Trump touts American energy at Pennsylvania plant — live stream

President Trump is speaking about American energy and manufacturing at the Pennsylvania Petrochemicals Complex in Monaca, Pennsylvania, as the administration showcases turning natural gas into plastics.

The president is touting his administration’s economic accomplishments and support for increasing American manufacturing and energy production, according to White House spokesman Judd Deere. The administration’s policies “make it possible for multi-billion dollar investments like the Pennsylvania Petrochemicals Complex, which highlights the potential for the Appalachian region to become a second center of U.S. petrochemical manufacturing,” Deere said. 

Critics, however, claim the plant will become the largest source of air pollution in western Pennsylvania. The project currently has 5,000 construction workers. Once operational, however, the site will employ far fewer — 600 — permanent employees.

Two works CBS News spoke with said they were paid to be there Tuesday, although they had the option of staying home from work.