In the small town of Middletown, Ohio, a steel plant that once helped Sen. JD Vance's family escape poverty is set to receive a major boost from the Biden administration. The plant employs around 2,500 people and has produced steel for over a century. It's now slated to receive up to $500 million in federal funds.
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The money will help the plant transition from a coal-fired blast furnace to cleaner energy sources like hydrogen and natural gas. The end goal is to reduce pollution and ensure the plant's and even the city’s future.
JD Vance's grandfather worked at the plant, a job that Vance credits with lifting his family into the middle class. Even today, the plant remains a cornerstone of the local economy, providing not only direct jobs but also supporting various businesses around the town.
However, despite the potential benefits of the federal investment, not everyone in Middletown is convinced it will make a difference. Tyler Kirby, a worker at the plant, voiced his doubts to Politico, saying the government's involvement doesn't change much for him. Like many in the town, Kirby plans to vote for former President Donald Trump, who criticized the legislation providing this funding and called it a "green new scam."
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Both Trump and Vance have criticized the Inflation Reduction Act and have vowed to either repeal or weaken it. Locals are now concerned that if Trump wins the upcoming election, he might cancel the funding. Trump has, after all, pledged to undo many of Biden's policies, including those related to clean energy. "I will terminate Kamala Harris's green new scam and rescind all of the unspent funds, give all of the funds back to building roads, bridges and give it back to the government," Trump said at a North Carolina rally. This could put the plant's upgrades – and the local economy's future – at risk.
The steel plant's history is closely tied to the town's identity, and some see the $500 million grant as a vital step in modernizing the facility and keeping jobs in Middletown. The upgrade will create additional jobs and help the town attract further investment.
Surprisingly, according to Politico, most people aren't aware of these measures, and they may not help bridge the political divide. That means that the political impact of Biden's administration and Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, isn't clear, even in places like Middletown set to receive funding from significant initiatives like the Inflation Reduction Act.
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