More than 100 residents gathered Thursday evening at the Gary Public Library to discuss the future of one of Northwest Indiana’s most important industries: steel.
The town hall, titled “Our Mill, Our Future,” brought together residents, advocates, and elected officials concerned about the future of U.S. Steel’s Gary Works and whether the region will receive investments needed to keep pace with changes reshaping the steel industry.
Organized by Gary Advocates for Responsible Development, or GARD, the event focused on a question many attendees said could affect both the local economy and public health: whether Northwest Indiana’s aging steel infrastructure will be modernized or left behind as companies increasingly invest in newer, cleaner technologies elsewhere.
GARD leaders said they organized the meeting because decisions about the future of Gary Works are largely being made outside the city, often without meaningful community input.
“The future of steel must include us. It must include our voices,” said 1st District Councilwoman Lori Latham. “Our Northwest Indiana communities have carried the … environmental and even the economic burdens of making steel for decades. We deserve the same modernization investments that are happening elsewhere.”
“That’s right!” several audience members shouted in response.
Many attendees said they either worked in the steel industry or had family members who did. When organizers asked how many people knew someone suffering from health problems they believed were linked to industrial pollution, dozens of hands went up.
“They don’t want to give us clean air, and we’ve been up here suffering for a number of years,” said Natalie Ammons, who shared her family’s experiences with health challenges she attributed to living in proximity to Gary’s downtown mill. “The power is in our hands, and we must do something.”
The meeting comes as steel advocates prepare for a Congressional Steel Caucus meeting scheduled for June. GARD leaders used the event to promote what they believe is the best path forward for Gary Works: replacing traditional blast furnace technology with a direct reduction iron furnace. A traditional furnace uses coke to melt iron ore to produce liquid metal, while a direct reduction furnace uses hot natural gas to remove oxygen from iron ore without melting it — a process that supporters say is cleaner and more efficient.
“We’re very concerned that if the mill does not modernize with the new technology, it will go under because they won’t be able to compete with steel that can be produced much cheaper with less pollution,” said GARD member Carolyn McCrady.
Northwest Indiana remains the nation’s leading steel-producing region. Gary Works, Indiana Harbor, and Burns Harbor together produce nearly half of the country’s primary steel, according to a recent report from Indiana University’s Environmental Resilience Institute.
The same report estimated that air pollution from the region’s steel mills contributes to roughly $100 million in annual health care costs, hundreds of respiratory-related emergency room visits, and tens of thousands of lost work and school days each year.
Speakers repeatedly pointed to those health and environmental concerns as they argued for modernizing the region’s steel infrastructure.
“We’re living eight years less due to climate change,” Latham said.
A portion of the discussion centered on Gary Works’ Blast Furnace 14. U.S. Steel announced it will invest $350 million to reline the furnace, a process that replaces the furnace’s heat-resistant interior and can extend its operating life by decades. GARD members argued the investment falls short of larger modernization projects being built elsewhere.
“We believe that what they’re doing at Gary Works might be [setting] it up to close,” Latham said, arguing that major investments in newer steelmaking technology are being made in other states rather than Northwest Indiana.
A representative of U.S. Steel did not attend the meeting. When asked about concerns raised during the town hall regarding the long-term future of Gary Works and investment in the facility, U.S. Steel said it plans to continue investing in the mill and its existing operations.
“The company is focused on modernizing and improving the existing facility rather than replacing it entirely,” a U.S. Steel spokesperson said in a statement provided to Capital B Gary. “Investments are being made to enhance efficiency, environmental performance, and product quality.”
The company said that the approach avoids the disruption of a full shutdown while supporting long-term competitiveness and continued employment for roughly 4,000 workers at Gary Works.
“Gary Works currently produces more than 3 million tons of specialized automotive steel annually, and these products are not currently achievable at the same scale using DRI/EAF [Electric Arc Furnace] technology,” the company said.
U.S. Steel also pointed to planned investments at the facility.
“Our commitment to invest $11 billion across our U.S. footprint by the end of 2028, including more than $500 million at Gary Works already announced, will improve efficiency and make the steel we produce cleaner and higher quality,” the company said.
As the conversation continued during Thursday night’s town hall, speakers returned to concerns about pollution, public health, and whether Northwest Indiana has received the same level of investment as other steel-producing regions.
“It’s environmental racism,” said Kwabena Rasuli, a panelist during Thursday’s town hall. The town hall concluded with a question-and-answer session that gave residents an opportunity to address panelists directly. While some asked about steelmaking technology and the future of Gary Works; others used the time to voice frustrations about pollution, job losses, and the direction of the industry.
Emmett Karl Mosley was among the residents in attendance. He was among the people who demanded that public officials call a meeting to help combat what losing the industry would do to the area. He noted that employment at many of the region’s steel mills has fallen dramatically from its peak decades ago.
State Rep. Vernon Smith also attended the event and took notes throughout the discussion.
“We have to wake up and understand that we have to do something,” Smith said.
As the meeting concluded, Smith discussed the issue with state Sen. Mark Spencer and spoke about the need for a coordinated response.
“We’re stronger when we work together, and the battle is not over until we quit,” Smith said.
