Granite City

U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski of Illinois has renewed her push to include parts of the Metro East in federal legislation that would compensate residents for being exposed to radiation from the World War II-era atomic weapons program.

A separate deal to sell both blast furnaces in the Metro East town has been on the back burner, which union officials believe will cost hundreds of jobs. If the U.S. Steel sale is dead, some worry what’s in store for Granite City.

The Granite City Electoral Board ruled in favor of a local resident who had filed objections against Baumgartner and a second mayoral candidate, Kim Benda, for violating the Illinois Election Code.

Industrious Labs, a Washington D.C.-based climate advocacy nonprofit, found that SunCoke Energy’s Metro East facility, located adjacent to Granite City Works, could be responsible for $87 million to $161 million in total health costs every year.

Historically, the Granite City courtroom had also heard cases from nearby communities like Madison, Pontoon Beach and Venice.

Venice, Madison and Granite City have ties to World War II-era production of radioactive materials used by the U.S. Atomic Weapons Commission — just like St. Louis and St. Charles counties in Missouri.

The biggest project for the 2026 anniversary currently funded will be in downtown Granite City. The Metro East town will revive its old neon Route 66 signs, create a music band stand and put in electric vehicle charging stations.

The Japanese-based Nippon Steel Corp. agreed to purchase U.S. Steel, parent company of the Metro East mill, for $14.1 billion. The deal won’t close until the middle of 2024.

On Tuesday, U.S. Steel sent more than 1,000 notices to employees, warning of potential layoffs. However, Local 1899's president said Wednesday he expects the number to be closer to the 400 who have already lost their jobs.

The move comes after steelmaking was partially idled at the Granite City plant in October, leading to roughly 400 temporary layoffs. Company leaders now tell workers they can meet steel demand through their other plants.