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NEW CUMBERLAND – While discussions of Nucor locating an operation in Hancock County have been ongoing for some time, the county commission wasn’t ready Thursday to sign on to a proposed payment in lieu of taxes agreement with the company.

Thursday’s commission agenda included a “consideration to approve the PILOT Agreement between the Hancock County Commission and Nucor Steel West Virginia, LLC,” however, the item received no motion for consideration.

As a result, no action was taken by commissioners.

The agreement, which has been proposed between Nucor, the county commission, county assessor, county sheriff and the Hancock County Board of Education, could be considered at a later time.

According to portions of the proposed agreement, Nucor “has shared its intention to permit, design, acquire, construct, install, commission, improve and equip, and subsequently operate a transload and processing facility and any ancillary and related operations…on certain parcels of real property…in Hancock County.”

Nucor has acquired several pieces of property in an area between New Cumberland and Newell, according to county records, as part of its plans which are connected to the ongoing construction of a facility in Mason County, West Virginia “that is anticipated to be among the largest such capital improvements” made in the state.

As part of the current proposal, the West Virginia Economic Development Authority would acquire, and then lease, the property to Nucor, making the company exempt from real and personal property taxes for a defined period of time. Nucor would still make pre-determined payments to the county “for the benefit of the County and its citizens.”

The proposal includes payments of $12,500 for each of the first two years, beginning July 1, 2025 through July 1, 2027, with a total 30-year term, and the potential of increased payments based on the company reaching certain milestones of investment.

While specific details of the project have not been publicly announced, others in the county have been discussing other moves in relation to the plans. In February, New Cumberland Council raised a proposal to annex an area north of the city, running along state Route 2 and to include the property targeted by Nucor. No final decision has been made on such an annexation proposal.