West Chester, Pa (January 6, 2023) – State Senator Carolyn Comitta and state Rep. Dan Williams announced that Cleveland-Cliffs Coatesville was awarded $1.4 million in state grant funding to support the facility’s rail improvements. The funds, recently approved by State Transportation Commission, will support track rehabilitation at the Coatesville melt shop.
“It’s important that we continue to invest in our rail infrastructure to support job growth in the business and manufacturing community while keeping Pennsylvania competitive in the global economy,” Comitta said.
Cleveland-Cliffs is the largest flat-rolled steel producer in North America. The Company is vertically integrated from mined raw materials, direct reduced iron, and ferrous scrap to primary steelmaking and downstream finishing, stamping, tooling, and tubing. The Coatesville plant produces steel plate in an electric arc furnace and has the capacity to produce 800,000 tons of raw steel annually. The plant, which employs more than 600 workers, produces steel plate for the aircraft and aerospace, construction, distribution, energy, heavy equipment, military, mold and tool, and shipbuilding industries.
“For more than a century the mill has been one of the largest employers and key to our economy in the greater Coatesviille area,” Williams said. “I’m proud to have helped bring this funding to Cleveland-Cliffs so they can complete critical upgrades to their internal rail system. One of my greatest priorities is to continue to bring support for both the large and small businesses of the region.”
The funds come as part of $26 million in total funding approved for 24 projects across the Commonwealth through the Rail Transportation Assistance Program and the Rail Freight Assistance Program. The projects will enhance freight mobility while creating or sustaining more than 340 jobs across Pennsylvania.
According to PennDOT, the RTAP and RFAP provide financial assistance for investment in rail freight infrastructure to preserve essential rail freight service where economically feasible and preserve or stimulate economic development through the generation of new or expanded rail freight service.