Tariffs could delay cracker plant, Toomey contends
Six years after it was proposed, two years after Shell gave it the go-ahead and less than six months after construction began, the ethane cracker plant in Beaver County may be heading into a snag.
President Donald Trump’s tariffs on imported steel could result in construction delays and the layoffs of hundreds of workers, U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey said in a letter to U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross dated Aug. 22, and on social media platforms.
A number of companies are seeking exemptions to this set of tariffs, and the Republican senator from Pennsylvania urged Ross to expedite the federal process of either approving or rejecting the exemptions. Toomey objected to how long the exclusionary process takes to complete.
He said in the letter: “Firms are experiencing financial harm due to Section 232 taxes and have either filed an exclusion petition or have a supplier impacted by these tariffs and quotas. I ask that you give their exclusion requests full and fair consideration.”
The senator said of the cracker plant in particular: “Shell Chemical Appalachia is currently constructing a multibillion-dollar petrochemical facility in Beaver County, Pennsylvania. The company cannot import the required steel products due to the Section 232 quotas. If this situation is not addressed in a timely manner, Shell may delay its construction plans and lay off hundreds of workers in the construction industry.”
Toomey said on Twitter and Facebook: “Taxes on imported steel are hurting construction of the Shell cracker plant in SW PA. This project supports thousands of high-paying jobs and econ growth in the region. @SecretaryRoss must exempt US firms from these harmful taxes and quotas.”