Hyundai-POSCO Louisiana Steel Mill Wins Final Air Permit: 2.7 Million Tons a Year, Production Targeted for Early 2029
The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality approved the final air permit on October 29 for Hyundai-POSCO Louisiana Steel's proposed steel mill, clearing a key regulatory hurdle for the plant planned for the Modeste area of Ascension Parish.
The project broke ground on September 4. The plant site covers 1,700 acres within the RiverPlex MegaPark, which stretches along the Mississippi River over a total of 17,000 acres. As planned, the mill will produce 2.7 million metric tons of steel a year, targets a start of operations in the first quarter of 2029, with construction running through the end of 2028, and is expected to create more than 1,300 permanent jobs.
The project also faces opposition from environmental and community organizations. Groups including the Sierra Club have raised concerns about air pollution, community impact and public financial subsidies, and have called for further electrification and a firm green hydrogen commitment. In September, the Louisiana State Bond Commission approved up to $1.3 billion in tax-exempt financing for the project. The state regulators' permit allows the project to keep moving forward into construction, but it does not mean the mill is in production, and the environmental dispute remains unresolved.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：现代-浦项路易斯安那钢铁厂2026年9月4日奠基仪式合影。照片：现代钢铁公司官方新闻稿，经 PR Newswire 发布。 / Officials at the September 4, 2026 groundbreaking ceremony for the Hyundai-POSCO Louisiana steel mill. Photo: Hyundai Steel Company official release, via PR Newswire.
