DONALDSONVILLE - With the groundbreaking ceremony for the Hyundai-POSCO Louisiana Steel plant near Modeste just a week away, Hyundai says it is embarking on a campaign to ramp up engagement with the public.

Thursday evening, the company hosted an open house for Ascension residents at the LeMann Memorial Center in Donaldsonville.

Hours before the open house, a Baton Rouge judge ruled in favor of Hyundai amid legal troubles opposing the project's approval process by state officials as untransparent, allowing the project to move forward unencumbered for the time being.

At the meeting, residents could learn more about the project and the promises Hyundai says it is making to the community.

The $5.8 billion steel plant has been controversial among some residents. They say they are asking Hyundai to hire local workers and be environmentally friendly.

The steel mill will be the first that Hyundai has in the United States. It will supply the steel to Hyundai's multiple automobile manufacturing facilities in the U.S.

“So this site, when it’s up and running in 2029, will be aimed at producing automotive steel, and so that will go into cars that we drive every single day, and the importance of that is that it’s manufacturing right here in America," Hyundai Steel Spokeswoman Stephanie Malin said.

The plant is expected to bring in 1,300 direct jobs and 4,100 indirect jobs. The average annual salary for employees is expected to be around $95,000; that's according to the Greater Baton Rouge Economic Partnership.

“Hyundai is focused on employing local people in this facility, and that’s going to be a big deal," TJC Group President Tim Johnson said.

However, not everyone is convinced.

“They are not giving these jobs to people in Donaldsonville or who live around there. All you have to do is look at the last 25 plants that have been built in Louisiana. The jobs never go to local people. It’s what they say at the front end, but it’s never what’s actually delivered," Louisiana Bucket Brigade Director Ann Rolfes said.

River Parishes Community College in Ascension Parish has a training center under construction that aims to help build a workforce for the high-demand jobs at the mill.

“Four existing program areas that we already have at the college right now are going to align perfectly with those jobs that they’re going to be hiring for. Those programs are process technology, instrumentation, electrical and industrial maintenance," RPCC Communications Director Landon Corbin said.

Air quality has also been a concern among residents. Hyundai recently made changes to its air permit application, including swapping out nine natural gas industrial heaters for electric ones.

“The emissions are going to be 70% lower than traditional steel manufacturing. That is incredible. That’s huge, but that also means compared to some of the newer plants that are using newer technology, our numbers are even lower than that when it comes to emissions," Malin said.

Johnson says the permit will keep them regulated by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.

“Actually, the change has even enhanced the ability from an environmental protection standpoint, and you’ll see that. That’s something that Hyundai did voluntarily. Based on the design and engineering of this facility, it will be among the cleanest steel plants in the entire world," Johnson said.

WBRZ asked residents if they feel the statements Hyundai is making are more trustworthy than previous plants coming in.

“Yes, I really do think that it’s stronger and it’s more definitive, and again, the steps that they have taken to posture themselves for that particular connectivity with the community are awesome," Donaldsonville resident Roy Quezaire said.

Hyundai-POSCO says there will be more of these events in the future, and even plans on knocking on doors as well. They also say more positions will open up in September.

“Hyundai made a donation of $10,000 to the Modeste Food Bank, and that’s one of many donations that we hope to make to organizations in the community that support our near neighbors. The folks that live right next to where we’re working every single day," Malin said.