CHARLESTON, W.Va (WTRF) – West Virginia Senator Shelley Moore-Capito released a statement following an announcement from Cleveland Cliffs Inc. Thursday morning it will be idling its tinplate production plant located in Weirton, W.Va indefinitely in April 2024.
The statement is as follows:
“I am devastated to learn that Cleveland-Cliffs will be closing their Weirton operation, which will result in the elimination of almost 900 jobs in the area. While little consolation to the hardworking men and women facing this incredible loss—and to the Weirton community at large—I fought to sustain operations there since learning of Cleveland Cliffs’ and the United Steelworkers’ concerns with unfair trade practices last year. As I have said before, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s final decision announced in January demonstrated our government’s recognition of the damage these unfair trade practices have had on America’s domestic tin mill production and its workers. The ITC’s decision to reverse Commerce’s final duties on tin mill products remains concerning and will be examined thoroughly. In my testimony to the ITC, I conveyed the deep concern I had about the potential negative impact of their ruling, and I am sorry to see this come to fruition. West Virginians are seeing and feeling the consequences of the decision today.”
SENATOR SHELLEY MOORE-CAPITO | (R-WV)
Senator Capito led a bipartisan letter expressing support for the antidumping and countervailing duty petitions that were filed by Cleveland Cliffs in February 2023. She also participated in the most recent hearings held by the International Trade Commission in January 2024 to show her support for the Weirton plant.