Rep. Mike Kelly, Cleveland-Cliffs Butler Works employees to hold public town hall opposing job-killing Energy Dept. proposal
BUTLER, PA -- On Monday, April 1, 2024, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) will hold a public town hall in conjunction with officials from Cleveland-Cliffs Butler Works and United Auto Workers Local 3303, which represents workers at Butler Works, to inform the community of a U.S. Department of Energy proposal that could eliminate 1,300 jobs at this plant.
The jobs are at risk due to a Proposed Rule from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that would undermine domestic Grain Oriented Electrical Steel (GOES) production. Cleveland-Cliffs’ Butler Works plant is the last American producer of Grain Oriented Electrical Steel, which is a necessary component of our nation's electrical grid. Switching electrical distribution transformers from GOES to amorphous steel poses risks to the U.S. supply chain and national security because major amorphous steel producers are located overseas, including in China.
A Proposed Rule, or regulation, is a requirement imposed by a federal agency.
In February, Rep. Kelly and Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-PA) introduced The Distribution Transformer Efficiency & Supply Chain Reliability Act of 2024, legislation that would prevent the new DOE rule from taking effect and instead create new standards that increase the energy efficiency of distribution transformers at levels that preserve market opportunities for GOES as well as amorphous steel. The Proposed Rule increases efficiency standards on distribution transformers, which are already no less than 97.7% energy efficient. Similar legislation has been introduced by the U.S. Senate by Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH).
In December, Reps. Kelly and Deluzio wrote this letter to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm opposing the proposed rule.
More background information is available in the Media Kit below.
Media members interested in covering the event are encouraged to RSVP to Matthew Knoedler at Matthew.Knoedler@mail.house.gov
DETAILS
Who: U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly and officials, workers from Cleveland-Cliffs Butler Works
What: In-Person Town Hall Meeting to discuss the threat to 1,300 jobs at Butler Works
When: Monday, April 1, 2024 at 6:00p.m. ET
Where: Founders Hall
Butler County Community College
107 College Drive, Butler, Pennsylvania 16002
MEDIA KIT
News release: Kelly-led legislation would secure key domestic steel production, electrical grid
Reps. Kelly & Deluzio letter to Dept. of Energy Secretary Granholm, Dec. 2023
Biden Administration’s proposed rule
CRS Report on electricity distribution transformers, Jan. 2024
WPXI-TV (NBC-Pittsburgh): Butler Works steel plant jobs could be at risk if DOE proposal becomes law (Feb. 2024)
Washington Examiner: Democrats and Republicans go hard against Biden regulation (March 2024)
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Steelmaker Cleveland-Cliffs says a Biden administration rule could force Butler plant to close (February 2024)
Butler Eagle: Efforts continue to support grain-oriented electrical steel, impacting Cleveland-Cliffs (February 2024)