MASON COUNTY, W.Va. (WCHS) — The final federal permit needed for a steel mill in Mason County has been approved, officials said Friday.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a Section 404 permit to Nucor Steel, according to U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin’s office.
“I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it: there truly is no better place to do business than West Virginia,” Manchin said in a news release. “The approval for this final permit is great news for Nucor Steel and our state, and I can’t wait to see the benefits this new facility will bring to West Virginia.”
Gov. Jim Justice also reacted to the news Friday on social media.
"This is a huge, game-changing economic development project for Mason County and for West Virginia," Justice said. "Can't wait to see shovels hit the ground! I'm proud of our team who worked together to get this project done."
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito also celebrated the permit's approval.
"I worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers leadership to move this permit forward and make sure this huge economic win for West Virginia remains on track," Capito posted to social media. "Now we stand by ready to assist with workforce and any other issues, but look forward to this steel mill being up and running as soon as possible."
Nucor is expected to sustain approximately 800 jobs when fully operational, according to the news release. Officials have said it will have an annual capacity of 3 million tons per year.
The mill is expected to be one of the most prominent sheet mills in the region and boast a significantly lower carbon footprint, the company said.
The cost of the project has increased from $2.7 billion to $3.1 billion due to inflation. Nucor said its board of directors has approved additional funding to cover the costs.
Nucor has already received all of its state permits and was working securing its final federal permits. The plant is hoped to be operational by 2024.