Indiana steel producers are pushing President Joe Biden to leave in place a tariff on foreign-made steel adopted during the Trump administration.

In 2018, former President Donald Trump placed a 25% levy on imported steel, in a bid to stabilize domestic production.

Nathan Fraser, vice president and general manager of Nucor Steel Indiana, said the move gave companies confidence to reinvest in their operations, including a planned $290 million expansion of Nucor's Crawfordsville plant. Fraser noted it will add 75 or more jobs in the next two years.

"These investments that Nucor and other Indiana steel producers are making are transforming our old Rust Belt into a hub for a modern, sustainable steel industry that's going to be providing the advanced, 'clean steel' products that our nation needs to build for the 21st century," Fraser asserted.

The Biden administration has rolled back the blanket 25% tariffs over the past several months, in an effort to ease supply-chain woes. New agreements with the European Union and Japan call for tariff rate quotas, where higher levels of imports come with higher tariffs, a measure the administration said will prevent those nations from flooding U.S. markets with steel.

Heather Ennis, president and CEO of the Northwest Indiana Forum, agreed the Trump-era tariffs have created stability for Hoosier plants, which accounted for more than a quarter of the nation's overall steel production in 2020, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Indiana has been the number one steel producer in the U.S. for the past 40 years.

"To be able to have some certainty and to know that they have the resources available to be able to put more money into plants, upgrades and things like that, is really very beneficial for our economy here in northwest Indiana," Ennis contended.

Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., is also pushing to keep the tariffs in place, and said they are an important measure to support U.S. steel. He argued import quota agreements with allied countries can be managed while protecting domestic steel production, but when it comes to more hostile nations, he said the administration should move carefully.

"Dealing with Japan and the E.U. is a much different venture, because it's got a little bit of a handshake and trust to it," Braun explained. "I don't know if there's any of that with the relationship with China."

According to the World Steel Association, China is the number one producer of steel in the world, although its production outstrips domestic demand. In August 2021, China produced more than 83 million tons of steel, compared to 7.5 million tons in the U.S.

Just as New York State prepares for its first offshore wind farm to come online, a new report predicted the state will not meet its climate goals.

The Public Power New York report showed, despite great progress, the state will not meet its 2030 clean-energy targets. In October, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a multibillion-dollar investment in renewable energy projects which would accomplish 70% of the state's goal.

Patrick Robbins, coordinator of the New York Energy Democracy Alliance, described some of the factors at play.

"One answer is a kind of uneven marketplace for financial investment when you're looking at renewable energy," Robbins explained. "There was a number of contracts and leases that fell apart for utility-scale renewables, just in the last two months, here in New York."

He also cited supply chain issues and increased costs for construction materials. Some renewable energy developers canceled projects because their contracts were negotiated prior to the pandemic. But Robbins is confident New York can make up lost ground, and pointed out the New York Power Authority is taking advantage of Inflation Reduction Act funds for renewable energy projects.

While the pandemic may have slowed New York's progress on its climate goals, it is not the entire issue. Robbins emphasized there is more than enough blame to go around. He argued the state could have done plenty of things differently since the goals were set in the Climate Leadership and Protection Act.

"The support from the state itself has really been uneven at best," Robbins contended. "Especially, actually, at the time of the CLCPA's passage. When you're not talking about a strong and dependable state partner, there's only really so much you can do."

Over the next year, Robbins stressed he and other climate activists hope to educate legislators and the public about New York's climate goals and what more could be done to achieve them.

Though 2030 may not be the year the goals are met, Robbins is confident they are within reach. He said the timeline depends on Gov. Hochul and the New York Power Authority's board.

"I am confident that, if the governor and the NYPA board craft an ambitious implementation plan for 2025 and see that through, we will usher in a new era in New York's energy generation that can set a positive example for the country and the world," Robbins added.

Plenty of legislation has passed in recent years to ensure the state moves closer to its goals. However, lawmakers have said some bills like the New York HEAT Act failed due to competing priorities in the budget process.

Utilities and government agencies in the U.S. are carrying out plans to transition to cleaner electricity sources. To avoid being left behind, rural communities, including in Minnesota, are leveraging federal resources to expand their power portfolios.

The topic was part of a recent congressional briefing hosted by the Rural Power Coalition.

Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., took part, saying investments from the Inflation Reduction Act provide grants and loans to rural electric co-ops, so they can purchase or develop renewable energy systems. There is also funding for municipal utilities and tribal governments.

"These voluntary, technology-neutral programs put rural electricity providers on the path to unleash clean energy for the communities that they serve in a way that works best for them," Smith explained.

Smith noted recent applications are likely to surpass available funds, underscoring strong demand from smaller communities to diversify energy sources. Rural electric co-ops have had a harder time competing with investor-owned utilities in the decarbonization movement, in part because of being locked into coal contracts. In Minnesota, co-ops serve roughly one-third of the state.

Gabriel Chan, associate professor of public policy at the University of Minnesota and co-director of the Electric Cooperative Innovation Center, spoke in the briefing. He said the extra federal support allows co-ops to scale up clean energy production while still managing their existing debt.

"This ensures that the energy transition can move at a rapid pace," Chan pointed out. "While also ensuring that the transition happens on an affordable and reliable path."

He suggested keeping costs lower for the energy transition in rural areas puts their local economies in a better position. According to the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, such operations serve more than 90% of counties experiencing persistent poverty.

Clean-energy advocates in Ohio and around the country say now is the time for the government to ensure the nation has the medium- and heavy-duty truck infrastructure needed to keep electric-powered trucks charged and driving across the country.

Trucks transported more than 11 billion tons of freight last year, spewing air pollutants and greenhouse gases along the way.

John Boesel - CEO of CALSTART, a clean-transportation nonprofit group - explained that the Environmental Protection Agency is considering rules to require commercial vehicle manufacturers to drastically curb emissions in the coming years.

But he said the agency should also figure out how to roll out national infrastructure to keep pace with the adoption of EV trucks.

"The Biden administration has a tremendous opportunity to really make progress," said Boesel, "in terms of supporting communities that have disproportionately been impacted by by diesel trucks and pollution."

The roadmap developed by CALSTART calls for building truck-charging stations in areas where industry is already concentrated, and then integrating hubs and corridors into an ever-expanding network - mostly along established supply-chain routes.

Critics say trucking companies and drivers have concerns about EV costs, mileage range, battery weight and safety, charging time and availability.

This year, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced the future locations of 27 new electric vehicle charging stations that will be installed along Ohio interstates.

Boesel said the growth of e-commerce has led to skyrocketing emissions, as more people and businesses order products online that are delivered by truck.

He said addressing the impact of heavy-duty vehicle pollution could lower public health risks for drivers, communities and the planet.

"In the future, we can see a society where we have trucks rolling around with zero emission and zero noise," said Boesel, "truck drivers being much happier driving an electric truck."

According to the market research firm PWC, the nation's charging market will need to grow nearly tenfold to meet demand driven by an estimated 27 million EVs on the road by 2030.




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