt. Ltd).

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