The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality issued an air quality construction and operating permit today for Nucor’s direct reduced iron facility in St. James Parish. The move allows Nucor to immediately begin construction on the $750 million plant, which will hire 150 people at an average annual salary of $75,000. The plant will convert natural gas, iron ore pellets and recycled scrap into reduced iron used by Nucor’s steel mills. The plant should be operational by 2013 and is expected to create a peak of 500 jobs during construction. This is the first phase in what could eventually be a $3.4 billion iron and steel production facility. The plant could eventually employ 1,250 people. Gov. Bobby Jindal, who lobbied Nucor officials for the plant, called the news of the permit “an incredible economic win for St. James Parish and our entire state.” A formal groundbreaking ceremony for the plant will be held in the next few weeks.
Nucor gets permit, can start work immediately on St. James plant
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