POTTER TWP, Beaver County —Under mounting pressure from state and local officials, Shell announced it is suspending construction at its massive manufacturing complex in Western Pennsylvania.

The company said Wednesday that it is temporarily halting work at its soon-to-be-completed ethane cracker plant that will turn the area’s vast natural gas deposits into plastics. The shutdown took effect immediately.

Earlier Wednesday, several state lawmakers and Beaver County officials appeared at a news conference to urge Shell to take action. Workers have complained of unsanitary conditions around the plant

By Associated Press