President Donald Trump announced Monday afternoon that a $15 billion steel plant will be built in Iowa, saying it will be the largest steel plant in U.S. history.
Prior to the announcement, Republican U.S. Rep. Marianette Miller-Meeks posted on social media, saying the plant would be built in her district in southeast Iowa.
“Today, we’re announcing the largest steel mill in America is coming to Lee County with 1,700+ jobs!” Miller-Meeks wrote.
The new mill will be built by Mesabi Metallics, a Minnesota-based company owned by India’s Essar Group, an industrial conglomerate.
Miller-Meeks was in the oval office for the announcement, along with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds.
“What this does is it changes the economic trajectory for this region,” Reynolds said. “It's one of the most depressed regions of Iowa.”
The White House said the plant aims to start production in 2030, and would produce 10 million tons of steel a year.
The announcement comes when the midterm elections are a little over a month away, and Republicans are facing tight races for Governor and key congressional seats.
Reynolds says she will convene a special legislative session Friday morning to consider amendments to the state's Major Economic Growth Attraction program.
The state has executed a memorandum of understanding with Mesabi Metallics outlining the terms of the partnership, according to a press release from the governor's office.
The size of the investment will require amendments to the MEGA program, according to the release.
